In the Caucasus, adjika is called the infernal mixture of hot pepper, garlic and salt. Coriander and other odorous herbs are added to the aroma, but these are nuances, and each mistress has her own. All this is carefully crushed and packaged in cans. Raw adjika is stored without boiling or other cooking. If you are very afraid of mold, you can pour hot vegetable oil under the cap.
In eastern cuisine, adjika is used in all conceivable and inconceivable dishes: for pickling and frying meat, in soups, broths, main dishes, fillings, unsweetened pastries. No less tempting, this burning seasoning looks on a piece of fat or in borsch.
In our country adjika is usually called a sauce of tomatoes, bell peppers and apples. But real adjika is made only from hot pepper. All tomato-based sauces are called "satsebeli" or "vegetable sauce."
I offer several options for adjika: classic and variations on the theme. I do not pretend for the authenticity of these recipes, but they were taken from the culinary blogger and author of several books on Georgian cuisine, Tinatin Mzhavanadze. And she knows exactly how to make adjika. Recipes have successfully passed all clinical trials and approved by an authoritative commission, which includes the mother-in-law, husband, friends, etc.
Raw adjika begin to be harvested in September, when hot pepper appears on the market in massive quantities. Somewhere at the beginning of this month, finally decide on the recipe and the amount of strategic stock. Go to the market and get a bright red ripened pepper. By the way, the smaller and thinner the pod, the sharper it is. Do not forget about coriander and a couple of kilograms of rock salt.
Attention, this is important! When preparing to cook adjika, be sure to buy good rubber gloves, preferably two pairs.
Put on gloves at home and wash the pepper well. Shake off water, lay on a towel and leave for three days. During this time, excess moisture will evaporate from it, and your adjika raw will be stored anywhere in the kitchen. After the specified period, go for fresh herbs.
Equipment
From the equipment you will need several different-sized containers, a couple of spoons, a meat grinder or a blender. Rinse and sterilize cans and lids in advance. Covers can be taken ordinary plastic.
Raw adjika, option one - classic
Ingredients: burning red pepper - 5 kilograms, garlic - a pound, coriander - 1 cup, salt - 1 kilogram.
Cooking
Put on gloves and peel dried peppers, remove seeds and stalks. Peel the garlic. Scroll pepper and garlic twice in a meat grinder using a fine wire rack. Add coriander and scroll again. Add salt, mix well and put in jars.
Raw adjika, option two - fragrant
Ingredients: hot pepper - 2 kilograms, Bulgarian pepper - 1 kilogram, garlic - 200 grams, coriander - 2 tablespoons, boiled vinegar 9% -100 grams, rock salt - 400 grams.
Cooking
Remove the seeds and stalks from the peppers, peel the garlic. Scroll all three times in a meat grinder. Add salt, vinegar and mix until smooth. Put it in banks.
Raw adjika with herbs
The main ingredients are the same as in the previous version, but a large amount of greens is added. Basil, parsley, celery, cilantro - two large bunches. The technology is unchanged, three times in a meat grinder and - on the banks.
About the cilantro. Cilantro is called the greenery of this plant, and coriander is a ripened and dried seed. Personally, I adore coriander and cannot stand cilantro. So if you are not familiar with this weed, then sniff first, tear a leaf from the bunch and chew. Like? Feel free to take it. No? Then it’s better to get by. If in doubt, then try to experiment separately with this spice, adding it to different dishes. But on winter harvesting dubious ingredients should not be tried.
Recently found another interesting option adjika. From unripe pepper and herbs. For long-term storage, it is not suitable, but in the summer it can be done as needed and stored in the refrigerator.
Raw Adjika - Green
Ingredients: hot green pepper - 10 pieces. Parsley, cilantro, dill, basil, mint, tarragon - one large bunch, each not less than 50 grams. Garlic - 2 large heads. Peeled walnuts - two glasses. Salt.
Cooking
Pepper to clear from seeds, fibers and stalks, garlic - from the husk. Wash greens, shake off water and place on clean, dry towels, let them dry. Grind everything in a blender or in a meat grinder. Season with salt. Fragrant summer adjika is ready.