Taze börülce ve kabak salatası (fresh black-eyed bean and marrow salad)

Taze börülce ve kabak salatası is a popular summer salad in Cyprus, made when black-eyed beans and Cyprus marrow are in abundance. In the UK, both vegetables can be found in Turkish and Greek grocery stores when in season.

The Cyprus marrow pieces are slightly sweet and soft, contrasting beautifully with the firm yet tender beans and their earthy flavour. A lemon and olive oil dressing brightens and balances the dish as it soaks into the marrow.

The salad can be eaten warm, at room temperature, or cold from the fridge. It’s especially good at the end of a hot day when you want something light and refreshing. Serve it simply with fresh bread or chips (preferably made with Cyprus potatoes), alongside a köfte of your choice - we love it with patates köftesi.

The cooking instructions are based on in-season vegetables. If the black-eyed beans or marrow are more mature with tougher skin or flesh, they may need a longer cooking time. Although Cyprus marrow is the traditional vegetable for this salad, white courgettes also work well if you can’t find them at your local grocery store.

Serves 4 to 5 | Preparation time: 15 minutes | Cooking time: 20 minutes | Additional time for cooling if required

Ingredients

Salad preparation
1kg fresh black-eyed beans, washed and strained	750g Cyprus marrow, washed and strained
Dressing
​150-200ml olive oil, or as desired	1 tsp salt, or as desired
​100-150ml lemon juice, or as desired

Hob heat settings

Method

Bean preparation:

1. To prepare the black-eyed beans, snap off about 5 mm from each tip of the pod by hand, then peel away the tough string along the edges. Next, snap each pod every 4-5 cm, taking care to break between the bulges where the beans are. For any pods that are slightly yellow or brown, split them open to remove the beans (known as ‘gunna’ in the Turkish Cypriot dialect), then discard the pod flesh.

The video below shows you how to prepare the fresh black-eyed bean pods:

Marrow preparation:

1. Cut the marrow into 4 cm-thick rounds, then halve each into semi-circles. Scoop out the seeds from the bulbous end with a spoon and discard.

Salad preparation:

1. Add the marrow and beans separately to 2 saucepans, each with enough hot water to cover by 5 cm. Boil on a medium-high heat for 10-20 minutes or until they are both cooked - test with a fork (the vegetables should be firm yet tender). Remove and leave in a colander to drain off the excess water. We use separate pots of water for boiling as the beans can discolour the marrow and they can cook at different speeds.

   
   

2. The salad can be served warm, left to cool to room temperature, or chilled in the fridge if you prefer it cold. When you are ready to serve, make the dressing by mixing the ingredients together and pour over the vegetables, mixing gently from the bottom in a large, deep oven tray so as not to break up the marrow pieces (they can fall apart easily). You can adjust the quantities of lemon juice, olive oil and salt to taste. Serve with some fresh bread or fresh chips on the side, as well as köfte of your choice.