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Plum Tkemali
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Sauces for Winter

Plum Tkemali

Plum Tkemali is the iconic Caucasian-Georgian sauce — yellow alycha (sour cherry plum) base + signature herbs (basil + cilantro + ombalo mint) + hot pepper + garlic + dry spices. Quite-sour-with-slight-sweetness alycha provides RELIABLE preservation without vinegar/sterilization.
· Saturday, 06 August 2022 08:18 ·
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Time 40 min
Yield ~350 ml
Calories 42 kcal
Difficulty Medium
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Instructions

  1. I prepare ingredients for plum tkemali.

    Step 1

  2. Place plums (NOT removing pits) in saucepan; cover with water — leave 2-3 cm from top of plums.

    Step 2

  3. Add MINT sprigs — gives sauce fresh, very PERSISTENT aroma.

    Step 3

  4. Soften plums by BOILING 4-5 MINUTES.

    Step 4

  5. Use slotted spoon: retrieve all fruits + mint; transfer to SIEVE placed over container. DON'T pour out remaining liquid — useful for thinning sauce if too thick.

    Step 5

  6. Wait ~10 minutes for scorching steam to escape from plums. Using HANDS: mash mixture through fine holes; discard pits + skins + overcooked mint.

    Step 6

  7. Return PLUM PUREE to original saucepan.

    Step 7

  8. In chopper: place BASIL leaves + GARLIC. Grind together.

    Step 8

  9. Add CILANTRO; chop everything again.

    Step 9

  10. Transfer chopped HERBS into puree.

    Step 10

  11. Add SALT + SUGAR — definitely TASTE result.

    Step 11

  12. Add DRY SPICES (chili + coriander + khmeli-suneli).

    Step 12

  13. Add ~70 ml of plum BROTH to thin sauce. Cook 5 MINUTES from boiling start. Reduce heat — bursting bubbles can splatter hot mass.

    Step 13

  14. Pour HOT sauce into jars; seal with lids. Tkemali from plums: consume immediately OR store sealed in cool place until next harvest. Wonderful spicy sauce with natural acidifier — suitable for both meat + fish. Bon appétit!

    Step 14

Tips

  • 1

    THE NATURAL-ACID PRESERVATION (NO VINEGAR). Recipe's "no vinegar / no sterilization" specification is genuine identity feature. Standard meat-sauces: require vinegar/citric acid for preservation. ALYCHA-BASED tkemali: pH 3.0-3.5 from natural plum acidity = highly acidic = self-preserving without added acid. Combined with: 5-min final boil (sterilization activation), salt 17 g (preservation), garlic antimicrobial compounds, sealed jars in cool storage. Result: 1-year keeping at cellar temperature. Same natural-acid preservation: traditional Caucasian sauces, Mediterranean fruit preserves. The yellow-alycha specifically: more acidic than European plums, perfect for this method.

  • 2

    THE OMBALO MINT IS DEFINING. Recipe's "water mint (ombalo) — recipe-canonical" is genuine flavor essential. OMBALO (Mentha pulegium / pennyroyal): traditional Georgian/Caucasian variety — strongly aromatic, slightly bitter, distinctive flavor profile not replicated by other mints. SPEARMINT/PEPPERMINT (Western alternatives): work but produce different character (sweeter + less authentic). The 2-sprig amount: subtle background aroma, doesn't dominate. AVAILABILITY: Russian/Caucasian groceries often carry fresh or dried ombalo. SUBSTITUTE if unavailable: regular spearmint (1 sprig) + pinch of dried oregano = approximate Caucasian character. Same regional-herb importance: Provençal herbs in French cuisine, oregano in Greek. For another classic Caucasian sauce worth comparing, see Satsivi Sauce Classic.

