Georgian cuisine is the same landmark of the country as Mount Kazbek or Old Tbilisi. Traditional Georgian hospitality cannot do without many delicious dishes that the hostesses treat guests to. Georgians created and kept unchanged recipes of dishes inherited from their great-grandfathers.
Traditions of Georgian cuisine
The land where this country is located is famous for its hearty and aromatic treats, which reflect the originality and traditions of this people.
The emergence of the country and the people itself is associated with an unusual legend. Where God dropped them, Georgia appeared. This legend reflects the essence of the national cuisine, which contains a lot of meat products and bread.
Many tourists come to this ancient country specifically to taste the famous dishes of this distinctive country. Here everyone will find what they like.
Recipes for Georgian dishes differ in the composition of the products, depending on the region of the country and the peoples who live there. One and the same dish will be cooked in different ways, will have its own unique taste and charm.
In the western part, instead of wheat bread, they use corn tortillas cooked in earthen pans. In the Mingrelian villages, a special type of dew is used, which grows only in this region. A special porridge-like mass “gummi” is prepared from it. You can try such a dish only in this area.
Georgian cuisine is conservative. Kharkov is a spicy, thick soup that only local residents know how to cook on a fire.
Cheese and dairy products. The main cheese is suluguni. This is a young fermented milk cheese, aged in brine. ths is a type of hard cheese, to which nuts and spices are added.
Vegetables, fruits and lots of greens. This hospitable region has a pleasant warm climate, so greens and vegetables grow here in large quantities, which could not be reflected in the national cuisine. Served with potatoes, pasta, and poultry. Adjika, which is made from spices, red pepper and garlic, does not add tomatoes, as is commonly believed in our country.
Meat dishes
In Georgia they love and know how to cook, while using all types of meat (beef, lamb, pork, chicken, etc.).
It is prepared from pork tenderloin or the neck of an animal.
Real mtsvadi has a nice crispy crust.
To prepare a delicious Georgian barbecue, you need to carefully choose the meat. If the blood is baked, or the color is a rich red hue, this means that the animal is not young, which means that the meat is tough and sinewy. A piece of only fresh meat is selected, a frozen product for barbecue will not work. The meat is not cut into pieces of medium size, leaving a little fat on it for juiciness.
There is no marinade for mtsvadi. Instead, they use spices and a special technology for softening meat. The process follows the following scheme:
Pieces of freshly chopped pork are laid out in a wide bowl.
Greens, peppers, spices, and garlic are added to the meat.
Hands knead and mix everything in random order. Movements should be smooth. Do not press hard on the meat, otherwise it will lose all the juice. It is necessary to soften gently, constantly stirring the ingredients.
In some regions of the country, several options for preparing kebabs using marinades are used. It is prepared according to the following recipe:
Cut onions into half rings, you can use a red salad-type onion.
Spices (pepper, salt, coriander, paprika) are added to it.
Pour into the container 100 g of dry red wine. Mix everything thoroughly.
The meat is kneaded in the finished marinade and left to soak for 2-3 hours at room temperature.
Sweet and sour yoghurt marinade is also used for steeping meat.
1 glass of natural yogurt;
spices and salt to taste.
The bubbles will help tenderize the meat faster.
After preparation, start cooking the meat. At the first stage, a fire is made and the wood burns out, leaving the coal with heat. For firewood, logs of fruit trees or grapes are chosen. The smoke from such wood has a pleasant aroma, they smolder for a long time, thereby maintaining the required temperature.
Marinated meat is strung on skewers, alternating with vegetables (eggplants, onions, tomatoes, peppers).
Skewers are stacked on the grill close to each other so that the aroma of vegetables mixes with neighboring products. With each coup, the meat is sprinkled with wine or lemon juice, so it retains its juiciness.
The prepared dish is served on skewers, presenting to the guests on a wide tray. Fresh vegetables and pita bread are spread around the edges. Traditional sauces and fresh herbs are served in a separate bowl. Such a treat is washed down with red wine or cha-cha.
