Tkemali recipe history culture origin

Tkemali, shown poured over fried potatoes.

Tkemali: Georgian Sour Plum Sauce

Published: July 17, 2018

Dr. Michael Denner (notes from the American Test Kitchen): Georgians jokingly refer to tkemali (more accurately written tโ€™qโ€™emali) as โ€œGeorgian ketchup.โ€ It gets poured on practically everything. I donโ€™t know of another sauce like it: sour, fruity, salty, with a serious herbal punch and a bit of lingering heat. Maybe it looks like Mexican salsa verde, reddish-emerald, but the flavors are dissimilar.

Tkemali recipe history culture origin
Plumsโ€ฆ

About Tkemali

The word โ€œtkemaliโ€ refers to both the sauce and fruit. In the region, everyone looks forward to spring when green plums appear at the market: Gojeh sabz in Iran, erik in Turkey, tkemali in Georgia. Regardless of what they are called or where they are grown, these green unripe plums are the first sign of spring, considered to be the ne plus ultra of healthy, vitamin-rich foods, and eaten out of hand, or sliced with a knife, always salted, and nibbled between drinks of water or something stronger. Iโ€™m convinced that tkemali (the sauce) is just a brilliant, distinctly Georgian riff on this elemental pleasure of sour-salty, vernal green plums: Leave it to the Georgians to add herbs (especially cilantro) and bottle it. I have never seen a Georgian refrigerator or cupboard that did not have many bottles, ready for use.
In Georgia, tkemali trees are found on the edges of parks, in abandoned areas, and along highways. Driving through Georgia in mid-March, when tkemali trees are in full, blowsy-white bloom against the grey-brown backdrop of early spring, it seems theyโ€™re everywhere.

Tkemali and alycha plums, those used in tkemali sauce, are called cherry plums in America. Because they are the first trees to bloom in the spring, they are chiefly planted as ornamental trees. (The popular cultivar Nigra, the black-leafed plum planted everywhere in the Midwest and South of the U.S.A., is an example of the cherry plum.) In Florida and the South, in deserted corners of wooded lots, you can find the similar, small, angular, endemic Chickasaw plums growing as an understory tree. Although not tkemali, these can be used to make the sauce.

Without wading into a heated discussion about authenticity and the โ€œonly real tkemali sauceโ€ (and the โ€œonly real tkemali plumโ€), Iโ€™ll point out that the plum tkemali is not some cultivated tree. It grows wild everywhere in western Georgia in the Caucasus and it readily hybridizes with other species of plum. So, even in Georgia, the tkemali plum flavor is diverse and unstable. The word is a culinary idea for the highly unique thing that it is. Every bodega market in Georgia sells โ€œthe only realโ€ tkemali sauce, often sold in repurposed one-liter soda bottles. Every bottle is different in color, flavor, and aroma. However, they are all salty, tart, and pungent with cilantro and mint. As Tinatin points out in the recipe below, a good Georgian cook will make a variety of styles of tkemali, depending on the season and purpose.

So, tkemali is not doctrinaire. You have a variety of choices, all of which will render a delicious and appropriate tkemali, with perhaps varying degrees of authenticity. Whenever possible, you should pick the green, unripe cherry plums growing on โ€œornamentalโ€ trees growing in your neighborhood. Or chickasaw plums from along the highway. Absent cherry plums, any green, unripe cultivated plum snatched from the tree in early spring will make a perfectly acceptable, perhaps indiscernibly different, substitute. Failing finding green plums on the tree, any plum from your grocerโ€™s cooler will likely do the trick. Frankly, itโ€™s rare to find anything but unripe plums for sale in groceries in the United States. Any sourish, unripe plum from the produce aisle will do the trick, especially the hard kelly-green gage plums. Tkemali comes in a variety of sournesses, so add a little lemon juice or citric acid (available from any grocer, sold with the canning supplies) at the end if you like. When making this sauce for students, I used unsweetened cranberry juice concentrate that I purchased at the local health food store. The fruit and acidity should be balanced, like fresh pomegranate juice, with the sour conquering the fruity, slightly-sweet notes.

Thereโ€™s additionally a sweet tkemali, described below, good for putting up for winter. Finally, Iโ€™ll add that personally I prefer tkemali with texture, and when I make it, I grate or blend the fruit very coarsely, sort of a fresh salsa consistency. The tkemali they serve in fancy restaurants has a finer texture, almost like syrup.

The recipe below is my translation and adaption of the recipe in ะ›ะพะฑะธะพ, ัะฐั†ะธะฒะธ, ั…ะฐั‡ะฐะฟัƒั€ะธ, ะธะปะธ ะ“ั€ัƒะทะธั ัะพ ะฒะบัƒัะพะผ (Lobio, Satsivi, Khatchapuri, or Georgia with Taste) by Tinatin Mzhavanadze.

