Adzhika in Abkhazian style

Traditional spicy adzhika in Abkhazian style has several features: first, it does not contain tomatoes or other vegetables, except for hot peppers; second, the fully prepared mixture is left at room temperature for a couple of days to undergo fermentation.

Preparation time: 2 days.

Yield: 1 half-liter jar.

Caloric content: 158 kcal per 100 grams of the dish.

Cuisine: Abkhazian.

Ingredients

• purple basil - bunch (60 g);
• mix of parsley and dill - bunch (60 g);
• rock salt - 40 g;
• khmeli-suneli - 1 tablespoon;
• shelled walnuts - 100 g;
• garlic - 125 g;
• hot chili pepper - 250 g.

Preparation

1. Prepare the necessary ingredients for making adzhika in Abkhazian style.

2. Cut only the tail off the pepper, leaving the seed pod in place - the small seeds are the hottest and are the main component in adzhika. Cut the pepper into several pieces, and do all the work either with gloves or utensils so as not to touch the hot ingredient with your hands. Open a window in the kitchen as the pungent smell will irritate the throat and make your eyes water.

3. Place the prepared pieces along with the garlic cloves into a food processor.

4. Grind the contents.

5. Add khmeli-suneli, salt, and nuts. The salt should be well absorbed into the mixture, so grind everything again. If adzhika is made with a regular meat grinder, it may need to be passed through 3-4 times.

6. Now add the greens and grind everything once more.

7. Transfer the formed mixture to a bowl. Pack it down.

8. Loosely cover the adzhika with a lid and leave it in the room (the temperature should not exceed 30 degrees).

9. For 2 days, the mass will ferment, meaning biochemical oxidation reactions will occur, leading to fermentation, after which the components of the adzhika will retain their beneficial properties longer, and the taste will become more pronounced and vibrant. The mixture should be stirred once a day. The end of fermentation will be indicated by a change in the smell of adzhika. Stir the mixture one last time and distribute it into clean jars.

10. Adzhika in Abkhazian style must be stored in the refrigerator (this is a living product, without thermal treatment) for a whole year unless it is eaten earlier. In this case, you can immediately make the next batch. The taste of this seasoning evokes a feeling of freshness and spiciness. The walnut oil conserves this freshness, giving a slight astringency. If adzhika is added to hot dishes, a wave of summer herbs will flood the entire room. Enjoy!