THE SCENE “This is gonna be good,” I told myself, sliding the porcelain casserole into the refrigerator. Two pounds of chicken legs swimming in a bath of lemon juice, peanut oil, and Georgian five spice – they’d have the entire night to chill out and absorb Georgian goodness before hitting the grill. I tucked Ava into bed as quickly as I could, telling Keith to cue a movie, preferably a chick flick. I put on my favorite fuzzy pajamas and crawled under the covers. The opening credits hadn’t even rolled by before the phone rang. “Don’t pick up!” I said, as he brought the phone to his ear. It was work. I rolled my eyes and whispered “tell them you’re busy.” He didn’t say anything, but listened carefully for a few long minutes. I stared at computer screen, at the frozen faces and words, waiting to be unpaused. Moments later, he left to work on the city’s 911 phone system. You can’t say you’re busy when 911 calls. Lives are at stake. I understood but, as I …
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Makes 4 cups This bold tasting spread/sauce from Georgia will have your mouth asking “What is in this!” I couldn’t decide what it reminded me of, which I find exciting (trying new flavors is the purpose of eating the world, A-Z!). The bold flavor of cilantro and walnut are the main body of flavor, with an earthy, almost bitter note from the spices. You can knock the bitter profile back a bit if you use less fenugreek seeds. Adapted from The Silk Road Gourmet: Volume One: Western and Southern Asia. Ingredients: 1 bunch cilantro, including stems 4 cloves garlic 2 cups walnuts, chopped 2 cups stock (chicken is traditional, but vegetable is fine for a vegan recipe) 1/4 cup lemon juice 1 1/2 tsp ground coriander 1 1/2- 1 Tbsp fenugreek seeds (add to taste) 1 tsp ground turmeric salt pepper Method: Welcome to Georgia – this picture shows so many of the characteristic flavors of this beautiful country. First, blend together the washed cilantro (stems and all) with walnuts, garlic, lemon juice, and stock. …
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Makes about 3 Tbsp Ever take a bite of food and know exactly what country the food is from? Ever wonder why? Usually it’s because the food is loaded with typical, regional herbs and spices. The food of Georgia (the country) is no different. This Georgian five spice can be used in almost any dish thanks to it’s agreeable combination of grassy herbs like coriander, savory, bay leaf and dill – along with a hit from subtly bitter fenugreek seeds (whose flavor you’ll recognize from curry powder). Side note – Before Khmeli-suneli I had never tried savory. I rather like it – the flavor is a little like thyme with a hit of mint. This happy herb would be lovely in a salad dressing. Adapted from The Silk Road Gourmet: Volume One: Western and Southern Asia Ingredients: 2 tsp fenugreek seeds 2 dried bay leaves 1 Tbsp ground coriander 1 Tbsp dried savory 1 1/2 tsp dried dill 1/2 tsp pepper Method: Add fenugreek seeds and bay leaves to spice grinder. Blend until powdered. This …
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Serves 2-4 I’ll be honest. I don’t have great luck with grilled chicken. Usually it’s bland, overdone and, as much as I hate to admit it, I’m usually to blame. Naturally, I was delighted when I found this foolproof Georgian recipe in Laura Kelley’s The Silk Road Gourmet: Volume One: Western and Southern Asia – it’s a giant bright bite of lemony goodness. The crazy strong flavor comes from an extra long marination – 24 hours. If you’d rather a milder flavor, try just a few hours instead. Adapted from The Silk Road Gourmet: Volume One: Western and Southern Asia Ingredients: 2 lbs chicken leg 1 cup lemon juice 3 Tbsp Georgian Five Spice 1/3 cup peanut oil salt Method: Hello sunshine! Time to juice some lemons. Beware paper cuts… this won’t be pleasant for you. Add in the Georgian Five Spice. And peanut oil… Pour the mixture over the chicken. Cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. To quote Emeril, these chicken are “getting happy.” Grill on each side over medium-low heat, turning once. …
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Makes 1 string, as pictured Meet our adaptation of Churchkhela, the dangly natural candy from the Caucasus. Audrey, from Uncornered Market, informs me that this typically sausage shaped treat is nicknamed the “Georgian Snickers.” Nice! Unlike a Snickers bar, however, we use only three ingredients, none of which are sugar. Long strands of Churchkhela can be found all over the caucasus, generally with extra thick outer layers of dried grape syrup (they call this tatara). Our version is simplified for the home cook. First, it has significantly fewer layers. Second, we loop our strand so it is easier to dip in a small amount of liquid. Finally, we didn’t age our Churchkhela as long as they do in Georgia. Our ingredients and technique vary somewhat, so this recipe is designed to be eaten within a few days. You’ll need to plan for 1 day’s drying time for every time you dip the strand into the grape syrup (although drying times could be longer depending on humidity and temperature). Plus you’ll need one night to drain …
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Hello Georgia. I’m sick, but I feel better when I see your food. Three cheers to that! NOTE: The first three recipes are adapted from Laura Kelley‘s book The Silk Road Gourmet: Volume One: Western and Southern Asia. Her book is full of great history and an entire chapter of Georgian recipes for any who are interested. Georgian Grilled Chicken [Recipe] Bone-in chicken marinated in a combination of khemeli-suneli, peanut oil, and lemon juice. The secret? Extra long marination to make the flavors scream. I’m a fan of screaming food (so says the girl who likes a little salad with her vinegar). Georgian 5 spice (Khmeli-Suneli) [Recipe] There are as many variations of this spice blend as there are grandma’s in Georgia. Our version is made with coriander, savory, dill, fenugreek, and bay leaves. Our bonus spice is pepper. Walnut Cilantro Sauce (Garo) [Recipe] This slightly bitter, grassy sauce is a popular condiment, like ketchup in America. Not only is it served over meats and vegetables, it can also be spread on a slice of toast …