Tkemali recipe history culture origin
Tkemlai, being made by American students in Dr. Dennerโ€™s Georgian Cooking Club at Stetson University in Florida.

Tkemali Recipe

Tinatin Mzhavanadzeย (as translated and adapted from the Russian by Dr. Michael Denner): Tinatin Mzhavanadzeย (original text):
When spring has definitively and irrefutably arrived in Georgia, itโ€™s suffused with the fragrances of eggplants, tomatoes, green beans, basil, garden strawberries, cherries, and blossoming cilantro. (Cilantro in bloom doesnโ€™t smell like regular cilantro, and itโ€™s used differently.)โ€ฆ And every sort of herb and vegetable.

But most important, fundamental, elemental, and irreplaceable thing โ€“ is the arrival of the long-awaited scent of the green tkemali plums. This scent immediately reminds the organism, pale from winter-induced vitamin deprivation just who is the master of the house โ€“ and just who can turn any simple, unpretentious fried egg or potato into ambrosia fit for godsโ€ฆ

The true herald of spring is the welcome appearance of tkemali. These are green plums, from which we Georgians make a sauce, also called tkemali. With this potion, even ordinary scrambled eggs or boiled potatoes become food for the gods!

My refrigerator is loaded with all sorts of sauces that wait, mournfully, for their monthly appointed hour. But tkemali flies off the shelfโ€ฆ One bottle a week! Two bottles a day during high season!

Making the sauce is quite simpleโ€ฆ But a few words about the ingredients.ย In Georgia, we mainly use unripe green tkemali or alycha plums. Theyโ€™re different varietals of plum, dissimilar in size and flavor: tkemali, when it ripens, becomes yellow or red, while alycha plums remain green, with perhaps a little yellow, even when ripe.

Pennyroyal (Mentha pulegium) grows wild in wetlands and bogs. Itโ€™s called ombola in Georgian, and it has a decidedly strong, wild, musky scentโ€ฆ some people love it. You can replace it with garden mint, peppermint, or perhaps best of all, spearmint.

You can use tkemali on: Potatoes, meat, fish, chicken, macaroni, pork, omelets, steamed vegetables. Itโ€™s probably not a good idea to use it in tea or on a cake.

ะ•ัะปะธ ะฒะตัะฝะฐ ะฒ ะ“ั€ัƒะทะธะธ ะฝะฐัั‚ัƒะฟะธะปะฐ ะพะบะพะฝั‡ะฐั‚ะตะปัŒะฝะพ ะธ ะฑะตัะฟะพะฒะพั€ะพั‚ะฝะพ โ€“ ะฒะตะทะดะต ัั‚ะพะธั‚ ะทะฐะฟะฐั… ะฑะฐะบะปะฐะถะฐะฝะพะฒ, ะฟะพะผะธะดะพั€ะพะฒ, ะทะตะปั‘ะฝะพะน ั„ะฐัะพะปะธ, ะฑะฐะทะธะปะธะบะฐ, ะบะปัƒะฑะฝะธะบะธ, ั‡ะตั€ะตัˆะฝะธ, ั†ะฒะตั‚ัƒั‰ะตะน ะบะธะฝะทั‹ (ะดะฐ-ะดะฐ, ะพะฝะฐ ะฟะพ-ะดั€ัƒะณะพะผัƒ ะฟะฐั…ะฝะตั‚ ะธ ะฟะพ-ะดั€ัƒะณะพะผัƒ ัƒะฟะพั‚ั€ะตะฑะปัะตั‚ัั) ะธ ะฒััะบะพะณะพ ะดั€ัƒะณะพะณะพ ั€ะฐะทะฝะพั‚ั€ะฐะฒัŒั ะธ ะพะฒะพั‰ะตะน.

ะะพ ัะฐะผะพะต ะณะปะฐะฒะฝะพะต, ะพัะฝะพะฒะฝะพะต, ะฑะฐะทะพะฒะพะต ะธ ะฝะตะทะฐะผะตะฝะธะผะพะต โ€“ ัั‚ะพ ะฟะพัะฒะปะตะฝะธะต ะดะพะปะณะพะถะดะฐะฝะฝั‹ั… ะทะตะปั‘ะฝั‹ั… ั‚ะบะตะผะฐะปะธ, ะบะพั‚ะพั€ั‹ะต ัั€ะฐะทัƒ ะฝะฐะฟะพะผะธะฝะฐัŽั‚ ะธัั‚ะพั‰ั‘ะฝะฝะพะผัƒ ะทะธะผะฝะธะผ ะฐะฒะธั‚ะฐะผะธะฝะพะทะพะผ ะพั€ะณะฐะฝะธะทะผัƒ, ะบั‚ะพ ะฒ ะดะพะผะต ั…ะพะทัะธะฝ, ะธ ั ะบะพั‚ะพั€ั‹ะผะธ ะปัŽะฑะฐั ะฝะตะทะฐั‚ะตะนะปะธะฒะฐั ัะธั‡ะฝะธั†ะฐ ะธะปะธ ะบะฐั€ั‚ะพัˆะบะฐ ัั‚ะฐะฝะพะฒัั‚ัั ะฟะธั‰ะตะน ะฑะพะณะพะฒ.

