Spicy White Beans with Tahini, Lemon and Parsley

The Turkish white bean salad called piyaz served as the inspiration for this dish. To make the dressing, we balance the richness of tahini by whisking it with lemon juice and water; the sharp, pungent flavors of thinly sliced shallot and fresh chili punctuate the mildness of the cannellini beans. The best way to lightly crush the coriander and cumin seeds that season the cannellinis is in a mortar with a pestle, though pulsing in a spice grinder works, too. Just make sure not to pulverize the spices to a fine powder. If you’d like to make the dish heartier, garnish with hard-cooked eggs that have been peeled and diced or cut into wedges.