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Georgia is literally my life raft at the moment. If I didn’t have this post to write I’d surely be passed out on my bed, waiting for the fever to subside. I hope you’ll understand if this post is extra short. And, quite possibly, delirious. Let’s start off with a quote. That’s always nice. According to Laura Kelley, Georgian cuisine is most closely related to Armenian cuisine – not only because of their shared border, but because Armenia (or its own rulers) ruled at least part of Georgia for 1000 years. The Silk Road Gourmet: Volume One: Western and Southern Asia Laura was kind enough to recommend several recipes from her book. From what I read (and tasted), Georgian food is full of strong flavors like cilantro, pomegranate, walnuts (tons of recipes included walnuts!), lemons, and unusual spice blends like Garo [Recipe] and Georgian Five Spice [Recipe]. She even has a recipe for beets with sour cherries. I’d love to try that one of these days, when my brain doesn’t feel like it’s about to implode. Meat …
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Makes about 1/4 cup Curry powder isn’t just for India anymore. Fijians, all the way in Polynesia, also love the golden goodness. I took a look at Mark Bittman’s curry recipes (he has three different ones in The Best Recipes in the World), and made a version which combines the best of his fragrant curry and mild curry. The result? An all-purpose curry that will taste great on almost anything. Except maybe ice cream. This version ended up quite a bit different than Bittman’s, most notably because of a little extra cardamom and a bit less fennel seed. I’m just not that into fennel. If you’d like more heat, try mixing in extra cayenne until you get a blend you like. If you want bonus points, toast and grind each spice individually – you’ll be able to toast the spices more evenly and you’ll also have better control of the grind. You know… unless you have a little Miss Ava to keep up with. Ingredients: 2 tsp black peppercorns 2 tsp ground turmeric 2 tsp coriander seeds …
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One. Two. Three. Four. I counted out the meatballs, placing them around the ramen. “That’s too symmetrical.” Mr Picky said. I sized up my creation. “Good, good. I like symmetry. It’ll work. Just wait.” I swirled on a ladle of soup. The bowl looked fuller. One. Two. Three. Slices of fried tofu. My stomach rumbled. Ava bounced in her high chair, signing for food. A sprinkle of green onions. Chili sauce. Art. “Is that hot?” he asked. “As hot as you can handle!” I replied. “Seems a crime to eat it,” he said, taking a bite. Chicken Bakso (Chicken Meatballs) [Recipe] What I liked best about this dish: One taste and I knew – I could eat these meatballs on an upset stomach. The flavor is relatively plain (like chicken, in chicken noodle soup), with just a hint of fried garlic and shallot to give a bit of a toasty, roasty flavor. While they would be great in any sort of soup, Mr. Picky already requested them in a meatball sub. Hold the marinara, please. …
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Serves 6 When it’s cold outside, gather around a steaming bowl of Bakso Noodle Soup – you’ll be refreshed by the bright flavors and warmed by the chili sauce. You can bring this soup to a potluck – just keep the tofu, green onions, and chili sauce in a separate dishes for diners to garnish their own bowls. While the soup is traditionally Indonesian, it is also sold by street vendors in East Timor, a country formerly part of Indonesia. Ingredients: 1 bok choy, rinsed and sliced 3 green onions, sliced thinly 1 center section of celery – where it is 1/2 leaves and 1/2 ribs – sliced thinly 1 quart chicken stock 6 cups water (or stock) 1/8 cup soy sauce (more to taste) salt Additional soup components (all to taste): Chicken bakso meatballs cooked ramen noodles chili sauce green onions Deep-fried tofu Method: Let’s get a kaleidescope of green in our diets. Our doctors would be proud. Rinse and trim the produce… Then slice and toss in a large pot. First the bok …
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Makes about 16 2″ meatballs Stuck in an Italian meatball rut? I’ve got the answer: cozy up to Asian-style Bakso meatballs. You’ll be in good company – these mild and tender meatballs are beloved street food throughout Indonesia, East Timor and other nearby islands. You’ll find them bobbing in soups, or thinly sliced and tossed in noodle and rice dishes. The meatballs can be made with beef, chicken, fish or shrimp. Oh, and super thanks to you who voted on our Facebook Fan Page – your votes decided we should try bakso made with chicken. The mild chicken flavor is perked up with a dose of sautéed garlic and shallots. They are great in Bakso Noodle Soup and can be frozen for other uses. Ingredients: 1 lb ground chicken 3 cloves garlic, crushed 1 shallot, minced 1/4 cup tapioca flour 1/2 cup crushed ice 1/2 tsp salt 1/4 tsp pepper Method: Gather the shallot and garlic. If you don’t have shallot you could use a little red onion. Chop the shallot and crush the garlic. Cook …
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Serves 2-4 This crunchy, protein-rich alternative to croutons and crackers is perfect in soups and on salads. A great way to introduce tofu to someone who has never had it and particularly wonderful in our Bakso Noodle Soup. Ingredients: 1 block super firm tofu 1/3 cup rice flour (extra as needed) vegetable oil Method: Get ready for deliciousness. Preheat vegetable oil to 365F in a small, uncovered pot. Drain off a package of tofu, preferably super firm. Slice into even cubes. I like to see how perfect I can get the cubes. We used to get tested on things like that at the Culinary Institute of America. If you like plain tofu go ahead -sneak one … you’ll still have a lot left. Next, make it snow: cover in rice flour (or you can dip them into the flour, on a plate). Either way, all six sides of the cubes should be covered with rice flour. Drop them into the oil, taking care not to crowd them. When they are done they’ll be tan and …
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