Walnut Paste à la Georgia

There are many variations of this recipe found in the western and central parts of the country. 

Over a million years of culture has given the region UNESCO World Heritage Sites, working winemakers, agricultural files, and medieval villages and towns. 

Spread on vegetables, add to sauces, thicken stews, place on an hors d'oeuvre tray, fill cookies, blend in a smoothie...Find something you like to use the walnut paste.

ნიგვზი საკმაზი (Georgian)

/nigvzis sakmazi/

Serves 4

~Use organic ingredients as best as possible.~

2 cups (260 g) walnuts

2 tsp. (4 g) coriander powder

3 Tbs. (45 ml) apple cider vinegar 

cayenne 

1 onion

garlic

dill

cilantro or parsley

optional: 

• fenugreek powder
• coriander powder
• saffron powder
• mint
• chili

ერთი /erti/ ა 1. Blend all the ingredients in a food processor.

ორი /ori/ ბ 2. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

სამი /sami/ გ 3. Add a little water to thin it, if you like.

                                                     გემრიელად მიირთვით!

                                                     /gem-ri-el-ad mi-irt-vit/ (formal)

                                            "Eat deliciously" or "Enjoy your meal"

გემრიელად

 /gem-ri-el-ad/ (informal)

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Sour? Chicken Soup

Every region of Georgia has its own style of food preparation. Since it was one of the countries on the Silk Road, travelers influenced Georgian cuisine from the west as well as from the east. 

Chikhirtma (soup made of chicken meat) is a Kakhetian* cuisine. The region is called the "Region of Wine" because of the two river basins for the vineyards.  This region also has more meat-base dishes than the rest of the country.

მჟავე ქათმის წვნიანი (Georgian)

/mzhave katmis ts'vniani/ 

or 

ჩიხირთმა

/chikhirtma/

Serves 4

2 pound (910 g) organic chicken (whole, breasts or thighs)

organic onion, chopped

2 organic eggs

1/2 cup (120 ml) organic lemon juice

olive oil

1/2 Tbs. (7,5 g) (gluten-free) flour

1 Tbs. (15 g) (dairy-free) organic butter

chopped mint and parsley

black pepper

cayenne pepper

cold water

*Kakhuri (კახეთი /k'akheti/ ) is an eastern Georgian dialect in Kakheti.

~Georgian numbers~

ერთი /erti/ ა 1. Place the chicken in a pot and cover with water, bring to a boil over high heat.

ორი /ori/ ბ 2. Add the spices, cover the pot, lower the heat to simmer for 1 1/2 hours.

 (a) Chicken is cooked at temperature of 160F (74C).

სამი /sami/ გ 3. Place the chicken on a plate. Save the liquid.

ოთხი /otkhi/ დ 4. Add the lemon juice to the chicken liquid.

ხუთი /khuti/ ე 5. Beat the eggs and lemon juice together.

ექვსი /ekvsi/ ვ 6. Sauté the onions in some oil and butter over medium heat.

შვიდი /švidi/ ზ 7. Add the flour and stir for a few minutes. Remove and rest for 2 more minutes.

რვა /rva/ ჱ 8. Slowly pour the butter mixture into the eggs/lemon mixture, stir.

ცხრა /tskhra/ თ 9. Pour this into the chicken stock, continuer to blend all together.

(ათი /ati/ ი 10.  If you use a whole chicken, separate the meat from the bones.

თერთმეტი /tertmet’i/ ია 11. Spread the chicken meat on a plate.

თორმეტი /tormet’i/ იბ 12. Pour the soup on top.

ცამეტი /tsamet’i/ იგ 13. Sprinkle the soup with mint and parsley.

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Russian Cabbage Salad

Russian slaw is a healthy cabbage* salad. The Russian salad has no mayonnaise as in a typical English/American slaw. Instead, lemon and oil are used in the dressing. It can be as a vegetable dish or a light salad with meat, chicken or potatoes.

Капустный салат (Russian)

/kapustnyy salat/ 

or

капуста провански

/kapusta provanski/

"Provence cabbage"

Serves 6

Chill for +/- 3 hours.

1 1/2 Tbs. (22 ml) each: organic lemon juice and olive oil

2 Tbs. (30 ml) white wine vinegar

1/2 tsp (2,5 g) organic sugar

1 organic red onions, chopped 3/4 of the onion, and slice the rest

2 1/2 pounds (about a 1 kg) organic cabbage, remove the outer leaves, rinse, remove the core, and finely chopped

organic green onions, sliced

2 each organic: garlic cloves and carrots

shredded mint leaves

black pepper

1 Tbs. (15 g) sea salt

1 tsp. (2 g) caraway seeds

optional: handful of pomegranate seeds

один  /a-deen/ 1. Rub the cabbage with the salt and then squeeze it to release the juices and make the salad moist and tasty without too much oil.

два  /dva/ 2. Whisk together the lemon juice and vinegar into a bowl.

три  /tree/ 3. Whisk in the olive oil, sugar and black pepper.

четыре  /chye-tir-ye/ 4. Stir in the chopped red onions.

пять   /pyat/ 5. Stir the onion slice in with the lemon/vinegar mixture.

шесть   /shest/ 6. Grate the carrots and mince the garlic. Add to the cabbage.

семь   /syem/ 7. Toss the cabbage with mint leave in the dressing.

восемь  /vo-syem/ 8. Cover the bowl and chill for 3 hours.

 (a) Longer time for firm winter cabbage and lesser time for summer greenish cabbage.

девять /dyev-yat/ 9. Before serving, add the sliced red onions and chopped green onions on top.  

десять  /dyes-yat/ 10. Serve with optional pomegranate seeds over the top.

*Cabbage is a riche source of 

1. vitamin C (involves in the repair of tissue) 
2. vitamin K (for blood coagulation) and 
3. moderate source of vitamin B6 (foster good health and works well with other nutrients).

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