Tkemali is an incredibly tasty sauce that is very easy to prepare at home. Oddly enough, this Georgian delicacy is made from fruits with the addition of various spices. This preparation has a pleasant sweet and sour taste and is very popular. Classic tkemali made from plums, but they can be easily replaced cherry plum. Below you can find the recipe for red cherry plum tkemali.
Basic information about the sauce
What is added to tkemali to make its taste even more unusual. There are recipes for this preparation with currants, cherries, gooseberries and kiwi. It is usually served with meat dishes, poultry and fish. It seems that the sauce can add a brighter taste to any dish. It can also be spread on bread, like adjika or other sauces.
Many people add the preparation to the barbecue marinade. The acid it contains makes the meat more tender and juicy. In addition, the preparation is added to kharcho soup. This gives the soup a spicy and pleasant aroma. The garlic and hot pepper it contains will add a touch of piquancy to the preparation. And spices and fresh herbs make it incredibly appetizing and aromatic.
Tkemali is originally from Georgia. The most common spice among Georgian cooks is hops-suneli. It can also often be found in tkemali recipes. The main ingredient is, of course, plums.But since cherry plum is a close “relative” of plums, there are many recipes for sauce with this fruit.
Now we will look at the recipe for red cherry plum preparation. It turns out to be as bright and appetizing as plum tkemali. We will also add bell pepper to the sauce to make its taste more expressive. Remember that overripe or underripe fruits are not suitable for tkemali.
Red cherry plum tkemali
To prepare Georgian sauce you need to prepare:
- one kilogram of red cherry plum;
- one bell pepper;
- two sprigs of basil;
- three heads of garlic;
- one hot pepper;
- three sprigs of fresh parsley;
- three tablespoons of granulated sugar;
- one tablespoon of salt;
- spices – Khmeli-suneli seasoning, coriander (peas), dill seeds, curry, pepper (ground black).
Red cherry plum tkemali sauce is prepared as follows:
- The cherry plum is thoroughly washed, poured into a prepared pan and filled with water (hot).
- Cook the berries over low heat for about 6 or 7 minutes. You can determine readiness by looking at the skin. If it cracks, it means it's time to remove the berries from the boiling water.
- Then they are transferred to a colander and ground to separate the seeds.
- Now you need to prepare the remaining ingredients. Garlic is peeled, mint and parsley are washed, bell and hot peppers are washed and the seeds are removed. The peppers are cut into several pieces and thrown into the blender bowl. Greens and garlic are also added there. Everything is thoroughly crushed. You can also use a meat grinder.
- Then the berry puree is poured into the pan and put on fire. The mixture should cook for about 20 minutes. In the meantime, you can prepare the spices.They are mixed and lightly ground to crush the coriander.
- After 20 minutes have passed, you need to add the prepared spices and chopped peppers to the mixture. Then the dish is salted and sugar is added. The mixture is thoroughly mixed and cooked for another 5 minutes. After this, you can taste the preparation; if something is missing, add it.
- The finished sauce is poured into jars and sealed with sterile lids. Tkemali should be stored in the refrigerator or cellar.
You can prepare a small portion of tkemali from cherry plum and eat it immediately without rolling it up. Then the workpiece is poured into a clean container and stored in the refrigerator. In this form it can stand for no more than a month.
If you are making this Georgian sauce for the winter, then pour it into jars while still hot. The workpiece does not require additional sterilization. You just need to sterilize the jars and lids themselves. You can do this in any way convenient for you. Filled and rolled up jars are turned upside down and left to cool. You can add your favorite spices and herbs to this recipe for red cherry plum tkemali for the winter. You can swap some spices for others if you wish.
Conclusion
Now you know how to prepare tkemali from red cherry plum. Be sure to prepare this preparation and pamper your family with traditional Georgian sauce. We are sure it will perfectly complement your favorite dishes.