Caucasian cuisine has long and firmly settled in our hearts. Not a single picnic is possible without barbecue, tapaka chickens are often cooked for the holidays (and sometimes on unremarkable days), and even eternally mischievous teenagers do not refuse satsivi chicken. And the most important thing in this kitchen is Caucasian sauces, which can add charm to the most ordinary dish.
Adjika
This is perhaps the most famous and popular Caucasian sauce. Each mistress has her own recipe. And each of them has a right to exist. But I would very much like to ask the culinary specialists not to spoil this wonderful seasoning with tomato pastes and ketchups. It should be remembered that Caucasian sauces are attractive because they are made exclusively from fresh fruit and vegetables, without preservatives, colorings or flavor enhancers. Try to cook adjika according to the proposed recipe and compare how brighter and richer it tastes in comparison with the use of ketchups. Take a pound of ripe tomato, a large bunch of cilantro (200 grams), two large heads of garlic, large Bulgarian red pepper, also red hot - as you like, but at least one pod should be present, and a glass of walnuts. All this is grinded in a meat grinder, it sticks - and adjika is ready. According to the rules, it is not necessary to supplement it with any spices, only herbs and vegetables. But a flight of fancy and cooking improvements has always been welcome.
Adjika nut
Such a sauce of Caucasian cuisine is generally cooked without a tomato. Three chili peppers are taken, chopped very finely, mixed with a bunch of chopped cilantro, a spoon of sunflower hops, a teaspoon of saffron, a couple of crushed garlic cloves, a stack of wine vinegar and half a glass of crushed walnuts. It turns out pretty dense mass. The main thing in its preparation is to use nothing but a knife. Seasoning and should consist of pieces of all components.
Green adjika
All Caucasian sauces are made hot and spicy, but this one is especially. It will take four long, extremely hot green peppers, one and a half heads of garlic and just a huge bunch of cilantro. All this is laid in a blender and mashed with it. The final product is salted and consumed. It turns out so fragrant and exciting sauce that it is delicious to eat even just spread on a slice of tomato.
Satsebeli
Now we describe other, no less famous Caucasian sauces. Satsebeli is served with both fish and meat. Depending on what kind of dish it is planned to serve, the corresponding strong broth is cooked. One and a half cups of nuts are ground, poured with a glass or two broths (depending on which sauce you like more - liquid or thicker), flavored with chopped four onions, a couple of spoons of salt, half - ground red pepper, mint and cilantro.
Tkemali
This legendary Caucasian sauce is made on the basis of plums. It is advisable to find fruits of the corresponding variety, having a similar name. But in their absence, others will do. A pound of plum is boiled in a small volume of water until soft and rubbed through a shallow colander. The puree is slightly diluted with a decoction of fruit; chopped greens are poured into it (cilantro is mandatory, you select the rest in accordance with your preferences). Plus, indispensable garlic (a lot, up to a third of a kilogram), salt and a couple of crushed bitter peppers are added. The pan returns to the fire. As it boils, we are ready.
Pomegranate Sauce Narsharab
Like other Caucasian sauces, it is prepared from natural fruits, store juice is not good. Of the two pomegranates, squeeze the juice into which the pulp from the cilantro (a couple of branches), the garlic (a clove), salt and a little hot pepper are mixed in. To not get cloying, the sauce is diluted with half a glass of water.
Garo sauce
For him, two and a half glasses of nuts are crushed together with salt and cilantro (three spoons in chopped form). Then slowly, with stirring, pour three tablespoons of wine three percent vinegar, and then a couple of glasses of chicken stock. Two onions and four garlic cloves are finely chopped into the prepared base, the saucepan is set on fire and boiled quietly for about ten minutes. At the end, two egg yolks are whipped with a spoon of warm sauce and poured into the mass, gradually, stirring so that the eggs do not curl. Going to a bird is just the perfect choice.
Satsivi
In this sauce of Caucasian cuisine, first, fry from chopped onions (three medium heads) and garlic (two cloves) with butter. When the color of vegetables suits you, a couple of spoons of flour are poured and two glasses of broth are poured. How to boil - remove from heat. A full spoon of dried herbs is combined with two glasses of mashed walnuts, yolks of three eggs, half a glass of wine vinegar and spices: parsley, red pepper, cinnamon, cloves and saffron. This mixture is placed in a liquid base; when the sauce boils again - it is ready.
Cucumber Kebab Sauce from the Caucasus
Kebab is not just a dish. This is a process, a ritual, which must be accompanied by the correct additions. They are vegetables baked on fire and Caucasian kebab sauce. Most loved by the highlanders is the following: a pair of cucumbers (fresh!) Are cut in very, very small cubes. A large amount of chopped greens is added to them (two bazaar bundles of each kind): onion, dill, parsley, cilantro. Two or three garlic cloves rub on the smallest grater and are thrown into the mass. A glass of mayonnaise is mixed with the same volume of evaporated tomato juice (in the field, ketchup replacement is acceptable). Salt, pepper and dunk pieces of meat.
Enjoy your discoveries in Caucasian cooking!