Equipment
Ingredients
Base
- 300 g swiss chard stems, leaves removed and reserved for another use, stems chopped into 2cm pieces
- 1000 ml water, boiling, for cooking stems
Flavorings
- 80 g tahini, well stirred
- 30 ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 2 garlic, crushed
- 3 g salt
- 2 g ground cumin
Garnish & Serving
- 15 ml extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling
- 5 g fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 4 arabic bread, warmed
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 339 kcal
- Protein
- 11 g
- Carbohydrates
- 42 g
- Fat
- 16 g
- Fiber
- 5 g
- Sugar
- 2 g
- Sodium
- 797 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 2 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 7 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 6 g
- Potassium
- 473 mg
- Calcium
- 187 mg
- Iron
- 5.2 mg
- Magnesium
- 99 mg
- Phosphorus
- 247 mg
- Zinc
- 1.8 mg
- Vitamin A
- 236 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 28 mg
- Vitamin E
- 2.2 mg
- Vitamin K
- 645 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.2 mg
- Thiamin
- 0.65 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.37 mg
- Niacin
- 4.2 mg
- Folate
- 98 mcg
- Water
- 99 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
Bring the water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the chopped Swiss chard stems and boil at 100°C (212°F) until they are completely tender and yield easily when pierced with a fork.
Transfer the cooked stems to a colander and rinse briefly under cold water to stop the cooking process. Allow them to drain thoroughly and cool for about 20 minutes.
Wrap the cooled stems in a clean kitchen towel and gently squeeze to remove as much excess water as possible. This prevents the final dip from becoming watery.
Place the squeezed chard stems, tahini, fresh lemon juice, crushed garlic, salt, and cumin into a food processor. Blend until the mixture achieves a smooth, creamy consistency.
Transfer the dip to a shallow serving bowl. Use the back of a spoon to create a swoosh or well in the center. Drizzle generously with extra virgin olive oil, sprinkle with chopped parsley, and serve immediately alongside warm Arabic bread.
Chef's Notes
- Treat the chard stems exactly as you would an eggplant for baba ganoush. Their neutral, slightly earthy flavor acts as a perfect sponge for the intense flavors of garlic, lemon, and sesame.
- Do not skip squeezing the water out of the boiled stems. Chard holds a massive amount of cellular water which will ruin the tight emulsion of your tahini if left unchecked.
- For a deeper, smokier flavor profile, you can lightly char the boiled stems in a hot dry skillet for a few minutes before blending to mimic the smokiness of traditional fire-roasted dips.
- Always use ice-cold water if you need to thin tahini-based dips. Cold water changes the viscosity of the sesame paste, making it unbelievably light, fluffy, and pale.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Store in an airtight container with a thin layer of olive oil smoothed over the top to prevent oxidation.
Troubleshooting
Dip is too watery and weeping liquid
Cause: Excess water was not thoroughly squeezed from the boiled Swiss chard stems
Fix: Blend in an additional spoonful of tahini to help bind and absorb the excess moisture
Prevention: Always squeeze the cooled stems in a kitchen towel before blending
Dip tastes overly bitter
Cause: Poor quality tahini or excessive garlic
Fix: Balance the bitterness by adding a small pinch of salt and an extra splash of lemon juice
Prevention: Use high-quality roasted sesame tahini and remove the green germ from the center of garlic cloves if older
Cultural Context
In Levantine and broader Middle Eastern cuisines, the concept of 'Mutabal' refers to a dip enriched with tahini and aromatic ingredients, most famously made with eggplant. Utilizing Swiss chard stems (Mutabal Silq) is a brilliant, traditional waste-reduction technique born from resourcefulness. It ensures that after the leafy greens are used in stews or stuffed dishes, the sturdy, fibrous stalks are transformed into an elegant, celebrated mezze in their own right.
