Tkemali sauce: origin and methods of preparation

Recipe for everyone's favorite Tkemali was first opened by Georgian chefs. Such a name of the seasoning was obtained because of the main ingredient - cherry plum. Now the sauce is produced on a production scale not only in Georgia, but also in Russia, Germany and Bulgaria.

It is perfectly combined with meat, fish and vegetable dishes. Tkemali sauce is served to potatoes, pasta, to various side dishes and even used when baking poultry and various types of meat on the grill. In Georgia, they are seasoned with traditional dishes: sweets, chahokhbili, chanakhi, kaurma, buglama, basturma and shish kebab.

In the classic Tkemali necessarily add grass ombalo, giving it a tart taste. Until now, many lovers of this magnificent sauce do not know exactly what kind of sink to prepare a real Tkemali. In the markets, most likely, you will be offered red or yellow cherry plum.

Tkemali is a wild plum growing in the highlands of the Caucasus. Its small fruits are red, pink, yellow and green. Before buying the fruits of this or that kind of cherry plum, they must first taste. From the one that is smeared sweet and sour condiment. The true plum-tkemali has a sour taste, which will suit the admirers of piquant taste. You can not use overripe fruits.

In cherry plum, the skin is thin, and the flesh is well separated from the bones. The real plum-tkemali peel is thicker and, accordingly, it is more difficult to clean. If you like sweet tkemali sauce, then when cooking add a thorn or plum to it - it's better than granulated sugar.

The very process of preparation involves a fairly long grinding of all the ingredients. Tkemali sauce can be made at home and even stockpiled for future use or for winter.

A real green tkemali sauce . Recipe

Plums are thoroughly rinsed, put in a pan with cold water to cover the fruit. It is desirable to cook them whole. Put a dry dill with grains and a sprig of coriander in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and, as soon as the peel appear cracks, immediately turn off. The water should be drained, if the tkemali are not too acidic, then pour the water into another container - it is better to use it for cooking the seasoning. Then drain the syrup well through a strainer.

The resulting mass is filled with a previously prepared mixture of spices and herbs. It is better to use dry herbs, so the sauce will not spoil. Essential composition of dry spices:

• Tsertsso, you can dill;
• Uхоxo-suneli;
• coriander;
• Ombalo;
• garlic;
• Pods of red pepper.

It is problematic to find the Georgian seasoning ombalo, which has no analogues in Russia, but it is close to mint. Most of the admirers of sauce use mint, although Georgian chefs disapprove of such an alternative.

All ingredients must be ground in a blender / meat grinder. The mixture of plums and spices should be left for about an hour. After the time has passed, we put on the fire and stir occasionally, not letting the sauce burn. Do not forget to salt to taste.

Formed foam can not be removed - it will disappear. Tkemali sauce can be cooked for no more than an hour, it is enough that it is stored for a year in sterilized dishes. If long storage is not supposed, then half an hour is enough.

Before serving, add chopped greens: coriander, dill can and parsley, as you like.

Not just a tasty seasoning is obtained from cherry plum.

Tkemali Sauce - recipe for cooking using plum

A kilogram of red plum will require: coriander seeds - 20 g, dill, garlic (6-7 denticles), salt, coriander and red pepper (ground).

To plum water and let it boil, then we reduce the fire and cook, stirring constantly. After 15 minutes, when cherry plum becomes soft, discard it in a colander (do not pour out the broth) and wipe it, removing the bones and skin.

This mass again put on the fire and bring to a boil - almost done. Now add to the sauce dill, coriander, pepper, chopped coriander and garlic. If the seasoning turns dense, it can be diluted with a decoction, which remained after the plum. Sauce is poured into a previously sterilized container and closed.

It is known that the Georgian seasoning burns fats and normalizes metabolic processes in the body. Bon appetit and good health!