ะ’ ะผะพั‘ะผ ั…ะพะปะพะดะธะปัŒะฝะธะบะต ะฟะพะปะฝะพ ะฒััะบะธั… ัะพัƒัะพะฒ, ะบะพั‚ะพั€ั‹ะต ัะบะพั€ะฑะฝะพ ะพะถะธะดะฐัŽั‚ ัะฒะพะตะณะพ ั‡ะฐัะฐ ะผะตััั†ะฐะผะธ, ะฝะพ ั‚ะพะปัŒะบะพ ัะพัƒั ั‚ะบะตะผะฐะปะธ ัƒะปะตั‚ะฐะตั‚ ะฟะพ ะฑัƒั‚ั‹ะปะบะต ะฒ ะฝะตะดะตะปัŽ, ะฐ ะฒ ัะตะทะพะฝ โ€“ ะฟะพ ะดะฒะต ะฑัƒั‚ั‹ะปะบะธ ะทะฐ ะดะตะฝัŒ.

ะ”ะตะปะฐะตั‚ัั ัะพัƒั ะฒั€ะพะดะต ะฑั‹ ัะปะตะผะตะฝั‚ะฐั€ะฝะพ: ะบัƒะฟะธั‚ะต ะดะฒะฐ ะบะธะปะพะณั€ะฐะผะผะฐ ะทะตะปั‘ะฝั‹ั… ั‚ะบะตะผะฐะปะธ ะธะปะธ ะฐะปั‹ั‡ะธ (ัั‚ะพ ั€ะฐะทะฝั‹ะต ัะพั€ั‚ะฐ ัะปะธะฒ โ€“ ะธ ะฟะพ ั€ะฐะทะผะตั€ัƒ, ะธ ะฟะพ ะฒะบัƒััƒ, ะพั‚ะปะธั‡ะธะต ะฒ ั‚ะพะผ, ั‡ั‚ะพ ั‚ะบะตะผะฐะปะธ ะฒะฟะพัะปะตะดัั‚ะฒะธะธ ัั‚ะฐะฝะพะฒัั‚ัั ะถะตะปั‚ั‹ะผะธ ะธะปะธ ะบั€ะฐัะฝั‹ะผะธ, ะฐ ะฐะปั‹ั‡ะฐ, ะดะฐะถะต ัะฟะตะปะฐั, ะพัั‚ะฐั‘ั‚ัั ะทะตะปั‘ะฝะพะน ะธะปะธ ั‡ัƒั‚ะพั‡ะบัƒ ะถะตะปั‚ะตะตั‚), ะฟะพ ะฟัƒั‡ะบัƒ ะทะตะปะตะฝะธ โ€“ ั†ะฒะตั‚ัƒั‰ะตะน ะบะธะฝะทั‹, ัƒะบั€ะพะฟะฐ, ะฟั‘ั€ั‹ัˆะตะบ ะผะพะปะพะดะพะณะพ ั‡ะตัะฝะพะบะฐ, ะฝะพ ะฒะพั‚ ะฟะตั€ะฒะพะต ะทะฐั‚ั€ัƒะดะฝะตะฝะธะต: ะตัั‚ัŒ ะตั‰ะต ั‚ะฐะบะฐั ั‚ั€ะฐะฒะบะฐ ะดัƒัˆะธัั‚ะฐั, ยซะพะผะฑะฐะปะพยป ะฝะฐะทั‹ะฒะฐะตั‚ัั, ะฟะพ-ั€ัƒััะบะธ ยซะฑะปะพั…ะพะฒะฝะธะบยป, ะธะปะธ ะผัั‚ะฐ ะฑะพะปะพั‚ะฝะฐั (Mentha pulegium).
ะŸะฐั…ะฝะตั‚ ะพะฝะฐ, ะบะพะฝะตั‡ะฝะพ, ะฝะฐ ะปัŽะฑะธั‚ะตะปั, ะดะฐ ะธ ะฝะฐะนั‚ะธ ะตั‘ ะฑัƒะดะตั‚ ะทะฐั‚ั€ัƒะดะฝะธั‚ะตะปัŒะฝะพ โ€“ ัƒ ะฝะฐั-ั‚ะพ ะพะฝะฐ ะธะดะตั‚ ะฒ ะบะพะผะฟะปะตะบั‚ะต ะบ ะทะตะปั‘ะฝั‹ะผ ั‚ะบะตะผะฐะปะธ, ะฝะพ ะผะพะถะฝะพ ะพะฑะพะนั‚ะธััŒ ะธ ะฑะตะท ะฝะตั‘ ะธะปะธ ะทะฐะผะตะฝะธั‚ัŒ ะผัั‚ะพะน ะปัƒะณะพะฒะพะน, ะฟะตั€ะตั‡ะฝะพะน ะธะปะธ ะพะฑั‹ะบะฝะพะฒะตะฝะฝะพะน. ะขะฐะบ ะฒะพั‚, ะฟั€ะธะฝะพัะธั‚ะต ะฒัะต ัั‚ะพ ะดะพะผะพะน, ะผะพะตั‚ะต ะธ ั€ะฐัะบะปะฐะดั‹ะฒะฐะตั‚ะต ะฝะฐ ั‡ะธัั‚ะพะผ ะฟะพะปะพั‚ะตะฝั†ะต.

