gian dishes
Merab Beradze
© Merab Beradze, 2016
© Lia Beridze, translation, 2016
© Yuri Mechitov, photos, 2016
Editor Amiran Melua
Created with intellectual publishing system Ridero
Little vocabulary of herbs and spices
Fresh Herbs
Basil – Rekhani
Celery – Niakhuri
Cilantro – Kindzi
Dill – Kama
Mint – Pitna
Parsley – Okhrakhushi
Summer Savory – Kondari
Dried Herbs & Spices
Cinnamon – Darichini
Cloves – Mikhaki
Coriander – Kindzi
Fenugreek – Utskho Suneli
Marigold – Imeruli Shaprani
Indian Caraway – Dira
Satsivi
Products:
1 turkey
400 g onions
1 tablespoon dry coriander
1 tablespoon utskho suneli
4—5 cloves garlic
1 hot pepper
2 tablespoon pounded saffron (“yellow flower”)
450—500 g dry walnuts
2—3 tables spoon vinegar
2 eggs
Salt, clove and cinnamon to taste
It is truly believed that no Georgian table, especially a festal one, can do without satsivi. So let satsivi introduce you to the Georgian cuisine!
Put a fat well-cleaned turkey into a big saucepan and cover it with water. Close the cover, put the saucepan on the stove and cook for 30—40 min., often removing the scum, until the turkey is ready. Put the turkey on a wooden or enamelled board and salt it from inside and outside. Put the turkey into the stove and cook until the skin turns red. Remove fat from the broth left in the saucepan. Pour half glass of the fat over fine-shredded onions and stew them on a pan until the onion turns pink. Pour broth into the mass and cook for 10—15 min.
Separately prepare the seasoning: pound dry walnuts, dilute them in half glass of vinegar, add pounded dry coriander, utskho suneli (dry spices), saffron, garlic, and pepper and mix. Pass the mass through a sieve, pour it into the broth and boil on a low fire for approx. 20 min, stirring constantly. Let the broth cool, pour in 2 yolks beat up in a spoon of vinegar and stir to prevent the yolk from curdling. Then cut the turkey into pieces, put into a deep dish and pour over the satsivi sauce and some walnut oil.
If you follow the instructions properly, you will have the essence of the Georgian table – His Majesty the Satsivi, so inviting and tasty! True, it takes time to cook satsivi, but it will really enrich your table and everybody is sure to love it!
Enjoy with “Tsinandali” wine.
Walnut Sauce (Bazha)
Products:
50 g walnuts
50 g onions
2 cloves garlic
1 sprig dill
3—4 pomegranates
1 red pepper
Mince walnuts, onions, garlic, coriander, dill, and red peppers; add salt and mix thoroughly. Boil some water, cool it, mix with pomegranate juice, and add in the minced seasoning. Pour in some walnut oil.
Chakapuli
Products:
1 kg fatty mutton / lamb meat with bones
1/2 kg onions
1 bunch estragon
Coriander and parsley, 5 sprigs each
1 teas glass fresh tkemali
2 glasses white wine
Pepper and salt to taste
Take fat mutton or lamb meat with bones, cut it into small pieces and put into a saucepan. Pour in some water to cover the meat and cook on a slow fire, then add shredded onions and stew. Add shredded parsley, coriander, estragon, cook for approx. 5 min. and put in some fresh tkemali. When the tkemali is done, pour in some white wine and season with salt and pepper.
Enjoy with “Tsinandali” wine or “Mukuzani”
Chicken Chikhirtma
Products:
1 hen, approx. 800—900 g
4 eggs
2 tablespoons vinegar
4—5 bulbs onions
3 teaspoons wheat flour
1 teaspoon dry saffron (“yellow flower”)
1/2 glass finely shredded coriander
Salt to taste
Cut up a fat chicken, put the pieces into a saucepan and stew in their own juice until the chicken meat turns pink. Add onions and finely shredded coriander and stew on a low fire, stirring carefully. Salt to taste, add approximately 10 glasses of cold water, and boil. Mix in some wheat flour and boil for 10 more minutes. Pour in 4 yolks, stir thoroughly and pour in some white vinegar. Dilute 1 teaspoon of dry saffron in 1/3 glass of hot water and leave for 2 hours, then filter. Serve chikhirtma while hot.
Georgian Solyanka (Meat with Pickles)
Products:
1 kg beef meat
0.5 kg onions
Celery, savoury, parsley, basil – 1 sprig each
4 cloves garlic
Salt and pepper to taste
Take some boneless beef meat, beat it and cut into pieces. Sprinkle the meat with salt and black pepper. Fry with shredded onions in its own fat. When the meat and onions turn slightly brown, pour in tomato sauce, vinegar or lemon juice; add minced garlic and pickles (in summer add peeled and chopped tomatoes). Solyanka is better when it has some juice and is a little stinging. Before serving, add shredded dill or parsley.
Enjoy with “Saferavi” wine.
Chanakhi
Products:
1 kg beef / mutton
1 kg aubergines
1 kg potatoes
4—5 bulbs onions
Basil, coriander, parsley (4 sprigs each)
1 green pepper
4—5 cloves garlic
Take some fat beef or mutton meat with bones, cut it into pieces, put into a cast-iron pot, add some water and put on the stove. Cut some washed aubergines and potatoes into 4—5 pieces, sprinkle with salt and leave for 1 hour. When the meat is done,