It is usually difficult for a tourist to understand the variety of names. There are more than ten types of khachapuri alone, and not every guest at a Georgian feast can understand the difference between " chakapuli», «chkmeruli», «chakhokhbili» and «chikhirtma».
Chakapuli
Chakapuli is a hot meat dish. In a saucepan, layers of herbs are placed: coriander, green onions, parsley and, of course, tarragon. Next put finely chopped pieces of veal or young lamb. Then tkemali — small green plums, all this is poured with white wine. The dish is stewed on low heat, releasing all the juices into the wine and creating a unique flavor.
Khinkali
Khinkali, one of the most famous Georgian dishes, consists of rolled or chopped meat wrapped in dough. Black and red pepper, onions, and sometimes a little kinza and parsley are added to the minced meat. When wrapping the dough, it is necessary to make at least 12 folds, and in Tusheti good khinkali are those that have 24 folds.
But the main thing that distinguishes khinkali from similar dishes is the divine juice that forms inside during the cooking process. Khinkali is eaten only with your hands, the dough should not tear. The highest pilotage is considered when the plate remains dry, and you managed not to spill a drop. If the khinkali gets cold, they will be gladly fried in any restaurant.
Chkmeruli
Chkmeruli is an ancient Racha dish, named after one of the villages of this region, Shkmeri. Chicken is pre-fried and put in hot milk and cream sauce with garlic. Sweet wines do not go well with this dish, it is better to try it with chacha or white dry wine.
Georgian kebab
Shashlik (mtsvadi) needs no introduction. But it also has its secrets. When lighting a fire under a shashlik in Georgia, dry vine branches are used, it gives its unique flavor to the meat. The way the meat was prepared before frying is also of great importance. Many people add red wine, pepper and onions. The meat is soaked in all this under a lid for a couple of hours, and after frying it becomes tender and flavorful, especially if you pour it with freshly squeezed pomegranate juice. Many restaurants serve an assortment of kebabs: pork, veal, chicken, as well as vegetables roasted with the meat on a spit.
Satsivi
Satsivi is a meat dish that should be eaten cold. Its name says it all: «tsivi» means «cold» in Georgian. Chicken is boiled, and ground walnuts, a set of necessary spices and red pepper are added to the broth. Nuts are selected the best and light-colored, so as not to spoil the appearance of the dish. All this is brought to a boil and then wait until the dish cools and thickens. If you see small puddles of bright yellow color on the surface of the dish, know that this is pre-squeezed walnut oil, which is subsequently added to the finished dish.
Mchadi and shoti
Mchadi is fried corn tortillas that go great with cheese. Many people eat it instead of bread, and mchadi is especially delicious hot. If you add grated cheese to the dough before frying, you get «chvishtari», which is very popular in Svaneti. Georgian bread «shoti» is baked on the walls of large ovens «tonne». It is good if the «tonne» is not gas-fired but wood-fired, it gives Georgian bread a special flavor and aroma.
Phalee
Pkhali is a great option not only for vegetarians. It is made of different products: spinach, cabbage, beet leaves. After spinning the leaves, chopped nuts, spices, onions and salt are added to the future pkhali. Lay out in various forms on a dish, sprinkling with pomegranate grains.
Churchkhela and pelamushi
Everyone knows about churchkhela, but pelamushi is still an unfamiliar treat for many people. It is a dessert — sweet grape juice brewed with bread or corn flour. While in the preparation of churchkhela nuts strung on a string are dipped in hot brew and then hung up and let dry, pelamushi is laid out on plates and sprinkled with nuts. It is made from the juice of different grapes, so the colors can be very diverse.
Kabab
Traditional Georgian kabab is cooked on a spit or on a grill and then wrapped in thin bread — Armenian lavash. The meat is only beef or beef and pork, with a small amount of fat so that the kabab does not turn out dry. Sprinkle onions and ground barberries on top and serve with «Sacebeli» tomato sauce.
Gomi and elarji
These are traditional Georgian dishes of the Mengrel region, which is famous for its cuisine. Pieces of suluguni cheese — fresh or smoked — are put into hot corn porridge.
The flour for gomi should only be of a certain grind, not very coarse, but not quite fine either. It must be sifted on a special sieve before cooking.
In elarji cheese is added directly during cooking. The dish must be stirred constantly during the process. The cheese dissolves and the elarji becomes stretchy. The more it stretches, the better it is considered cooked.
Popular Georgian restaurants in the center of Tbilisi
This is only a small part of the dishes that you should try in Georgia. In fact, there are countless of them. Remember that many Georgian dishes are spicy, savory and caloric. But the danger of gaining a couple of extra pounds is nothing compared to the gastronomic pleasure you will get, so enjoy!
I share with you a selection of Georgian restaurants in Tbilisi that locals love to visit.
