Hindbeh Bi Zeit (Dandelion Greens Recipe)

Hindbeh (Dandelion greens or Endive greens or Chicory greens) with Caramelised Onion. It's sweet and crunchy from the caramelised onions with a lemony dressing. It can be eaten as part of a mezze, on it's own or with Lebanese bread.

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Jump to:

• Hindbeh Health Benefits
• What you'll need for this Chicory recipe
• How to Cook Hindbeh Bi Zeit
• ❓FAQ
• 📖 Recipe
• More vegan Lebanese recipes?
• 💬 Community

A Chicory / endive / dandelion recipe is known as Hindbeh Bi Zeit in Arabic and is a popular dish all over Lebanon.

Translated to English 'Hindbeh' is the word for the plants chicory, endive or dandelion greens (typical middle-eastern greens) and 'bi zeit' translates to oil. This dish always uses olive oil.

Hindbeh Bi Zeit is a versatile dish which can be viewed as a dandelion salad. Hindbeh can be eaten as a side or main or perhaps even a light lunch.

I like it either; wrapped up in Lebanese bread, or, using Lebanese bread to eat bite sized morsels.

It's important to note that Lebanese cuisine features loads of wild greens, which in western society can be viewed as weeds.

Another Lebanese wild green recipe is Bakleh, known as Purslane in English. Bakleh has the most amazing sour taste. Here's my Purslane Pockets Lebanese Bakleh recipe.

In this particular recipe, I have illustrated using both chicory greens and curly endive greens.

I find it hard locating dandelion greens in my local grocer and have yet to grow some, but dandelion greens are cooked in the exact same manner as chicory or endive greens.

The above image is of fresh curly Endive plant.

Hindbeh Health Benefits

The health benefits of chicory are phenomenal including; aids digestion, reduces inflammation, relieves heartburn, reflux, constipation, lowers cholesterol and so much more.

However, if you prefer you can swap out the chicory for dandelion or endive and use the exact recipe below.

Cooking dandelion tip: boiling dandelion greens removes the bitterness.

What you'll need for this Chicory recipe

• 5-6 cups Water
• 1 kg Chicory Leaves
• 2 large Spanish onions, sliced
• 4-6 tbsp Lemon Juice fresh
• 2 cloves Garlic crushed
• 1 tsp Salt
• 2-4 tbsp Olive oil
• 1 medium Lemon

How to Cook Hindbeh Bi Zeit

Mise En Place (Preparation)

1. Thoroughly wash endive (dandelion greens or chicory leaves), may have to do this twice to get rid of dirt
2. Check and trim off any unwanted parts of endive
3. Cut greens into 3cm pieces, including soft stems. Set aside in a colander*
4. Peel and half onion. Dice into small pieces
5. Cut lemon in half and squeeze out juice, set aside
6. Measure out olive oil

Cooking

1. In a large pot, bring water to the boil
2. Place chopped dandelion greens into the pot of boiling water and boil for approx. 20-30 minutes.
3. Pour boiled greens into a strainer and drain all water
4. Allow to cool in the strainer before handling
5. Using your hands, grab a handful of boiled greens and squeeze out as much excess water as possible.
6. Whilst the chicory greens is boiling, heat up olive oil in a pot on high heat
7. Once oil is hot, add in diced onion and stir through oil to evenly coat, allow it to fry. Turn heat to med-high
8. Fry onion until dark brown, stirring every few minutes ensuring onion doesn't stick to pan. If required add an additional teaspoon of oil. Be patient, this process can take up to 30min depending on your stove.
9. In a mixing bowl, combine boiled endive, lemon and salt until evenly combined.
10. Serve endive in a serving bowl garnished with caramelised onion. Or, eat in Lebanese bread by applying a line of endive and topping it with caramelised onion. Roll Lebanese bread and enjoy.

Hindbeh washed and trimmed

Boiled Hindbeh cooling in a colander

Squeezed boiled hindbeh - remove all excess water

Hindbeh bi zeit (chicory) ready to be wrapped in a Lebanese bread roll

❓FAQ

Hindbeh Bi zeit using endive served in a plate

Another "bi zeit" recipe is my delicious Lebanese braised green beans called loubieh bi zeit.

📖 Recipe

More vegan Lebanese recipes?

Check out our category "Vegan Lebanese Recipes" you can find the famous Toum recipe aka Lebanese garlic dipping sauce, Sfouf - a golden turmeric cake and Mujadara recipe.