ย 

Tkemali recipe history culture origin
Various spices and herbs for sale at a local market in a market in Racha, Georgia.

Ingredients (English)

  • 2ย poundsย green,ย unripeย plums,ย seeย recipeย introduction
  • Largeย bunchย bloomingย cilantroย (3ย 1/2ย ounces)
  • Largeย bunchย dillย (3ย 1/2ย ounces)
  • Largeย bunchย garlicย greensย orย chivesย (3ย 1/2ย ounces)
  • Largeย bunchย pennyroyalย orย spearmintย (3ย 1/2ย ounces),ย seeย recipeย introduction
  • Seaย salt
  • Freshly-groundย pepper
  • Hotย paprikaย orย otherย hot,ย driedย andย groundย pepper,ย orย Adzhika
  • Makesย aboutย aย quartย ofย tkemali.

Preparation (English)

In a large pot, cover the plums with about 3 inches of water. You will need around 5 quarts of water. Place a kitchen colander in the sink. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat for 5 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and pour off the water and plums into the colander. Rinse the plums with cool tap water. (This step removes some of the acidity of the plums.)

Meanwhile, finely mince the cilantro, dill, chives, and mint. You can also chop it all finely with your meat grinder, food processor, or blender. Just make sure the herbs are evenly chopped. Set aside.

When the fruit is cool enough to handle, into a large prep bowl, grate the plums against the largest holes on your box grinder, discarding the skin (it should fall off as you grate the fruit) and the pits.

Mix the herbs into the plum pulp and stir. Season with salt and a little Adzhika or dried red pepper. Taste the tkemali:If you like it spicy, add more pepper. If the sauce is very thick, thin it with some boiling water. If it is very sour, add a little sugar. Try not to drink more than a few cups. Youโ€™ve made this sauce to share!

Pour into clean bottles. (In Georgia they often use empty 1/2 liter plastic cola bottles.) Put them in the refrigerator where theyโ€™ll stay good for several weeks.

  1. Tkemali recipe history culture origin
    Tkemali with herbs freshly added. Let your imagination run a little!

    The adventurous among us add all sorts of fruit pulp to their tkemali: the fruit of dogwoods, blackberries, raspberry, currants. But thatโ€™s all freethinking, nothing to do with the classic versions.

Winter version for preserving: The above is the spring version, the one made for more or less immediate consumption. But thereโ€™s a version of winter, too, that stores well: For summer, use ripe tkemali plums and add the deep purple, ripe Italian prune plums (Damson plums, Prunus insititia).

You could stick to just tkemali plums, but if you knew how ripe prune plums complete the tasty picture! Sometimes I make my winter tkemali using only prune plums (the black ones often called Italian), and it turns out a sweet version of the sauce.

But you never go wrong with a 1:1 ratio of tkemali and prune plums. Follow the directions above with the following minor variations:

1) Donโ€™t pour off the water in step 1, since the plums arenโ€™t as sour. Use the water from the first boiling to loosen up the plum pulp in step 4.

2) Push the tkemali through a kitchen sieve or use the blender to reduce the sauce to a very fine, regular consistency after step 3.

3) Boil the tkemali for about 5 minutes after step 4.

When the sauce is cooled, pour it into small, glass bottles that have been sterilized with boiling water. Pour a little vegetable oil into the bottles to form a protective layer, and place in a cold, dark area, like a basement, root cellar, or the back of the refrigerator.

Every good cook has a variety of these sauces stashed in the cellar: Red, yellow, green, and brown, varying in their sourness and heat.

