Some chefs still believe that adjika is almost the national dish of Georgia. But in fact, Abkhazia became the official discoverer of the dish, so popular in the countries of the post-Soviet space.
It is believed that her recipe appeared due to the needs of local residents, because not all of them in the old days could afford to buy then expensive salt. To spice up the main dishes, enterprising hostesses found a way out in the form of a rather spicy, and sometimes just spicy dressing.
From generation to generation, instructions for preparing the signature goodness are passed on here, so determining which version is the best is only a matter of personal preference.
Initially, it was cooked on a special flat-shaped stone, which is called ahakya among the locals. The classic variation involved the need to hold an oblong stone with both hands in order to thoroughly grind the necessary ingredients. As soon as the mixture acquired the desired consistency, similar to a plastic mass, the work was considered completed.
In some villages, Abkhazian delicacies are still prepared in this way. As soon as autumn comes, the hostesses remove special stony graters hidden in the cellars. Pepper, garlic, collected fragrant herbs and other components of the sauce revered in their families are rubbed on them.
Red or green?
It is difficult to find a recipe that could be XNUMX% correct. Today it will be possible to find only original instructions, but they cannot be called correct either, because each region of Abkhazia had its own culinary secrets.
But, regardless of which option is preferred, the recipe must provide for four main components. These are salt, hot pepper, garlic and herbs. Such an alignment is considered canonical, but this does not mean at all that those consumers who cannot tolerate spicy foods cannot prepare an analogue without garlic. It will also turn out fragrant, but safer for those who suffer from problems in the digestive tract.
Most of all, beginners in cooking are surprised by the fact that initially adjika was created without a tomato. Now the absence of tomatoes is perceived with doubt, since most of the most popular recipes include them without fail.
To simplify the task for those who first take up the preparation of a savory treat, experienced chefs have developed a small guide. To improve the taste characteristics, you need to listen to the following tips:
- Hot pepper is better to choose based on the shape. The more elongated it is, the better.
- In order to get a good harvest from pepper, you must first dry it in the sun for at least about a day. This guarantees a thicker consistency in the future.
- If you do not want to get too spicy mass, then first at the stage of cleaning the pepper from the stalks, you should also get rid of the seeds remaining inside. To protect the skin during the preparatory stage, it is better to cut it with rubber gloves and do not touch the eyes while cooking.
- Herbs are chosen according to personal taste. Before sending them to a common pan, the selected plants are additionally dried under the sun, or sent to heat up in a pan.
It is allowed to use savory dry mixes along with fresh herbs, focusing on the original instructions. From the obligatory item of the program for the ingredients, only blue fenugreek is distinguished here. With its help, it will be possible to achieve the desired viscosity.
If you want to get a version close to the traditional Abkhaz adjika, then you should give up suneli hops. This seasoning is usually used by those who seek to save time on cooking.
Also, immediately after the completion of cooking, you should not be afraid of how spicy the goodies turned out. After a few days, its sharpness softens a little. Experts say that if you know how to cook it correctly, then the resulting mixture will be easily smeared on bread.
A separate topic for dispute every season is the color of the finished product. There are two main varieties: red and green. They both hold even though their components remain identical. The difference lies only in the proportions and state of the added ingredients.
So, a semi-dry red treat involves the use of only red pepper and previously completely dried certain herbs. And the green composition is ideal for cheese or cottage cheese. Here, fresh vegetable spices are taken as the basis, guided by the proportions according to the “1 to 2” principle.
A similar secret explains the fact that the green counterpart has a more gentle taste. Only here it is stored for a very short time.
Benefit for health
Homemade adjika has a number of useful qualities, the main of which is the stimulation of appetite. This was made possible thanks to the abundance of spices that provoke the acceleration of metabolism. So the body gets a chance to successfully digest all the food received at dinner, without putting it into subcutaneous fat.
If you make advance supplies for the winter from the summer, then during outbreaks of colds you will be able to provide yourself with a reliable folk bactericidal remedy. The mixture is excellent at helping to fight viruses, allowing the body to recover more quickly from a recent illness.
Also, tomato delicacy has a number of other useful qualities:
- effects as an aphrodisiac for men;
- increased blood circulation;
- cleansing blood vessels from harmful cholesterol and plaques.
It is believed that if you start your day with bread with such an unusual spread, then all subsequent dishes will seem much tastier. It is likely that on a physiological level, such magic is explained by the effect of pungency on human taste buds.