  • 3

    THE COOK-WITH-PITS-THEN-SIEVE METHOD. Steps 2-6's "boil whole fruits with pits + sieve later" is texture + safety essential. Pre-pitted preparation: tedious + slow + each plum requires individual handling. WITH-PITS COOK: simply boil whole plums + use sieve to separate pits naturally. Hot plum flesh pushes through sieve easily, pits + skins held back. The MASH-WITH-HANDS method (cooled enough to handle): faster than blender, preserves traditional rustic texture. Same sieve-separation principle: French sauce-making, Italian passata di pomodoro. Don't pre-pit — wastes time + hand-fatigue.

  • 4

    THE TASTE-AS-YOU-GO BALANCE. Step 11's "definitely taste result" instruction is genuine Caucasian-cooking principle. Plum acidity varies dramatically: variety + ripeness + season. RIPE-SWEET plums: 15 g sugar + 17 g salt = balanced. VERY SOUR plums: increase sugar to 22 g. The TASTING during seasoning: ensures perfect sweet-sour-spicy-salt balance for THIS specific batch. Don't trust recipe blindly — every batch differs based on plum variety. Same taste-while-cooking principle: French tradition of "goûtez", Italian "assaggia", all artisan cuisines. For another classic Caucasian preserve worth trying, try Abkhazian Adjika Classic.

FAQ

What's tkemali used with? +

Caucasian/Georgian tradition has many tkemali pairings. CLASSIC: with grilled meats — lamb shashlik (most iconic), beef kebabs, chicken tabaka, pork chops. POULTRY: roast chicken (perfect counterpoint to richness), turkey (Thanksgiving fusion), duck. FISH: grilled trout (Georgian river-fish tradition), baked salmon. RICE/POTATO: dollop alongside plain rice, mashed potatoes, baked potato. AS DIP: bread + tkemali = simple Caucasian snack, vegetable platters. The sauce is fundamentally sweet-tart-spicy condiment — pairs with anything fatty/rich (meat-rich) for balance. Don't pair with already-acidic dishes (compete on acidity). Russian families: keep on hand for any meat dinner.

Can I substitute the plums? +

Yes — variations work. RED ALYCHA: produces darker-red sauce, slightly different flavor (recipe-canonical alternative). SOUR PRUNES: 600 g, soak first to soften, less authentic but works. RED PLUMS (European varieties): 700 g, slightly less sour, increase salt slightly. JAPANESE PLUMS (Santa Rosa): functional substitute, milder character. SOUR CHERRIES: 600 g, very different sauce identity but functional. AVOID: sweet plums (Italian, Damson) — wrong sweet-tart balance. The yellow-alycha (recipe-canonical): essential for genuine Georgian tkemali character. Adjustments by plum: sweeter plums need more lemon juice (1 tbsp) for proper acidity.

How long does it really keep? +

Sealed jars in cool place: UP TO 12 MONTHS at peak quality. Months 1-3: peak fresh-herb character. Months 4-8: PEAK FLAVOR (post-canning aging develops complexity). Months 9-12: still excellent, slight color darkening + spice integration. Past 12 months: not recommended. ROOM TEMPERATURE: also 6 months (cooler is better). REFRIGERATED OPENED: 2-3 weeks. The natural-acid preservation provides 1-year guaranteed quality. Storage tips: clean dry spoon between uses, tight lid, cool dark place. Spoilage signs: bulging lid, fermentation bubbles, off-smell, color change to brown — discard immediately.

Can I make it spicier? +

Yes — recipe is highly customizable. SPICIER versions: increase dried hot pepper from 0.5 tsp to 1-2 tsp (significant heat increase), add 1 fresh chili pepper (chopped fine), add cayenne pepper to dry-spice mix (0.25 tsp). MILDER (kid-friendly): omit dried hot pepper entirely + reduce garlic to half-bulb. CAUCASIAN-STYLE EXTRA-HEAT: add 2 tsp dried red pepper flakes + 1 fresh chili. The recipe-canonical heat level: moderate (background warmth, not overwhelming). The garlic + dry-spice combination: provides complexity beyond just heat — heat without complexity = wrong character. Always taste during cooking + adjust gradually.

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