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Adjika
Red pepper and garlic paste
Megrelian red pepper paste with garlic and herbs
Adjika comes from Samegrelo and neighbouring Abkhazia in western Georgia, where it is a thick, fiery paste of dried red peppers, garlic and seeds, pounded in a stone mortar and stored in jars for the year. It is nothing like the tomato relishes sold as adjika in some shops: a little goes a very long way, stirred into beans, rubbed into vegetables before roasting, or spread thinly on mchadi with cheese. It needs no cooking, just patience while the peppers soak. A common mistake is skipping the soaking, which leaves the paste gritty with hard flakes of skin. Chef's tip: wear gloves while handling the peppers, and use a mix of mild and hot ones so you get colour and fruitiness, not just heat.
- Total time
- 20 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 12
Ingredients
- 1 oz dried mild red pepperssuch as ancho or Aleppo-style flakes; stems and seeds removed
- ½ oz dried hot red chilliesstems removed
- 6 cloves garlic
- 1 tbsp coriander seeds
- 1 tsp dill seeds
- 1 tsp blue fenugreek (utskho suneli)or 1/2 the amount of ground fenugreek seed
- ⅔ oz coriander leaves
- 1 ½ tsp coarse salt
- 1 tbsp sunflower oilto seal the jar
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What you'll need
Spices & pantry
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Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Put on gloves. Cover 1 oz dried mild red peppers and ½ oz dried hot red chillies with hot water and soak for 15 minutes, until soft and floppy. Drain well, keeping 2 tbsp of the soaking water.
15 minStep 2: Toast 1 tbsp coriander seeds and 1 tsp dill seeds in a dry pan over a medium heat for 1 minute, until they smell warm and nutty. Grind them in a mortar or spice grinder.
1 minStep 3: Pound or blitz the peppers with 6 cloves garlic, ⅔ oz coriander leaves, the ground seeds, 1 tsp blue fenugreek (utskho suneli) and 1 ½ tsp coarse salt to a thick, fairly smooth paste. Add a spoonful of the soaking water only if it will not come together.
Step 4: Taste carefully with the tip of a spoon; it should be hot, salty and garlicky. Pack into a small clean jar, pour 1 tbsp sunflower oil over the top and keep in the fridge for up to 2 months.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 20 kcal
- Protein
- 1 g
- Carbs
- 2 g
- Fat
- 1 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does adjika take?
- About 20 minutes in total.
- How many people does it serve?
- 12 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.
- Is it very spicy?
- It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
- 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 dried mild red peppers?
- Any colour of bell pepper, same amount.
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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