Many people know that seasonings have a beneficial effect on the normalization of the cardiovascular system. This has even been proven by scientists. Only here it will be possible to achieve the desired effect if you eat a blank created without cooking. Otherwise, most of the nutrients will evaporate during heat treatment.
Despite the fact that adherents of the old traditions refuse to add tomatoes to the starting composition, according to many, the most delicious version contains tomatoes. From the point of view of benefits, the tomato analogue is also more valuable, which is explained by the microelements present in the composition of tomatoes:
- magnesium;
- calcium;
- phosphorus;
- iron.
The first point has a positive effect on the condition of tooth enamel, and also supports stable cardiac activity. Calcium also actively cooperates with the hematopoietic system, acting as a guarantor of normal blood clotting. Since it controls the amount of bad cholesterol, it is considered a preventive element against the development of vascular diseases. It also helps the endocrine system stay healthy.
Phosphorus is one of the main building materials of bone tissue. But even without this, the body needs it, as it supports the work of the kidneys and does not allow the nervous system to fail.
Another component aimed at supporting the blood is iron. He is responsible for the production of hemoglobin. Together with vitamins of group A, it helps the immune system to fight back against external negative factors.
Fiber creates a feeling of satiety, and pectin has a beneficial effect on bowel function.
Contraindications to use
Usually, people who can’t stand the increased spiciness just forgo the peppery kick and don’t make the horseradish versions. Instead, they are quite satisfied with the green adjika, which does not leave behind a sensation of “fire” in the mouth.
But even switching to a gentle mode is not always a suitable way out of the situation. The treat has a number of contraindications. Problems are added by the fact that consumers do not always know about the presence of diseases from the forbidden list, and if they do, they ignore the doctor’s instructions.
If you do not follow medical recommendations, then you can significantly worsen your current condition, up to an acute attack of a chronic illness. The list of main contraindications includes the following diagnoses:
- liver failure;
- acute renal failure;
- abnormalities in the work of the gastrointestinal tract such as ulcers and gastritis;
- simply irritated mucosa of the gastrointestinal tract, which may be the result of a recent food poisoning.
Special attention deserves the item with cardiovascular diseases. Despite the fact that a similar sauce with garlic is positioned as a prevention of the same ailments, only healthy people are allowed to eat it. If the pathology for a given part has already been diagnosed, then it is better to refrain from culinary delights.
The hidden ability of adjika is an increase in blood pressure. As soon as a hypertensive patient tastes at least a few spoons of his favorite dish, the situation will only get worse.
Pregnant women need to be especially vigilant, since any spicy composition, be it from zucchini or tomatoes, is contraindicated for them. The reason for this is the high risk of a possible miscarriage. Doctors even insist that during lactation a woman should also refuse such experiments. Do not give treats to try and children under the age of 12 years.
Best combination
In addition to directly sampling adjika with bread, there are many other options for its use. Meat in any processing is rightfully considered her best friend:
- kebabs;
- cutlets;
- chops.
Even the chicken baked in the oven, which will be filled with this delicacy, will please the most demanding hostesses. But if meat is not included in today’s menu, then you can send “autumn hello” to a vegetable salad. Here it is important to observe only one rule – moderation. Even the stomach of a healthy consumer will not thank you for the increased load if you overeat.
Experienced chefs advise diluting especially spicy combinations with safer ingredients. They are sour cream or mayonnaise. You can mix the two components in equal proportions and add to the jar. Serve the resulting mix with meat or cook with vegetable casserole.
Adjika dry type
The townsfolk are accustomed to the fact that adjika is usually rolled up as winter stocks. Because of this, the consistency of the workpiece remains liquid or resembles a pasty salad.
Some enterprising hostesses have gone further and come up with a more concise version that takes up less space when finished. It is more commonly used as a condiment, as the dry mix is great for a marinade, as an addition to steamed rice, or as a soup spice.
Making it yourself at home is not difficult. It is only necessary to choose the right proportions of the main ingredients:
- one and a half kilograms of pre-dried hot peppers;
- 2 large heads of garlic;
- 3 teaspoons of dry cilantro;
- 1 tablespoon of salt.
At the same time, salt should be ordinary table salt, and not iodized.
To soften the final taste, you need to remove all the seeds from the pepper and soak it in water.
All collected blanks are ground. It is believed that it is better to do it manually, using a special mortar. But since it takes a lot of time, you can use a coffee grinder, and then pour the resulting semi-finished product into a glass container.
Having learned how to make a standard set, some begin to experiment with additional components. Sometimes crushed nuts are also added to the jar. There are those who like to feel the sourness of dried barberry. The only limit here is your own imagination.