Georgian cuisine is the same attraction of the country as Mount Kazbek or Old Tbilisi. Traditional Georgian hospitality cannot do without a variety of delicious dishes that the hostesses treat guests to. Georgians created and kept unchanged the 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 fragrant treats, which reflect the identity and traditions of this people.
The appearance of the country itself and the people is associated with an unusual legend. According to legend, the ancient god decided to arrange a dinner, crossing the mountains of the Caucasus, a piece of meat and bread fell out of his bag. Where God dropped them, Georgia appeared. This legend reflects the essence of the national cuisine, which contains a lot of meat products and bread.
We must not forget that Georgian cuisine belongs to the traditional Caucasian feasts, where there are many vegetables, fruits, spices and sweets. Many tourists come to this ancient country specifically to taste the famous dishes of this original country. Here everyone will find what he likes.
Recipes of Georgian dishes differ in the composition of products depending on the region of the country and the nationalities that live there. The same dish will be prepared in different ways, have its own unique taste and charm.
Georgians divide their country according to the culinary principle into two regions: western and eastern, which is located behind the Likhi Range. In the western part, instead of wheat bread, they use corn tortillas cooked in clay pans. Megrelian villages use a special type of dew, which grows only in this region. A special porridge-like mass “gomi” is prepared from it. You can only taste this dish in this area.
Georgian cuisine is conservative. Recipes are carefully kept in families for many decades and are inherited. One of the national culinary features is cooking on an open fire. Until now, in many families, cakes and khachapuri are baked in open ovens, and meat and fish are fried on barbecues. For the preparation of fermented milk products and cheeses, natural starter cultures and enzymes are used. Spices and vegetables add flavor and a special aura to dishes.
The national cuisine of Georgia is varied, hearty and high-calorie. You can try:
Meat dishes. Who does not know the famous khinkali, kebabs, chakhokhbili, tapaka chicken.
Hot, savory soups. Chikhirtma is a tender, pasty dish made from cornmeal and chicken meat. Kharcho is a spicy, thick soup that only locals know how to cook on fire.
Cheese and dairy products. The main cheese is suluguni. It is a young fermented milk cheese aged in brine. It is added to various national dishes. Imeretian cheese is prepared for at least six months. This is a type of hard cheese, where 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 affect the national cuisine. According to Georgian traditions, vegetables are boiled, pickled, baked, fried, eaten with cheeses and meat. It is worth noting that nuts and dried fruits are also added to many dishes.
Sauces. Not a single meal in Georgia is complete without famous sauces: tkemali is made from plums, coriander, red pepper and herbs. Served with side dishes of potatoes, pasta, poultry meat. Adjika, which is prepared from spices, red pepper and garlic, does not add tomatoes, as is commonly believed in our country.
This sauce is served with grilled meat dishes. Satsivi is a sauce for poultry dishes. It is made from walnuts, saffron, cinnamon, garlic and herbs.
Sweets. It is impossible to imagine Caucasian cuisine without traditional desserts. The most famous Georgian sweets are churchkhela, kazinaki, pelamushi.
In this Caucasian country, it is customary to set rich tables with many treats. Despite the proximity to the European part, traditional oriental hospitality and generosity have been preserved in Georgia. Even for unexpected guests, it is customary to lay a rich table, treat them with cakes and sweets. At such a table, an ordinary conversation turns into a sincere pleasant conversation of loved ones.
Starting a gastronomic tour of Georgia, you should definitely try the traditional dishes of this country, which are known and loved all over the world.
Meat dishes
In Georgia, they love and know how to cook, while using all types of meat (beef, lamb, pork, chicken, etc.).
1. Barbecue (mtsvadi) cooked on the grill or grilled meat
It is impossible to imagine a more common and beloved dish of Georgian cuisine like barbecue. In this country, meat on a skewer has been cooked since ancient times, the locals call it mtsvadi. It is prepared from a pork tenderloin or neck part of an animal.
To prepare a delicious barbecue in Georgian, you need to carefully choose the meat. If the blood is caked, 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.
It is better to refuse such. A piece of only fresh meat is selected; a frozen barbecue product is not suitable. The meat is not cut into medium-sized pieces, 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 goes as follows:
Pieces of freshly chopped pork are laid out in a wide bowl.
Greens, pepper, spices, garlic are added to the meat.
Hands knead and mix everything in random order. Movements should be smooth. It is necessary to soften gently, constantly mixing the ingredients.
In some regions of the country, several options for cooking kebabs using marinades are used.
4 tablespoons of lemon juice;
1 glass of natural yogurt;
spices and salt to taste.
