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Drain the soaked beans and place them in a large pot with fresh cold water covering them by five centimetres. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for one to one and a half hours until the beans are very tender and the skins start to split.

While the beans cook, heat the oil or butter in a skillet over medium heat. Saute the diced onions for eight minutes until deeply golden and caramelized. Add the garlic and cook for one minute more. Set aside off heat.

In a separate bowl, combine the ground walnuts, fenugreek, ground coriander, cayenne pepper, and half the chopped cilantro. This spice-nut mixture is the hallmark of Georgian bean cookery and distinguishes lobio from all other bean dishes.

When the beans are tender, drain them, reserving one cup of the cooking liquid. Mash about one-third of the beans roughly with a fork or potato masher, leaving the rest whole. This creates the ideal thick but textured consistency.

Combine the mashed and whole beans with the caramelized onions and the walnut-spice mixture. Add the red wine vinegar and enough reserved cooking liquid to create a thick, stew-like consistency. Stir everything together thoroughly over medium heat.

Cook the combined mixture for ten minutes, stirring occasionally, to let the flavours meld and the sauce thicken further. The lobio should be thick enough to hold its shape on a plate but still moist and saucy throughout.

Stir in the remaining fresh cilantro and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, and additional vinegar to taste. Serve the lobio warm or at room temperature in a clay bowl, accompanied by Georgian cornbread (mchadi) and pickled vegetables on the side.