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Svanetian salt
Svanuri marili: coarse salt ground with garlic and Svan spices
In the stone-towered villages of upper Svaneti, salt was precious and families stretched it by grinding it with garlic and the spices that grow on their slopes: blue fenugreek, coriander seed, dried dill seed, marigold and hot pepper. The result is a fragrant, damp, greenish salt that every Svan kitchen keeps in a jar, rubbed on potatoes, stirred into soups or sprinkled on tomatoes and cucumbers. A common mistake is using fine table salt, which turns to paste; coarse salt grinds the garlic and dries it at the same time. Chef's tip: spread the finished salt on a tray and let it dry for a day before jarring, so it keeps for months.
- Total time
- 20 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 24
Ingredients
For the salt
- 9 oz coarse sea salt
- 1 head garlicpeeled
- 2 tbsp coriander seeds
- 1 tbsp dill seeds
- 1 tsp caraway seeds
- 1 tbsp dried marigold petals
- 1 tbsp dried chilli flakes
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What you'll need
Spices & pantry
Fresh ingredients (1)
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Toast 2 tbsp coriander seeds, 1 tbsp dill seeds and 1 tsp caraway seeds in a dry pan over a medium heat for 1–2 minutes, until fragrant. Cool.
2 minStep 2: Grind the toasted seeds to a powder in a mortar or spice grinder.
Step 3: Pound 1 head garlic with a third of 2 ⅝ oz coarse sea salt in a large mortar until it forms a wet paste.
Step 4: Add the rest of 6 oz coarse sea salt, the ground seeds, 2 tbsp blue fenugreek (utskho-suneli), 1 tbsp dried marigold petals and 1 tbsp dried chilli flakes and pound for 5 minutes, until evenly green-brown and fragrant. Common mistake: blitzing it in a blender; the garlic goes gluey.
Step 5: Spread on a tray lined with baking paper and leave to dry at room temperature for 24 hours, stirring a few times.
Step 6: Store in a clean jar. It keeps for 6 months.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 3 kcal
- Protein
- 0 g
- Carbs
- 0 g
- Fat
- 0 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does svanetian salt take?
- About 20 minutes in total.
- How many people does it serve?
- 24 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 coriander seeds?
- Ground coriander, same amount (add it later in the cooking; it burns faster).
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