This butter bean mash dip with dukkah is so light, lemony and delicious. It is like a favorite cousin of hummus, while asserting its own lip smacking identity, topped with a glorious, crunchy and aromatic dukkah. A perfect vegan appetizer, snack or light meal for all times. Easy limb bean recipe to try when you want to have some healthy bean hummus made without tahini.
Drain the butter beans, rinse and put it in a food processor. Add garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, black pepper, salt to taste and process it until super smooth. Adjust the seasoning and set it aside.
Heat a cast iron skillet at medium setting for five minutes. Hold your palm three inches above the pan and you should be able to feel the heat. Then add the almonds and roast at medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 4 to 5 minutes. Cool the nuts and chop coarsely or crush using a mortar and pestle.
In the same skillet, dry roast pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds for about 3 minutes. Remove the seeds from skillet and set aside.
In the skillet, take coriander seeds, cumin seeds, fennel seeds and dry roast for 30 seconds to 1 minute. When they begin to release the roasted aroma, lower the heat and add sesame and black seeds. Continue to dry roast until the sesame seeds start to tan, that is, about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
Remove the skillet from the heat source and let the seeds cool down.
Using a mortar and pestle, lightly crush the pumpkin and sunflower seeds and add them to the chopped/crushed almonds. Repeat with coriander, cumin and fennel seeds. Then add the sesame, black seeds, salt, Aleppo pepper and two twists of freshly ground black pepper. Combine it all well.
Transfer the processed butter bean mash to a serving dish and make wavy patterns with the back of a spoon. Scatter over 3 tablespoons of the dukkah and save the rest for another use. Garnish with thyme. Drizzle with olive oil and pomegranate molasses, if using it. Serve with pita bread.
Notes
Using Dried Beans: Soak ½ pound dried Lima beans overnight with 2 pinches baking soda. Drain and cook with lots of water until very soft.
Roast Almonds in Oven: Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Scatter almonds in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Cool the nuts and chop coarsely.
Aleppo pepper or red pepper flakes can be substituted with a combination of paprika and cayenne pepper/chili powder. Adjust the heat level to your taste.