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Satsebeli
Fresh tomato sauce
Satsebeli: fresh Georgian tomato sauce with garlic, chilli and coriander
Satsebeli is the uncooked tomato sauce that comes beside mtsvadi skewers at every summer barbecue in Kakheti, and beside khinkali in Tbilisi taverns: very ripe tomatoes, rubbed to a pulp, then sharpened with garlic, hot pepper and a fistful of herbs. It should taste bright, fresh and a little fiery. A common mistake is blending it smooth, which makes it frothy and pale; Georgian cooks grate or chop by hand so it keeps some texture. Chef's tip: make it no more than an hour before eating; the herbs darken and the garlic grows harsh if it sits overnight.
- Total time
- 15 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the sauce
- 1 ⅓ lb very ripe tomatoes
- 2 cloves garliccrushed
- 1 fresh red chillifinely chopped
- ⅔ oz fresh corianderfinely chopped
- ⅛ oz purple basilfinely chopped
- ⅛ oz fresh dillfinely chopped
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp blue fenugreek
- 1 tsp white wine vinegaroptional
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Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Halve 1 ⅓ lb very ripe tomatoes and grate the cut side on a coarse grater into a bowl, until only the skins are left in your hand. Discard the skins.
Step 2: Pound 2 cloves garlic, 1 fresh red chilli and ½ tsp salt to a paste and stir into the tomatoes with ¼ tsp blue fenugreek.
Step 3: Stir in ⅔ oz fresh coriander, ⅛ oz purple basil and ⅛ oz fresh dill. Common mistake: blending it; the sauce goes foamy.
Step 4: Taste and add 1 tsp white wine vinegar if the tomatoes are sweet. Leave for 15 minutes before serving with grilled food or khinkali.
15 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 25 kcal
- Protein
- 1 g
- Carbs
- 5 g
- Fat
- 0 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does satsebeli take?
- About 15 minutes in total.
- 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.
- What can I use instead of very ripe tomatoes?
- Tinned chopped tomatoes: a 400g tin for about 6 tomatoes (in cooked dishes, not salads).
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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