For the preparation of many dishes, marinades, sauces, as well as a separate seasoning among the peoples of the Caucasus, spicy and aromatic pasty condiment is widely used - Abkhaz adjika. Its recipe varies depending on the area. As a rule, in the latitudes of the middle strip Adzhika is considered to be pulp mashed from mashed tomatoes, apples, garlic and herbs - this is the so-called home adjika.
It is usually consumed, spreading on a loaf of bread, as a seasoning, appetizer, for main dishes. In the traditional understanding of gourmets,
Abkhaz adjika (a recipe for Caucasian cuisine) is a product that has little in common with the seasoning used by European housewives. It is notable for its sharpness of taste and powerful strong aroma; therefore, it is used in cooking dishes in a rather small amount. Almost half of the main dishes, soups,
sauces of the southern cuisine contain one or another amount of “Abkhaz adjika” seasoning. Its recipe is simple, but such well-known delicacies as
tobacco chicken, Satsivi, kavardak, barbecue, lobio and many other dishes without it seem fresh and tasteless. And the glory of the
Caucasian seasoning booms far beyond the borders of the region.
Abkhaz adjika. Recipe.
The word "adjika" in translation from Abkhazian means salt. It was she who previously acted as the main ingredient in seasoning.
In ancient times, shepherds took salt with them when they went for walking sheep on mountain pastures. Animals love her very much, at the same time she causes a strong thirst that the animals extinguish, abundantly seizing with lush meadow grass and drinking water from mountain streams. Abundant drinking and nutrition have a beneficial effect on the weight of cattle, which during the summer feeds the right mass. However, the owners of the flocks, knowing that salt is a rather valuable product, fearing its theft by their employees, mixed pepper in it, making it unsuitable for resale or personal use. Then the shepherds began to add to it their spices, such as cilantro, hops, garlic. So the prototype of the modern seasoning “adjika Abkhaz classic” appeared. The recipe for its preparation these days is as follows. Pods of hot red pepper weighing one kilogram are taken. It must be prepared - cut and cleaned of internal partitions and seeds.
Abkhaz adjika, the recipe of which is given in the article, will be less acute if the peppers are soaked beforehand and filled with warm water. For a more burning result, it is enough to sulk it. After that, pepper, together with 5-6 heads of garlic, greens - cilantro, dill and basil - and chopped walnut kernels (about half a glass) are turned several times in a food processor or in a meat grinder until a small, almost uniform mass is obtained. Walnut in this case will help to “bind” pepper juice, making the mass more viscous.
In addition, walnut oil with light bitterness will improve the taste of the seasoning and help increase the shelf life. Next, a tablespoon of finely ground coriander grains and coarse
rock salt (to taste) are added to adjika. Ready adjika is packaged in sterilized jars and stored in the refrigerator.
By the way, in the past, when there was no meat grinder or other kitchen appliances, all the ingredients for adjika were rubbed between two cobblestones. This contributed not only to an ideal consistency, but also to the preservation of the essential oils secreted by all the ingredients used in the recipe, which made adjika even more fragrant and healthy.