Chirbuli: Georgian Breakfast of Eggs, Nuts, and Tradition

Published: August 21, 2019

Chirbuliย (Georgian: แƒฉแƒ˜แƒ แƒ‘แƒฃแƒšแƒ˜, Russian: ะงะธั€ะฑัƒะปะธ) is a staple of the Georgian breakfast table, a dish that perfectly encapsulates the local traditions and international influences that have shaped Georgian cuisine. Chirbuliย features fried eggs served on top of a rich sauce filled with spices, caramelized vegetables, and walnuts.

Chirbuli is not one of the Georgian dishes whose popularity spread widely throughout the former Soviet Union. As a dish that is best eaten fresh and one that relies on ingredients that were not always easily attainable in more northerly locations (fresh vegetables, walnuts, and many of its signature spices), this is not so surprising. It is, however, well known throughout the Caucasus, the Middle East, and North Africa, where its roots lie. However, this savory breakfast meal is worth a try and will take you on a journey that words would fail to express!

How It Got Itโ€™s Name

(ะŸะพั‡ะตะผัƒ ะพะฝะธ ะฝะพััั‚ ั‚ะฐะบะพะต ะฝะฐะทะฒะฐะฝะธะต?)

Georgia has an incredibly diverse geography and each area of the country is famous for having its own unique meals and specialties. Chirbuliย is generally credited in Georgia as having originated from Adjara, a republic located on the western coast known for its port cities. Adjaraโ€™s culinary traditions were influenced from contact made with Middle Eastern and North African countries that were in regular contact with Adjaraโ€™s traders. The regionโ€™s culinary traditions are known for a particularly exotic use of spices and of richer, fattier ingredients than much of the rest of Georgia. This includes added eggs โ€“ for example, and perhaps most notably, in khatchapuri po adjarskii.

The word โ€œchirbuliโ€ most likely comes from its inspiration, shakshuka, a word that is used across several countries to describe eggs cooked in sauce. The word โ€œshakshukaโ€ comes from Arabic and means โ€œmixture.โ€ The word has been directly borrowed into many languages, including Hebrew, as a name for the food. In Adjara, however, the word was not directly borrowed, but instead first translated before its adoption โ€“ in modern Georgian, the word for โ€œmixed,โ€ for example, is โ€œshereuli.โ€

Some might also notice the similarity of the dish to the Mexican huevos rancheros โ€“ which also, in fact, came from Middle Eastern immigrants who arrived in Mexico in the late 1800s. What sets chirbuliย apart, however, and makes it truly unique is not just its name, but the presences of walnuts โ€“ which are generally unheard of in shakshuka recipes, but are considered a core part of any chirbuliย recipe.

chirbuli recipe history culture origin

When and How to Eat Chirbuli

(ะšะฐะบ ะฟั€ะฐะฒะธะปัŒะฝะพย ะตัั‚ัŒย ั‡ะธั€ะฑัƒะปะธ?)

Chirbuli is most often eaten for breakfast. It is also often eaten straight from the frying pan it is cooked in, with a fork and slices of fresh bread all used as utensils to scoop up the spiced vegetable ragout and poached egg. The bright, runny yolks are the prime targets for bread dipping with the goal being to get as wide variety of the elements of the dish on the bread before it reaches the mouth.

Chirbuli is generally not used for any special occasions. Special occasions are generally celebrated with โ€œsupra,โ€ which are festive suppers and which chirbuli, which is almost exclusively a breakfast food, would be excluded from.

How to Prepare Chirbuli

(ะšะฐะบ ะฟั€ะฐะฒะธะปัŒะฝะพ ะณะพั‚ะพะฒะธั‚ัŒ ั‡ะธั€ะฑัƒะปะธ?)

While most commonly known as an Adjarian dish, chirbuliย also exists in different versions in the Samtskhe-Javakheti region and Lazeti (which is now part of Turkey). Even within Adjaria, a multitude of recipes can be found utilizing different spices and techniques. As in many dishes, chirbuliย exists as a sort of template can be easily customized โ€“ so long as core ingredients such as tomato sauce, walnuts, and eggs are present.