SRAS: The above translation and adaptation differs from the original not only in converting the measurements from metric to imperial units (as used by Americans), but also in codifying and more distinctly spelling out the processes that the original author more breezily lays out for an audience more familiar with the food. While giving less instruction, she does give more discussion of variations on the food, for instance. The adaptation by Dr. Denner relies on both the original text and experience traveling to meet the original author and make the recipes with her โ€“ making this particular translation and adaptation effort extraordinarily collaborative. We include the original text below for comparison.

Tkemali recipe history culture origin
Left: Tekmali as often sold in Georgia โ€“ homemade and bottled in repurposed bottles.
Right: a brand of commercially-produced tkemali widely available and popular in Eurasia.

Ingredients (Russian)

(ะ˜ะฝะณั€ะตะดะธะตะฝั‚ั‹)

  • (ะฝะฐย 800ย ะผะปย ัะพัƒัะฐ):
  • ะฐะปั‹ั‡ะฐย (ั‚ะบะตะผะฐะปะธ,ย ั‚ะตั€ะฝ)ย โ€“ย 1ย ะบะณ
  • ั†ะฒะตั‚ัƒั‰ะฐัย ะบะธะฝะทะฐ,ย ัƒะบั€ะพะฟ,ย ะทะตะปะตะฝัŒย ั‡ะตัะฝะพะบะฐ,ย ะผัั‚ะฐย ะฑะพะปะพั‚ะฝะฐัย (ะพะผะฑะฐะปะพ)ย โ€“ย ะฟะพย ะฟัƒั‡ะบัƒ
  • ัะพะปัŒ,ย ะฟะตั€ะตั†ย ะบั€ะฐัะฝั‹ะนย ัั‚ั€ัƒั‡ะบะพะฒั‹ะนย โ€“ย ะฟะพย ะฒะบัƒััƒ
  • ะฐะดะถะธะบะฐ

Preparationย (Russian)

(ะŸั€ะธะณะพั‚ะพะฒะปะตะฝะธะต)

ะ’ ะฑะพะปัŒัˆะพะน ะบะฐัั‚ั€ัŽะปะต ะทะฐะปะตะนั‚ะต ัะปะธะฒั‹ ั…ะพะปะพะดะฝะพะน ะฒะพะดะพะน, ั‡ั‚ะพะฑั‹ ัะฒะตั€ั…ัƒ ะฑั‹ะปะพ ะฒะพะดั‹ ะฝะฐ ั‡ะตั‚ั‹ั€ะต ะฟะฐะปัŒั†ะฐ, ะฟั€ะพะบะธะฟัั‚ะธั‚ะต ะผะธะฝัƒั‚ ะฟัั‚ัŒ ะธ ัะปะตะนั‚ะต ะฒะพะดัƒ, ั‡ั‚ะพะฑั‹ ัƒัˆะปะฐ ะปะธัˆะฝัั ะบะธัะปะธะฝะบะฐ. ะŸั€ะพั‚ั€ะธั‚ะต ะผัะณะบะธะต ัะณะพะดั‹ ั‡ะตั€ะตะท ัะผะฐะปะธั€ะพะฒะฐะฝะฝั‹ะน ะดัƒั€ัˆะปะฐะณ ั ะบั€ัƒะฟะฝั‹ะผะธ ะดั‹ั€ะพั‡ะบะฐะผะธ, ะธะทะฑะฐะฒะปััััŒ ะพั‚ ะบะพัั‚ะพั‡ะตะบ ะธ ะบะพะถะธั†ั‹, ะฐ ะพะดะฝะพั€ะพะดะฝะฐั ะทะตะปั‘ะฝะฐั ะผะฐััะฐ ะฟะพะนะดะตั‚ ะฒ ะดะตะปะพ.

ะ’ััŽ ะทะตะปะตะฝัŒ ะผะตะปะบะพ ั€ะตะถะตั‚ะต ะฝะฐ ะดะพัะบะต, ะธะปะธ ะฟั€ะพะบั€ัƒั‡ะธะฒะฐะตั‚ะต ั‡ะตั€ะตะท ะผััะพั€ัƒะฑะบัƒ, ะธะปะธ ะบั€ะพัˆะธั‚ะต ะฒ ะฑะปะตะฝะดะตั€ะต, ะณะปะฐะฒะฝะพะต โ€“ ะพะดะฝะพั€ะพะดะฝะพ ะธะทะผะตะปัŒั‡ะธั‚ัŒ; ะฒะผะตัˆะธะฒะฐะตั‚ะต ะตะต ะฒ ั‚ะบะตะผะฐะปะตะฒัƒัŽ ะบะฐัˆะธั†ัƒ. ะœะพะถะฝะพ ะตั‰ั‘ ั€ะฐะท ะฟั€ะพั‚ะตั€ะตั‚ัŒ ั‡ะตั€ะตะท ะดัƒั€ัˆะปะฐะณ โ€“ ะฝะพ ะฒั‹ ั…ะพั€ะพัˆะพ ะฟะพะดัƒะผะฐะปะธ? ะŸะพะด ะบะพะฝะตั† ะดะพะฑะฐะฒะปัะตั‚ะต ัะพะปัŒ ะธ ะฐะดะถะธะบัƒ. ะ•ัะปะธ ะฝะตั‚ ะฟั€ะธะปะธั‡ะฝะพะน ะฐะดะถะธะบะธ โ€“ ะฟั€ะพัั‚ะพ ะบั€ะฐัะฝั‹ะน ะผะพะปะพั‚ั‹ะน ะฟะตั€ะตั†.

