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Kuchmachi
Chicken hearts and livers with walnuts
Kuchmachi: chicken hearts and livers fried with walnuts, garlic and pomegranate
Kuchmachi is supra food from western Georgia, particularly Imereti and Racha: offal, usually chicken hearts and livers or beef tripe and liver, fried with onion and then folded into a spicy walnut sauce and showered with pomegranate seeds. It is served warm or at room temperature in a clay dish, with cold wine and bread. This version uses chicken offal, which is easy to find and quick to cook. A common mistake is overcooking the livers until grainy; take them off as soon as the centre has lost its pink. Chef's tip: fry hearts and livers separately, since hearts need longer. Chicken offal is cooked when no pink remains and it reaches 74 °C.
- Total time
- 50 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the offal
- 14 oz chicken heartstrimmed and halved
- 14 oz chicken liverstrimmed
- 3 tbsp sunflower oil
- 2 onionssliced
- 1 tsp salt
For the walnut sauce
- 3 ½ oz walnuts
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 tsp khmeli-suneli
- ½ tsp dried chilli flakes
- 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
- ½ cup water
To finish
- 4 tbsp pomegranate seeds
- ½ oz fresh corianderchopped
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Heat 2 tbsp of 2 ⅛ tbsp sunflower oil in a frying pan over a medium-high heat and fry 14 oz chicken hearts for 12 minutes, until browned and cooked through. Lift out.
12 minStep 2: Add the rest of ⅞ tbsp sunflower oil and 14 oz chicken livers and fry for 5–6 minutes, turning, until browned outside and no longer pink inside, reaching 165°F. Common mistake: frying longer; they turn grainy. Lift out.
6 minStep 4: Grind 3 ½ oz walnuts, 3 cloves garlic, 1 tsp khmeli-suneli and ½ tsp dried chilli flakes to a paste and stir in 1 tbsp white wine vinegar and ½ cup water.
Step 5: Add the sauce to the pan and warm gently for 3 minutes, stirring, until it coats the offal.
3 minStep 6: Pile onto a plate, scatter with 4 tbsp pomegranate seeds and ½ oz fresh coriander and serve warm.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 380 kcal
- Protein
- 30 g
- Carbs
- 8 g
- Fat
- 25 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does kuchmachi take?
- About 50 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Is it very spicy?
- It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
- What can I use instead of onions?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of walnuts?
- Pecans or chocolate chips, same amount.
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