The walnuts should be coarsely ground or crushed. The unique texture they give to the meal is important. They are also usually ground or crushed together with any spices or herbs used, allowing these ingredients to release oils and flavors to mix at an early stage.

Chirbuli has been most traditionally cooked by poaching the eggs in salty water and preparing the sauce separately. The eggs are then served covered by the sauce on top. However, it is now more common to place the eggs on top of the sauce and slowly cook them together. The trick is to keep stirring using low heat to keep the eggs whole. Serve hot right from the skillet with crusty bread!

Letโ€™s Cook!

(ะ”ะฐะฒะฐะน ะฟั€ะธะณะพั‚ะพะฒะธะผ!)

See below for a free recipe for chirbuli. See also the free videos online. If you are interested in cooking from Russia, Ukraine, Georgia, and other places in Eurasia, make sure to see our full, free Eurasian Cookbook online! You might also be interested in the following specialized cookbooks weโ€™ve enjoyed:

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ย 

ะงะธั€ะฑัƒะปะธ Chirbuli
ะ˜ะฝะณั€ะตะดะธะตะฝั‚ั‹:
  • 2 ะบั€ัƒะฟะฝั‹ั… ัะพั‡ะฝั‹ั… ะฟะพะผะธะดะพั€ะฐ
  • 2 ะปัƒะบะพะฒะธั†ั‹
  • 3 ัะนั†ะฐ
  • 10 ะณั€ะตั†ะบะธั… ะพั€ะตั…ะพะฒ
  • 15 ะณ ัะฒะตะถะตะน ะบะธะฝะทั‹ (ะบะพั€ะธะฐะฝะดั€ะฐ)
  • 15 ะณ ัƒะบั€ะพะฟะฐ
  • 10 ะณ ะฑะฐะทะธะปะธะบะฐ
  • 1/2 ั‡.ะป. ััƒั…ะพะน ะบะธะฝะทั‹ (ะบะพั€ะธะฐะฝะดั€ะฐ)
  • 1 ะทัƒะฑั‡ะธะบ ั‡ะตัะฝะพะบะฐ
  • 1 ั‡.ะป. ะผะพะปะพั‚ะพะณะพ ะบั€ะฐัะฝะพะณะพ ะฟะตั€ั†ะฐ
  • 1 ั‡.ะป. ะบัƒะบัƒั€ัƒะทะฝะพะน ะผัƒะบะธ
  • 70 ะณั€ะฐะผะผ ัะปะธะฒะพั‡ะฝะพะณะพ ะผะฐัะปะฐ
  • ะกะพะปัŒ

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ะŸั€ะธะณะพั‚ะพะฒะปะตะฝะธะต:

1. ะะฐั€ะตะทะฐั‚ัŒ ั€ะตะฟั‡ะฐั‚ั‹ะน ะปัƒะบ ะธ ะพะฑะถะฐั€ะธั‚ัŒ ะฝะฐ ะฝะธะทะบะพะน ั‚ะตะผะฟะตั€ะฐั‚ัƒั€ะต, ั‡ะฐัั‚ะพ ะฟะพะผะตัˆะธะฒะฐั, ะฒ ั‚ะตั‡ะตะฝะธะต 4-5 ะผะธะฝัƒั‚, ั ะดะพะฑะฐะฒะปะตะฝะธะตะผ 70 ะณั€ะฐะผะผ ัะปะธะฒะพั‡ะฝะพะณะพ ะผะฐัะปะฐ.

2. ะ’ะพ ะฒั€ะตะผั ะถะฐั€ะบะธ ะดะพะฑะฐะฒะธั‚ัŒ 1 ั‡ะฐะนะฝัƒัŽ ะปะพะถะบัƒ ะบัƒะบัƒั€ัƒะทะฝะพะน ะผัƒะบะธ, ะฟะตั€ะตะผะตัˆะฐั‚ัŒ.