ะšะฐะฟะฝะธั‚ะต ะฝะฐ ะปะฐะดะพะฝัŒ ะธ ะฟั€ะพะฑัƒะนั‚ะต: ะตัะปะธ ะปัŽะฑะธั‚ะต ะพัั‚ั€ะตะต ะธ ัะพะปะพะฝะตะต โ€“ ะดะพะฑะฐะฒะปัะนั‚ะต ัะฟะตั†ะธะน, ะตัะปะธ ะปัŽะฑะธั‚ะต ั‡ัƒั‚ัŒ ะฟะพะถะธะถะต โ€“ ั€ะฐะทะฑะฐะฒัŒั‚ะต ะบะธะฟัั‡ั‘ะฝะพะน ะฒะพะดะพะน.

ะ˜ ัƒั‡ั‚ะธั‚ะต, ั‡ั‚ะพ ะฒัะต ั€ะฐะฒะฝะพ ะผะพะถะตั‚ ะฑั‹ั‚ัŒ ัะปะธัˆะบะพะผ ะบะธัะปะพ, ั‚ะพะณะดะฐ ะดะพะฑะฐะฒัŒั‚ะต ัะฐั…ะฐั€ะฝั‹ะน ัะธั€ะพะฟ.

ะฅะพั€ะพัˆะตะฝัŒะบะพ ั€ะฐะทะผะตัˆะฐะนั‚ะต, ั€ะฐะทะปะตะนั‚ะต ั‡ะตั€ะตะท ะฒะพั€ะพะฝะบัƒ ะฟะพ ะฑัƒั‚ั‹ะปะบะฐะผ ะธ ัั‚ะฐะฒัŒั‚ะต ะฒ ั…ะพะปะพะดะธะปัŒะฝะธะบ. ะ•ัะปะธ, ะบะพะฝะตั‡ะฝะพ, ะฝะต ะฒั‹ะฟัŒะตั‚ะต ะฟะพะปะพะฒะธะฝัƒ ั‚ะบะตะผะฐะปะธ ะฟั€ัะผะพ ะธะท ั‡ะฐัˆะบะธ โ€“ ะบะฐะบ ั.

ะญั‚ะพ ะธะผะตะฝะฝะพ ะปะตั‚ะฝะธะน ะฒะฐั€ะธะฐะฝั‚ ะดะปั ะฑั‹ัั‚ั€ะพะณะพ ัƒะฟะพั‚ั€ะตะฑะปะตะฝะธั, ะฐ ะฝะต ะดะปั ั…ั€ะฐะฝะตะฝะธั ะฝะฐ ะทะธะผัƒ โ€“ ะดะปั ะทะธะผั‹ ะปัƒั‡ัˆะต ะฒะทัั‚ัŒ ัะฟะตะปั‹ะต ั‚ะบะตะผะฐะปะธ ะณัƒัั‚ะพะณะพ ะบั€ะฐัะฝะพะณะพ ั†ะฒะตั‚ะฐ, ะดะพะฑะฐะฒะธั‚ัŒ ัะฟะตะปั‹ะน ั‚ะตั€ะฝะพัะปะธะฒ (Prunus insititia).

ะ’ะพั‚ ะฒะฐะผ ะธ ะฒั‚ะพั€ะฐั ะทะฐะณะฒะพะทะดะบะฐ: ะบะพะฝะตั‡ะฝะพ, ะผะพะถะฝะพ ะพะณั€ะฐะฝะธั‡ะธั‚ัŒัั ะพะดะฝะธะผะธ ะปะธัˆัŒ ัะณะพะดะฐะผะธ ั‚ะบะตะผะฐะปะธ, ะฝะพ ะตัะปะธ ะฑั‹ ะฒั‹ ะทะฝะฐะปะธ, ะบะฐะบ ั€ะฐัั†ะฒะตั‡ะธะฒะฐะตั‚ ะฒะบัƒัะพะฒัƒัŽ ะบะฐั€ั‚ะธะฝัƒ ั‚ะตั€ะฝะพัะปะธะฒ! ะ˜ะฝะพะณะดะฐ ะฒะพะพะฑั‰ะต ะฑะตั€ัƒั‚ ั‚ะพะปัŒะบะพ ะตะณะพ โ€“ ะฟะพะปัƒั‡ะฐะตั‚ัั ัะปะฐะดะบะธะน ะฒะฐั€ะธะฐะฝั‚ ั‚ะบะตะผะฐะปะธ.

