Lobio (bean stew)
Red beans cooked with coriander, garlic and spices, served in a clay pot with cornbread.
Well-cooked hot dish

Ingredients
- red beans
- onion
- garlic
- coriander
- blue fenugreek (utskho suneli)
- pepper
- optional walnuts
- salt
How it is prepared
Soaked beans are cooked until soft, partly mashed and simmered again with spices and herbs.
Food safety with low immunity
- When there are lots of herbs, wash them well and cook them in the dish; during neutropenia it is wise to skip a raw herb garnish.
How to prepare it during treatment
Cook the herbs into the dish rather than adding them raw at the end.
Your diet during treatment is agreed with your doctor. Sample 7-day menu for the treatment period →
Storage
Cool and refrigerate within 2 hours of cooking, and eat within 1–2 days. Divide large batches into small containers so they cool faster.
Reheating
Once, until steaming hot all the way through; in a microwave, stir halfway.
Symptoms it may suit
- Constipation. Fibre (pulses, vegetables, grains) may help with constipation — together with enough fluids.
- Low appetite. Gives a lot of energy and protein in a small portion — can help when appetite is low.
- Taste changes. Aromatic spices, herbs or a little sourness can help when food tastes bland or metallic (if there are no mouth sores).
These are general observations: what suits you can change from day to day.
Treatment phases
- Before treatmentmay suit
- During a coursemay suit
- Low counts (neutropenia)Freshly cooked and hotmay suit
- Between coursesmay suit
- After treatmentmay suit
Phase notes are general. During low counts, follow only your care team’s food rules.
If you have other conditions
- Stomach and gut. High in fibre. With bowel inflammation, diarrhoea or after bowel surgery, discuss suitability with your team.
- Stomach and gut, Lung disease. Pulses or cabbage can cause wind and bloating; keep this in mind with digestive or lung conditions (bloating can make breathing harder).
- Kidney disease. Can be a source of potassium (tomato, potato, pulses, dried fruit). With kidney disease, discuss potassium limits with your team.
- Heart disease. Lots of green herbs or leaves (vitamin K). If you take blood-thinning medicine, discuss keeping the amount steady with your team.
Nutrition (per 100 g)
Nutrition figures from a reliable source have not been added for this dish yet.
More from this cuisine
Related topics
Food safetyNeutropenic diet (low-microbial diet)PasteurisedCore cooking temperatureLeftoversCross-contamination
Sources
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Safer Food Choices for People With Weakened Immune Systems
- FoodSafety.gov (U.S. HHS). Cook to a Safe Minimum Internal Temperature
- USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service. Leftovers and Food Safety
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Food Safety for Older Adults and People with Cancer, Diabetes, HIV/AIDS, Organ Transplants, and Autoimmune Diseases
- Food Standards Agency (UK). Chilling
- World Health Organization (WHO). Five keys to safer food manual
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Food Safety During Cancer Treatment
- National Cancer Institute (NCI). Eating Hints: Before, during, and after Cancer Treatment
- BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care, 2019. Neutropenic diets to prevent cancer infections: updated systematic review and meta-analysis
- U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). FoodData Central — Food and Nutrient Database for Dietary Studies (FNDDS)