Adzhika Image Used Under Creative Commons License From georgiaabout.com
Regular TFD readers know that I am exceptionally fond of Georgian recipes – not the state, but the proud country of Georgia located in the Caucasus mountains at the crossroads of Europe and Asia.
This cuisine has it all – spice, complexity, healthfulness and flavors that simply cannot be beat. Case in point: Adzhika (also spelled Ajika in English and pronounced ‘ahh-jah-kah’), a Georgian “salsa” made from hot and sweet peppers, lots of herbs, spices and garlic (sometimes with a touch of walnut as well).
Despite its red color, there is no tomato in a true Adzhika – but the flavor complexity here will blow away a Mexican-style salsa. Try it for yourself and you’ll be a convert to the Georgian recipe as well! 🙂
No Georgian cook would think of serving grilled or roasted meat plain, without any sort of condiment or garnish. In the area of Megrelia where this version was created, meats are served with this sauce along with melon on the side to soothe the tongue.
Try Adzhika with chips, spread on meats (the traditional Georgian way to enjoy this recipe), or as the base for a pan sauce – it is an extremely versatile recipe that enhances pretty much everything savory, IMHO. I love it as a condiment, delicious served with Georgian beef soup!
½ pound fresh hot peppers, including seeds – TFD typically uses red Fresno peppers
1 large red bell pepper, cored and seeded
2 cups coarsely-chopped fresh dill
1 ½ cups coarsely-chopped fresh cilantro
⅓ cup red wine vinegar
1 tsp. Kosher salt
3 tsp. Ajika khmeli-suneli, made from:
½ tsp. finely-minced dried basil
½ tsp. finely-minced dried parsley
½ tsp. finely-minced dried dill
½ tsp. finely-minced dried cilantro
½ tsp. finely-minced dried mint
½ tsp. finely-ground bay leaf
½ tsp. finely-minced dried summer savory
½ tsp. finely-ground Utskho Suneli, wild blue fenugreek or substitute regular ground fenugreek
½ Tbsp. freshly-ground coriander seed
½ tsp. freshly-ground fennel seed
½ tsp. finely-minced dried marjoram
½ tsp. Zaprana, finely-ground marigold petals, or substitute 2 threads of saffron or turmeric
⅛ tsp. cayenne
***
to finish adzhika:
walnut oil to taste
Instructions
Using the pulse control of a food processor, grind the garlic slightly. Coarsely chop the celery, hot peppers and red bell pepper and add them to the garlic. Pulse again. Add the chopped herbs and pulse to a medium coarseness. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and stir in the vinegar, khmeli-suneli, salt and walnut oil.
Cover and let stand overnight before packing into jars, where it will last for weeks, refrigerated. Either store in the refrigerator or process in a water bath for longer storage. This relish tastes best when allowed to sit for 3 days before serving.
Nutrition
Calories:37.41 kcal
Sugar:2.36 g
Sodium:233.28 mg
Fat:0.38 g
Saturated Fat:0.05 g
Trans Fat:0.0 g
Carbohydrates:6.77 g
Fiber:1.94 g
Protein:1.52 g
Cholesterol:0.0 mg
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