Tkemali recipe history culture origin
Dried red peppers for sale at a local market in a market in Racha, Georgia.

ะœะฝะต ะฑะพะปัŒัˆะต ะฟะพ ะดัƒัˆะต ะฟั€ะพะฟะพั€ั†ะธั 1:1.

ะขะฐะบ ะฒะพั‚, ะฑะตั€ะตะผ ัะณะพะดั‹ ะธ ะดะตะปะฐะตะผ ะฒัะต ั‚ะพั‡ะฝะพ ั‚ะฐะบ ะถะต, ะฝะพ:

1) ะฒะพะดัƒ ะฟะพัะปะต ะพั‚ะฒะฐั€ะธะฒะฐะฝะธั ั‚ะบะตะผะฐะปะธ ะฝะต ะฒั‹ะปะธะฒะฐั‚ัŒ, ะฐ ั€ะฐะทะฑะฐะฒะปัั‚ัŒ ะณัƒัั‚ะพั‚ัƒ ะตัŽ ะถะต โ€“ ัั‚ะพ ั€ะฐะท;

2) ัƒะถ ั‚ะพั‡ะฝะพ ะตั‰ะต ั€ะฐะท ะฟั€ะพั‚ะตั€ะตั‚ัŒ ั‡ะตั€ะตะท ะดัƒั€ัˆะปะฐะณ (ะตัั‚ัŒ ั‚ะฐะบะพะน ัะฟะตั†ะธะฐะปัŒะฝั‹ะน ัะผะฐะปะธั€ะพะฒะฐะฝะฝั‹ะน ะดัƒั€ัˆะปะฐะณ ั ะบั€ัƒะฟะฝั‹ะผะธ ะดั‹ั€ะพั‡ะบะฐะผะธ ะธะผะตะฝะฝะพ ะดะปั ะฟะพะดะพะฑะฝั‹ั… ะฟั€ะพั†ะตะดัƒั€) ะดะปั ะพะดะฝะพั€ะพะดะฝะพัั‚ะธ โ€“ ัั‚ะพ ะดะฒะฐ;

3) ะธ ะฒัะต ะฒะผะตัั‚ะต ะฟั€ะพะบะธะฟัั‚ะธั‚ัŒ ะผะธะฝัƒั‚ ะดะตััั‚ัŒ โ€“ ัั‚ะพ ั‚ั€ะธ.

ะญะบัะฟะตั€ะธะผะตะฝั‚ะฐั‚ะพั€ั‹ ะดะพะฑะฐะฒะปััŽั‚ ะฒ ั‚ะบะตะผะฐะปะธ ะบะธะทะธะป, ะตะถะตะฒะธะบัƒ, ะผะฐะปะธะฝัƒ, ัะผะพั€ะพะดะธะฝัƒ โ€“ ะฝะพ ะฒัะต ัั‚ะพ ั‡ะธัั‚ะฐั ัะฐะผะพะดะตัั‚ะตะปัŒะฝะพัั‚ัŒ ะธ ะบ ะบะปะฐััะธะบะต ะพั‚ะฝะพัˆะตะฝะธั ะฝะต ะธะผะตะตั‚.

ะ—ะฐะปะธั‚ัŒ ะณะพั‚ะพะฒั‹ะน ะบะธะฟัั‰ะธะน ัะพัƒั ะฒ ัั‚ะตั€ะธะปะธะทะพะฒะฐะฝะฝั‹ะต ะฑัƒั‚ั‹ะปะพั‡ะบะธ, ัะฒะตั€ั…ัƒ ะผะพะถะฝะพ ะดะพะฑะฐะฒะธั‚ัŒ ั‚ะพะฝะบะธะน ะทะฐั‰ะธั‚ะฝั‹ะน ัะปะพะน ะธะท ั€ะฐัั‚ะธั‚ะตะปัŒะฝะพะณะพ ะผะฐัะปะฐ, ะทะฐะบั€ัƒั‚ะธั‚ัŒ ะบั€ั‹ัˆะบะธ ะธ ะฟะพัั‚ะฐะฒะธั‚ัŒ ะฒ ะฟั€ะพั…ะปะฐะดะฝะพะต ั‚ะตะผะฝะพะต ะผะตัั‚ะพ.

