Adjika is an Abkhazian dish with a rich history. It originated many centuries ago among shepherds who went to pasture with the flock, and it was called apyrpyl-adjika, or adjikstatstsa, which meant “pepper salt”.
Do not be surprised at this name, because for a long time home adjika was prepared on the basis of ordinary table salt with the addition of garlic, cilantro, suneli hops and many other spicy Caucasian spices. Later, when this amazing dish became known to the Slavic peoples living nearby and spread even further, its name was reduced to “adjika”, and the composition was enriched with the addition of tomatoes. However, it was originally used as a seasoning for meat or fish, first courses and even desserts. It had a sharp spicy taste due to Caucasian herbs and hot red pepper, however, the gentle Slavic stomachs were not used to such food, and therefore replaced its composition to give the seasoning a sweet-salty taste with a pleasant tomato aroma. They began to prepare it for the winter, and home adjika has already become a familiar dish for the post-Soviet space and beyond. Now it is added mainly to second courses as a sauce or to salads as a dressing.
Classic recipe
Cooking adjika at home is a very simple process, which will require 1 kg of tomatoes, 3-4 Bulgarian and 5-6 pods of hot red pepper, 3 medium apples, a head of garlic and salt. All the ingredients are thoroughly washed, cleaned of the legs, but leave the seeds so that our home adjika acquires the usual consistency and a beautiful fiery red color with white patches. Then we cut tomatoes and apples into 4 parts and grind separately from mashed potatoes. This can be done using a meat grinder or blender. At the same time, we cut into slices both types of peppers directly with seeds, mix in one cup, add garlic and also grind to a mushy state.
We combine both workpieces together, and so that our home adjika becomes soft and delicate in taste, cook it over low heat for 3 hours. Then we transfer to a jar and leave it to be stored in the refrigerator. Such homemade adjika will delight you all winter with its spicy taste, enriching other dishes you have prepared. Since home adjika is extremely rich in vitamins, it will also help you protect your health throughout the cold season. The main thing is to calculate its amount during harvesting.
Special option
There are other ways to cook homemade adjika. They add carrots, vinegar and sugar to replace the sweet and sour taste of apples, or use all these products together. To increase the sharpness, you can cook it with onions, mashed in a uniform mashed potatoes. Also in Abkhazia there is a special recipe for this dish, which is served with dairy dishes, for example, cheese or sour milk, and it is called “green” home adjika. It is prepared from cilantro (0.5 kg), herbs in equal parts: dill, basil, mint and savory, as well as salt and green pepper. All grind to a homogeneous slurry and roll into cans.