A business card and the pride of Caucasian cuisine, Abkhaz adjika has a recognizable spicy taste, does not contain any chemical additives and preservatives. It contains only natural ingredients: hot pepper, salt, spices. Adjika is used in the preparation of many dishes as a fragrant and spicy additive. It goes well with fish, meat, pastries. It is added to sauces, soups, ketchups and mayonnaise.
It is best to buy this seasoning in the Caucasus, where it is made according to ancient family recipes. However, not everyone has such an opportunity, and good adjika is eaten very quickly. In Russian stores you can see jars with the inscription: "Abkhazian adjika Amtsa." But in what conditions and according to which recipe this product is made, it is difficult to say. In order not to get into trouble, it’s easier once to learn how to do the correct adjika and no longer depend on circumstances.
History
According to a beautiful legend, the recipe for Abkhaz adjika appeared thanks to the ingenuity of shepherds. When they took the flocks to the mountain pastures, they were given salt, which the sheep had to be fed so that the animals ate more, drank and gained weight. Salt was a very valuable product, and to prevent theft, hot pepper was added to it.
But the effect turned out to be the opposite. Shepherds mixed hot salt with aromatic spices, and then grated the mixture between two flat stones. They began to add the resulting seasoning to food and called Adzhikstatstsa, which in Abkhazian means "rubbed salt with something."
Real adjika
The new seasoning turned out to be so tasty and versatile in use that it firmly entered the Caucasian cuisine. The flat stones used by the shepherds were replaced by special stones: a massive rectangular one with a recess where adjika components formed, and a small oblong-shaped stone - they rubbed the ingredients.
Generations followed in succession, and the seasoning recipe remained virtually unchanged. The ratio of products could vary in different families, but the composition of the Abkhaz adjika remained the same: hot peppers, garlic, coarse salt, blue fenugreek and coriander seeds. Everything! No tomatoes, eggplant, zucchini or bell peppers. Additionally added spices were a personal initiative of each individual hostess and an actual deviation from the reference recipe.
Until now, despite the advent of kitchen appliances, in the Caucasian villages women are preparing classic Abkhaz adjika using traditional stones. They believe that measured grinding between stones most effectively releases and mixes the essential oils, which are rich in ingredients. The grated seasoning is not chopped, but similar to butter, delicate in texture, unimaginably aromatic, and most importantly, tasty and healthy. It is not for nothing that Caucasians call Adjika a cure for thousands of diseases.
Cooking principles
Of course, in the cities of Russia it makes no sense to look for special stones for the preparation of Abkhaz adjika. It is enough to have a meat grinder or a powerful blender. Those who want to make seasoning as close as possible to the classic version can use a stone mortar, but remember that it will require remarkable efforts and perseverance.
The principles of cooking adjika are simple:
- correctly selected products;
- their proper preparation;
- thoroughly grinding the ingredients.
Hot pepper determines the sharpness. Therefore, do not be shy to try it upon purchase. From not very hot pepper you get the same adjika. Coriander seeds and dry fenugreek are best bought from trusted sellers. It is not necessary to take already ground seeds, they have practically no essential oils that add flavor to the seasoning. Salt should be large and without iodine.
Pepper must be dry. Its seeds and internal partitions are very burning. Leave them or not - the choice is individual. However, in the real Abkhaz adjika they are left to make the final product sharper.
In order to achieve at least approximately the oily consistency that a real adjika has, the components of its products must be passed through a meat grinder several times or grinded very carefully. Moreover, salt is added at the very beginning so that it becomes an additional abrasive material, grinding other components.
Tips
Here are some tips that will come in handy during the preparation of adjika:
- If it was not possible to find the blue fenugreek, instead of it in seasoning you can use hops-suneli.
- Peppers must be dry. They can be dried in the air, but not in direct sunlight. And you can dry in a pan or in a slightly heated oven. So the pods will not only dry, but will also acquire an original smoky aroma. The main thing is not to overdo it with heat treatment.
- Salt is the most important component of adjika. It participates in the grinding of the ingredients and allows the seasoning to be stored for a long time. The more salt, the longer the shelf life.
- Adjika is best laid out in glass containers. Plastic can convey its smell to the product, and the bags are not very reliable.
Security
During cooking, you should observe the following precautions:
- The burning components of adjika are dangerous for the skin of the hands. Therefore, you need to cook seasoning in disposable cellophane or rubber gloves. At the same time, taking care not to accidentally touch your face or eyes with your fingers - the consequences can be very sad.
- When working with pepper and garlic, it is better not to let children into the kitchen. They are very curious, and red pepper looks very seductive and can cause harm to the baby, being in his hands or mouth.
- With finished Abkhaz adjika, one must also be careful. Eat in moderation so as not to burn the tongue or the walls of the stomach. It is reasonable to add to food, because even the most delicious dish can be made inedible if you go too far with a burning seasoning.
The recipe for classic Abkhaz adjika
Structure:
- hot pepper - 500 grams;
- blue fenugreek and coriander seeds - 15 grams each (or to taste);
- garlic - 50 grams;
- salt - 100 grams.
Rinse the pepper and put it to dry for three days in a ventilated place, but not in the sun. After this, wash the pods again, dry, remove the stalks and cut into pieces. If you want to make adjika moderately sharp, then the seeds and white partitions need to be removed. Mix all the ingredients and grind with a blender in a stone mortar or pass several times through a meat grinder using a nozzle with a minimum diameter of holes. Arrange in glass jars, put in a refrigerator or a dark place.
Green adjika
Structure:
- green hot pepper - 500 grams;
- dill, green cilantro, parsley - in a large bunch;
- garlic - three large heads;
- walnuts - 150 grams;
- blue fenugreek and coriander seeds - 15 grams each (or to taste) or three to four tablespoons of suneli hop;
- a glass of table salt.
Adjika turns out to be very spicy, rich green in color and moderately sharp. Dry and chop the pepper in the same way as in the classic recipe. Then mix the ingredients and pass through a meat grinder until a homogeneous oily mass is obtained. Put adjika in glass jars and refrigerate.
Dry Abkhaz adjika
Structure:
- ground red pepper or dry pods of hot pepper - 30 grams;
- seeds of blue fenugreek, dill, coriander, savory and basil - 50 grams each;
- salt to taste.
Dry adjika is an excellent seasoning that can be added during cooking or in ready-made dishes. The interweaving of aromas of several spices gives the food special piquant notes characteristic of Caucasian cuisine. Such adjika is easy to prepare and is stored for a long time. All ingredients must be mixed and thoroughly crushed in a mortar. Then sprinkle in glass jars or special containers for bulk seasonings.