ะฃ ั…ะพั€ะพัˆะธั… ั…ะพะทัะตะบ ะผะฝะพะถะตัั‚ะฒะพ ะฒะฐั€ะธะฐะฝั‚ะพะฒ ั‚ะบะตะผะฐะปะธ ะฒ ะบะปะฐะดะพะฒะบะฐั…: ะฒัะตะฒะพะทะผะพะถะฝั‹ะต ะพั‚ั‚ะตะฝะบะธ ะบั€ะฐัะฝะพะณะพ, ะถั‘ะปั‚ะพะณะพ, ะทะตะปั‘ะฝะพะณะพ ะธ ะบะพั€ะธั‡ะฝะตะฒะพะณะพ, ั€ะฐะทะปะธั‡ะฐัŽั‚ัั ะพะฝะธ ะธ ะฟะพ ัั‚ะตะฟะตะฝะธ ะพัั‚ั€ะพั‚ั‹ ะธ ะบะธัะปะพั‚ั‹.

ะœะพะถะฝะพ ะฟะพะปะธะฒะฐั‚ัŒ: ะบะฐั€ั‚ะพัˆะบัƒ, ะผััะพ, ั€ั‹ะฑัƒ, ะบัƒั€ะธั†ัƒ, ัะพัะธัะบะธ, ะผะฐะบะฐั€ะพะฝั‹, ะพะผะปะตั‚ั‹, ั€ะฐะทะฒะต ั‡ั‚ะพ ะฒ ั‡ะฐะน ะธะปะธ ะฒ ะฟะธั€ะพะถะฝั‹ะต ะดะพะฑะฐะฒะปัั‚ัŒ, ะฝะฐะฒะตั€ะฝะพะต, ะฝะต ัั‚ะพะธั‚.

ะ’ ัั‚ะพะผ ัะพัƒัะต ะผะฐััะฐ ะฒะธั‚ะฐะผะธะฝะพะฒ, ะทะธะผะพะน ะพะฝ ะฒะพะทะฒั€ะฐั‰ะฐะตั‚ ะฒะบัƒั ะปะตั‚ะฐ, ะฟั€ะธั‚ะพะผ ัั‚ะพ ัะพะฒะตั€ัˆะตะฝะฝะพ ะฝะฐั‚ัƒั€ะฐะปัŒะฝั‹ะน ะฟั€ะพะดัƒะบั‚ ะฑะตะท ะบะพะฝัะตั€ะฒะฐะฝั‚ะพะฒ, ะฐ ัƒะถ ะฒัั ะตะดะฐ, ะพัะพะฑะตะฝะฝะพ ะถะฐั€ะตะฝะฐั, ัั‚ะฐะฝะพะฒะธั‚ัั ั ะฝะธะผ ะฝะตะฒั‹ะฝะพัะธะผะพ ะฒะบัƒัะฝะพะน, ะธ ะตัะปะธ ัƒั‡ะตัั‚ัŒ, ั‡ั‚ะพ ั‚ะบะตะผะฐะปะธ ะฝะตะนั‚ั€ะฐะปะธะทัƒะตั‚ ะถะธั€ั‹ ะธ ะฝะต ะดะฐะตั‚ ะฒะฐะผ ัะธะปัŒะฝะพ ะฟะพะฟั€ะฐะฒะธั‚ัŒัั โ€“ ั‚ะพ ั ะฝะต ะฟะพะฝะธะผะฐัŽ, ั‡ะตะณะพ ะฒั‹ ะถะดั‘ั‚ะต?!

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A clear video instruction in Russian.

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About the author

Michael Denner

Michael Denner

Dr. Michael Denner is a professor at Stetsonโ€™s Program in Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies (REEES). A food enthusiast, he is currently translating and adapting a cookbook called ะ›ะพะฑะธะพ, ัะฐั†ะธะฒะธ, ั…ะฐั‡ะฐะฟัƒั€ะธ, ะธะปะธ ะ“ั€ัƒะทะธั ัะพ ะฒะบัƒัะพะผ (Lobio, Satsivi, Khachapuri, or Georgia with Taste) for English-speaking audiences. As part of this project, Dr. Denner is leading a Georgian Cooking Club at Stetson to test the recipies with Stetsonโ€™s diverse student group. Dr. Denner will also be leading Georgian Foodways for SRAS a new, two-week study abroad course that will address topics such as climate change and state agricultural policies within the context of broader issues of food security, the place of food in social justice and ethnic identity, and the role of Georgian foodways in the current global tourism economy.

Program attended: Georgian Foodways

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