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Satsebeli is one of the most famous Georgian sauces. This is a general name for a group of thick sauces, not one specific dish that can be made from any ingredient. The main thing is to achieve the desired consistency. In modern Georgia, satsebeli is understood as a kind of gravy made from stewed tomatoes. The first versions of the sauce were fruit and berry, but the savory tomato flavor was more favored. The product is usually served with vegetables, meat and poultry.
What you need to know about the Georgian gravy, with what to combine it and how to prepare the correct satebeli?
General characteristic of the ingredient
Satsebeli is perhaps the main Georgian sauce. Its modern gastronomic form is different from the original. The sauce has a fruit and berry origin, complemented by sour notes of blackberries or pomegranate juice. But now the fruit version is rarely used, and tomato is considered traditional satsebeli. Why did this happen?
Tomato is a more versatile food ingredient than berries. It can be subjected to all types of heat treatment and combined with almost every product. The gastronomic abilities of the vegetable were appreciated and the tomato became the main component of Georgian cuisine.
Every Georgian family always has one or two jars of tomato sauce. Locals loved the sauce for its versatility. It is equally suitable for different types of meat and can make a delicious spicy snack out of ordinary boiled potatoes. Satsebeli is cooked in huge pots, poured into glass jars and stored on darkened shelves or in the refrigerator.
Tomato gravy can be eaten with a spoon directly from a jar, spread on bread, prepare complex sauces based on it, add to soup or main dishes. Satsebeli can even be used as a preparation for conservation or instead of it. Make a few cans of sauce in the early autumn to enjoy high-quality spicy tomatoes in the winter.
Historical information
Initially, satsebeli was prepared as a sweet and sour sauce with bright spicy notes. The basis of the dish is nuts and mashed fruits or berries. The Georgian word “satsebeli” is translated as “sauce”, so the history of origin or the specifics of the name do not require discussion.
The name, which did not indicate a clear affiliation or peculiarities of the dish, provoked a gastronomic confusion. Dozens of different types of gravy and sauces with different compositions and consistency fell under the description of sabebel In many cookbooks, you can still find this confusion and a dozen recipes for dissimilar satebelis.
But the Georgians made their choice. They preferred a sauce based on stewed tomatoes, peppers, garlic and dried spices. This is the version of satsebeli most often found in thematic institutions and in the country itself. This does not mean that berry versions of the sauce are forbidden, and their lovers should say goodbye to goodies forever. Cooking does not have clear boundaries, so cook the satchel that you and your taste buds liked the most.
Useful properties of the dish
There are no harmful components in the traditional recipe of satsebeli. Moreover, heat treatment does not harm vegetables, on the contrary, it improves their composition and beneficial properties. Exposure to high temperatures is especially beneficial for tomatoes. They increase the level of lycopene. This is an enzyme that fights cancer cells and improves the protective functions of the immune system.
But high temperatures harm the bell pepper, more precisely, the dosage of ascorbic acid (vitamin C) in the vegetable. In the process of heating, vitamin C is destroyed, so it is advisable to eat fresh bell peppers. But peppers, just like other vegetables, contain fiber and other vitamins / minerals that are resistant to high temperatures. Another advantage of the sauce is safe heat treatment. Vegetables are stewed in their own juice and a minimum amount of water, which is much more useful than frying in oil.
Important: do not forget that you can squeeze out the maximum of beneficial properties only from freshly prepared satsebel, in which there is no sugar, a large amount of salt and chemical preservatives.
A portion of satsebeli may well be equivalent to a vegetable plate. If you can’t bring yourself to eat a main course and an extra plate of vegetables, no problem. Add sauce to meat, fish, potatoes or regular pasta. So you solve 2 problems at once – saturation and benefit.
Important: there are simply no absolute contraindications to the use of satsebeli. If you have an individual intolerance to one of the components – just replace it with another vegetable / fruit / berry. So you make the dish safe for your own body and experiment with tastes.
Where to buy and have satsabel
It is important to distinguish between homemade satsabelles made from a specific set of fresh vegetables / spices and an industrial sauce. In the second option, the manufacturer cares not only about the taste, but also the safety of the product. To increase the shelf life and maximize the consumer’s taste buds, they add sugar, preservatives, and various E-additives.
We cannot fully control industrial production and be aware of all the components, so it’s difficult to talk about the benefits of the finished product. Always focus on the composition. The simpler and laconic it is, the better the product is in front of you. Give up complex chemical compounds, because they will bring you nothing but health problems.
Important: there are manufacturers on the market who are responsible for the quality and safety of their product. Their products are presented in a high price category, but it is not always possible to find it. The ideal option is to prepare the sauce yourself and protect yourself from possible problems.
It is quite possible to cook satsebeli in your own kitchen. It does not require a huge investment of time, money or serious culinary skills. If you don’t want to cook on your own, go to a traditional Georgian restaurant.
How to cook tomato sauce
Advice. The best cookware for cooking satsebeli is a cast-iron pan with a deep bottom. It keeps the temperature well and does not allow the contents to burn. But you can use any kitchen utensils from the available arsenal.
We need:
- tomatoes (it is advisable to use overripe fruits so that they give the maximum amount of juice and sweetness) – 1 kilogram;
- Bulgarian pepper – 500 grams;
- garlic – 30 grams;
- chili pepper – 3 pieces;
- salt / pepper / spices to taste.
Preparation
The first stage of preparation is cooking vegetables. Cut the bell pepper into random pieces. The size and thickness of the pieces do not matter – all vegetables will turn into a thick puree after heat treatment. Cut the chili in half, remove the stones and send to the pan with the bell pepper. There is no need to chop the tomatoes – it is enough to cut them slightly so that the vegetable releases juice and aroma. Garlic simply needs to be peeled and divided into cloves.
Place all the ingredients in a saucepan, fill the bottom with a small amount of water (about 50-100 milliliters) so that the contents do not burn and put on the slowest fire. As soon as the mixture begins to languish, and characteristic bubbles appear on the surface, increase the temperature. Boil the vegetables for about 1 hour until you get the desired consistency.
Ready vegetables need to be peeled and passed through a sieve or fine grater, but before that, be sure to try the sauce. Do you like its taste and texture? If so, then feel free to grind the satsebeli and add salt / pepper / spices to taste. If not, add the missing ingredients and boil the sauce for another 10-15 minutes. Pureed sauce can be additionally whipped with a blender to get a delicate texture without a single lump.
In your thick tomato paste, add your favorite spices and cool. Do not forget that the hot sauce will be much sharper and more savory than the cooled. Consider this and add more spoonfuls of spices to the 1-2. Only dry spices are added to the traditional sabebel, fresh greens are not used, because it can kill the taste of tomatoes or peppers.
Culinary hack. If your sauce is not rich enough due to unripe tomatoes, add a tablespoon of tomato paste to it. A concentrated mixture will save the day, saving you money and effort. Adding pasta is undesirable, so next time choose overripe tomatoes and follow the recipe exactly.