3. ะะฐั€ะตะทะฐั‚ัŒ ะฟะพะผะธะดะพั€ั‹ ะธ ะดะพะฑะฐะฒะธั‚ัŒ ะฒ ัะบะพะฒะพั€ะพะดัƒ ั ะถะฐั€ะตะฝั‹ะผ ะปัƒะบะพะผ.ะ ะฐะทะผะตัˆะฐั‚ัŒ ะธ ะฟั€ะพะดะพะปะถะฐั‚ัŒ ั‚ัƒัˆะธั‚ัŒ, ั‡ะฐัั‚ะพ ะฟะพะผะตัˆะธะฒะฐั, ะฝะฐ ะพั‡ะตะฝัŒ ัะปะฐะฑะพะผ ะพะณะฝะต ะฒ ั‚ะตั‡ะตะฝะธะต 4-ั… ะผะธะฝัƒั‚.

4. ะŸะตั€ะตะผะพะปะพั‚ัŒ ะพั€ะตั…ะธ. ะ ะฐะทะดะฐะฒะธั‚ัŒ ั‡ะตัะฝะพะบ.

5. ะ’ ัะบะพะฒะพั€ะพะดัƒ ะดะพะฑะฐะฒะธั‚ัŒ 200 ะผะป ะฒะพะดั‹ ะธ ะดะพะฒะตัั‚ะธ ะดะพ ะบะธะฟะตะฝะธั. ะฃะผะตะฝัŒัˆะธั‚ัŒ ั‚ะตะผะฟะตั€ะฐั‚ัƒั€ัƒ, ะดะพะฑะฐะฒะธั‚ัŒ ะณั€ะตั†ะบะธะต ะพั€ะตั…ะธ ะธ ั‡ะตัะฝะพะบ.

6. ะ”ะพะฑะฐะฒะธั‚ัŒ 1/2 ั‡ะฐะนะฝะพะน ะปะพะถะบะธ ััƒัˆะตะฝะพะณะพ ะบะพั€ะธะฐะฝะดั€ะฐ, 1 ั‡ะฐะนะฝัƒัŽ ะปะพะถะบัƒ ะบั€ะฐัะฝะพะณะพ ะฟะตั€ั†ะฐ ะธ ะฟะพัะพะปะธั‚ัŒ ะฟะพ ะฒะบัƒััƒ. ะขั‰ะฐั‚ะตะปัŒะฝะพ ะฟะตั€ะตะผะตัˆะฐั‚ัŒ. ะŸั€ะพะดะพะปะถะฐั‚ัŒ ั‚ัƒัˆะธั‚ัŒ ะฝะฐ ะผะตะดะปะตะฝะฝะพะผ ะพะณะฝะต ะฒ ั‚ะตั‡ะตะฝะธะต 2-3 ะผะธะฝัƒั‚.

7. ะะฐั€ะตะทะฐั‚ัŒ ัะฒะตะถัƒัŽ ะทะตะปะตะฝัŒ ะบะธะฝะทั‹, ัƒะบั€ะพะฟะฐ ะธ ะฑะฐะทะธะปะธะบะฐ. ะ”ะพะฑะฐะฒะธั‚ัŒ ะทะตะปะตะฝัŒ ะฒ ัะบะพะฒะพั€ะพะดัƒ, ะฟะตั€ะตะผะตัˆะฐั‚ัŒ ะธ ัƒะผะตะฝัŒัˆะธั‚ัŒ ะพะณะพะฝัŒ.

8. ะะบะบัƒั€ะฐั‚ะฝะพ ั€ะฐะทะฑะธั‚ัŒ ัะนั†ะฐ ะธ ะดะพะฑะฐะฒะธั‚ัŒ ะฒ ั‡ะธั€ะฑัƒะปะธ.

9. ะŸั€ะพะดะพะปะถะฐั‚ัŒ ั‚ัƒัˆะธั‚ัŒ ะฒ ั‚ะตั‡ะตะฝะธะต 2-3 ะผะธะฝัƒั‚. ะฏะธั‡ะฝั‹ะต ะถะตะปั‚ะบะธ ะดะพะปะถะฝั‹ ะฑั‹ั‚ัŒ ะฒัะผัั‚ะบัƒ, ะฝะต ะบั€ัƒั‚ั‹ะผะธ! ะกะฝัั‚ัŒ ั ะพะณะฝั ะธ ัั€ะฐะทัƒ ะฟะพะดะฐะฒะฐั‚ัŒ ะบ ัั‚ะพะปัƒ.

