Georgian red adjika

The history of Georgia is like a bowl of adjika. The condiment is as complex as the history of the nation, it stands at the crossroads of the silk trade and has been invaded by the Mongols, Ottomans and Russians, and sauce embodies the soul of a nation.

Adjika It hails from the West and south of Georgia and is a paste made with hot chillies, sweet peppers, garlic, herbs and spices. The condiment is bold, bursts with flavour and persistent heat. There are many variations of the condiment, red being the most common, and green being made with green chillies, but there also are variations in textures and the ratio of ingredients. They are all fantastic and can be used as a dip, rubbed on meats, or as a marinade and used as a topping for stews to make the dish pop.

This adjika is simply the best. Created by the master artist, Chuka, this adjika bursts with flavours. The spice from the chillies is balanced by the sweet red peppers, spices and nuttiness from the walnuts. This will be a condiment that will surprise you and one that you will make again and again. China Kuprava heads the Silk museum in Tbilisi and is an amazing cook who specializes in regional Georgian cuisine, an artist and so much more. She has dedicated her soul to furthering and protecting Georgian history. Most of all she is lively, full of fun, generous and a lovely person. It was an absolute joy to have met you, learned this recipe in your home and enjoyed the vast array of food you treated us to. Thank you.

This is a wonderful cookbook from one of my favourite chefs. A cookbook that has been written by travelling to the region, living with the people and learning recipes in their kitchens. This cookbook is filled with amazing flavours from regions and communities that have received very little attention in the Western world. I hope to be able to cook more from here soon.

For more recipes from this amazing cookbook, click here.

Ingredients;

Walnuts 1 kg

Garlic 500 gm

Red peppers 2 kg

Chililues 1 kg

1 cup khmeli suneli

1 cup ground coriander seed

1 cup ground blue fenugreek

Salt 500 gm

For the khmeli suneli:

3 table ground blue fenugreek or 2 tablespoons dried fenugreek seeds + 1 tablespoon ground fenugreek seeds

2 tablespoons ground coriander seeds

3 tablespoons dried marigold flowers (optional)

2 tablespoons chilli powder

Mix the khmeli suneli by mixing all the ingredients. Store in a dry jar.

Cut and deseed the red and chilli peppers. Pass all ingredients through a hand-churned meat grinder, or purêe in a blender. You can make it a bit chunky or as smooth as you like.

Mix in the ground spices and salt.

Store in sterilized jars for at least a week in the fridge for the sauce to marinate.