Badrijani nigvzit
Fried aubergine rolls with garlicky walnut paste
Badrijani nigvzit, aubergine with walnuts, is the summer starter of Tbilisi and Kakheti: thin slices of aubergine fried until silky, spread with a garlicky, spiced walnut paste and rolled up, then scattered with pomegranate seeds. They sit on every supra table between the cheeses and pkhali, and on restaurant menus from June until the frosts. Served cold, they are rich and soft, with sour pops of pomegranate. The common mistake is undercooking the aubergine: if it is still firm it cracks when you roll it and tastes raw, so fry each slice until it is limp and golden. Chef's tip: dry the fried slices on kitchen paper and press them gently; you lose surplus oil, and the paste spreads and sticks better.
- Total time
- 50 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the aubergines
For the walnut paste
To serve
Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Lay the 2 aubergines on a tray, sprinkle with 1 tsp salt and leave for 20 minutes, until beads of water appear. Pat dry with kitchen paper.
20 minStep 2: Heat 2 tbsp of 6 tbsp sunflower oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Fry the slices in batches for 2–3 minutes a side, adding more oil as needed, until golden and completely limp, with no white, spongy patches left. Drain on kitchen paper and cool.
15 minStep 3: Blitz 5 ½ oz walnut halves and 3 cloves garlic in a food processor to a fine paste. Add 1 tsp ground coriander, 1 tsp blue fenugreek (utskho suneli), ½ tsp ground dried marigold petals (imeruli saffron), ¼ tsp chilli flakes, 1 tbsp white wine vinegar, ½ tsp salt and 4 tbsp cold water and blend until creamy and spreadable, like thick hummus. Stir in ½ oz coriander leaves.
Step 4: Spread a heaped teaspoon of paste along each aubergine slice and roll it up from the narrow end. Arrange seam-side down on a plate.
Step 5: Scatter with 3 tbsp pomegranate seeds and serve at room temperature, or chill for up to 2 days and bring back to room temperature before serving.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 280 kcal
- Protein
- 6 g
- Carbs
- 10 g
- Fat
- 25 g
- Fibre
- 5 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does badrijani nigvzit take?
- About 50 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
- What can I use instead of ground coriander?
- Coriander seeds, toasted and ground.
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