ะ—ะฐะฟะธัะบะฐ: ะŸะพะดะฐะฒะฐั‚ัŒ ั‡ะธั€ะฑัƒะปะธ ะฒ ะณะพั€ัั‡ะตะผ ะฒะธะดะต.

Ingredients:
  • 2 large, juicy tomatoes
  • 2 onions
  • 3 eggs
  • 10 walnuts
  • 15g.|1/2oz. fresh cilantro
  • 15g.|1/2oz. dill
  • 10g.|1/3oz. basil
  • ยฝ tsp. dry cilantro
  • 1 clove of garlic
  • 1 tsp. ground red pepper
  • 1 tsp. corn flour
  • 70g.|2ยฝoz. butter
  • Salt (to taste)

ย 

Preparation:

1. ย  Chop the onions, then fry them in a pan of 70 grams / 2.5 ounces of butter at a low temperature, stir frequently.

2. ย While frying, add 1 teaspoon of corn flour and mix.

3. ย Chop the tomatoes and add them to the pan of fried onions. Stir and continue simmering at very low heat for about 4 minutes, stirring often.

4. ย Crush the walnuts and the garlic.

5. ย Add 200 milliliters / 6ยพ fluid ounces of water to the pan and bring it to a boil. Reduce the temperature and add the walnuts and garlic.

6. ย Add ยฝ teaspoon of dry cilantro, 1 teaspoon of ground red pepper, and salt (to taste). Stir thoroughly. Continue simmering on medium heat for about 2-3 minutes.

7. ย Chop the fresh cilantro, dill, and basil. Add them to the pan, then continue stirring and reduce the temperature.

8. ย Carefully crack the eggs on top of the ั‡ะธั€ะฑัƒะปะธ.

9. Continue simmering for about 2-3 minutes. The egg yolks must be soft, not hard! Remove from heat and serve immediately.

Note: Serve the ั‡ะธั€ะฑัƒะปะธ while it is still hot.

Ourย Favorite Chirbuliย Videos

SENYA MAKES is a Russian Youtuber with a relatively large viewing audience, and this video about chirbuliย has nearly 1 million views! In a very stereotypical Russian fashion, Senya braves the cold winter weather outside of a dacha in Kazan to prepare a traditional Georgian recipe for chirbuli. Not only is it somewhat humorous and interesting to watch him cook outside in the snow, he uses traditional ingredients and Georgian-sized portion of butter for the dish and offers good commentary and step-by-step instructions for preparing the dish!

ย 

For those of us less willing to brave the cold winter to cook over an open fire like Senya above, here is a video cooking chirbuli with a similar recipe. It uses the traditional Georgian ingredients such as walnuts, and gives bit more detail on cooking.

If you feel confident in your own cooking skills and donโ€™t want to watch a long video, try out this video from Georgian Journal! Itโ€™s less than a minute long and gives just the basic instructions!

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About the author

Tanya Tanyarattinan

Tanya Tanyarattinan

Tanya Tanyarattinan is a third-year Thai international student at the University of Denver, double majoring in International Studies and Economics with minors in Russian and Japanese. She is currently studying Society, Business, and the Arts in St. Petersburg with SRASโ€™s Home and Abroad Scholarship. With an interest in pursuing a career in politics, she travels to see how the world works from different perspectives. Her next stop is Berlin where she will complete her study abroad year. In her free time, she likes to play games and try new food.

Program attended: Home and Abroad Scholar

View all posts by: Tanya Tanyarattinan

Andrey Ridling

Andrey Ridling is an SRAS Home and Abroad Finalist studying at the University of South Carolina.

Program attended: Home and Abroad Scholar

View all posts by: Andrey Ridling