Balila is a simple mezze of warm, tender chickpeas in a fragrant lemon-and-cumin dressing. Parsley and flatbread make it a fresh, savoury side dish that goes well with other small plates.
Balila is a warm dish of whole chickpeas eaten in Lebanon and elsewhere in the Levant. The ingredients are deliberately simple: chickpeas, cumin, garlic, lemon and olive oil. The chickpeas stay whole and firm enough to serve with a spoon; their cooking liquid becomes part of the dish rather than something to pour away. There are various home-style and regional versions, so think of these proportions as a practical take, not the one definitive formula.
Dried chickpeas need to soak overnight, but they give you control over how tender they become and provide just the starchy cooking liquid that makes the dressing slightly cloudy. Cook them until tender without letting them fall apart. The liquid emulsifies better when you whisk it vigorously with lemon juice and olive oil: it won’t become a thick sauce, but a thin, glossy dressing around the chickpeas. The amount of cooking liquid can vary from pan to pan, so set a little aside to adjust the consistency.
Cumin adds a warm, earthy note that goes well with the bright lemon. Garlic makes the dish more savoury, while olive oil rounds out the flavours. Briefly warming the garlic and cumin in oil brings out their fragrance without browning the garlic and making it bitter. Taste the liquid at the end: chickpeas absorb salt, and the right balance also depends on how tart your lemon is. It’s better to add lemon juice or salt a little at a time than all at once.
Flatbread is handy for mopping up the fragrant dressing; serve the balila alongside other mezze, such as raw vegetables, olives or a tomato and cucumber salad. As part of a larger meal, it goes well with grilled vegetables or meat. Parsley adds a fresh, green contrast. If you’re not using dried chickpeas, canned chickpeas work too: warm them gently with a little water, though the liquid will generally be less starchy. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator and reheat gently with a splash of water; add a little more lemon before serving, if you like.
Put the chickpeas in a large bowl, cover generously with cold water and leave to soak for 8–12 hours. Drain and rinse.
Put the chickpeas in a pan with 2 litres fresh water. Bring to the boil, skim any foam from the surface and simmer with the lid slightly ajar until tender, about 60–90 minutes. Add the salt towards the end. The chickpeas should be tender but remain whole.
Scoop about 300 ml cooking liquid from the pan and set aside. Drain the chickpeas; save the remaining cooking liquid for another use.
Heat the olive oil in a small frying pan over low heat. Add the garlic and cumin and cook, stirring, for 30–60 seconds, until fragrant but not browned.
Return the warm chickpeas to the pan. Add the garlic and cumin oil, lemon juice and 200 ml of the reserved cooking liquid. Stir gently but firmly until the liquid turns slightly cloudy and fragrant. Add more cooking liquid if needed, and taste for salt and lemon.
Spoon the balila into a serving dish, scatter the parsley over the top and serve warm with flatbread.
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