Black Bean Bowl with Lemon‑Tahini Dressing and Warm Spices

Dice the yellow onion into small pieces. Mince the 4 cloves of garlic for the beans. Set aside.

In a small bowl, combine cumin, paprika, cayenne, ground ginger, turmeric, salt, and black pepper. Mix well to create the warm spice blend.

Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large stockpot over medium heat.

Add the diced onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, about 5-7 minutes.

Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.

Pour in the warm spice blend and stir constantly for 30 seconds to bloom the spices.

Add the black beans and 1 cup of water. Stir to combine.

Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes until the liquid is mostly absorbed and the beans are heated through. Season with extra salt and pepper if needed.

Juice both lemons to get approximately 4-5 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice.

In a bowl, whisk together the tahini, lemon juice, minced garlic, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, salt, and black pepper until smooth and creamy.

If the dressing is too thick, add water one tablespoon at a time until you reach your desired consistency. Set aside.

Rinse the white rice under cold water until the water runs clear.

Cook rice according to package directions using a stockpot or rice cooker. Fluff with a fork when done.

Chop the lettuce into bite-sized pieces. Dice the tomatoes. Peel and slice the cucumber. Slice the scallions thinly. Chop the parsley.

Divide the cooked rice among 4 bowls as the base.

Ladle the warm spiced black beans over the rice.

Arrange the fresh vegetables — lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber — around the beans.

Drizzle the lemon-tahini dressing generously over each bowl.

Finish with a sprinkle of sliced scallions and chopped parsley. Serve immediately while the beans are warm.