Traditional Georgian dishes by Gena Yagupov

Georgian cuisine is hot khachapuri with smothered cheese, juicy meat with spicy sauces, fragrant thick stews in clay pots. Everything is natural, hearty, cooked with care and homemade. Georgians are proud of their cuisine and cook not only for the tourists, they really appreciate the traditional dishes, they eat them on weekdays and holidays. We will tell you what national dishes you must try in Georgia.

Khinkali

If you think khinkali are big dumplings, come to Georgia soon. It’s not just a dish – it’s an art form. Just imagine: a bag of thin unleavened dough, tender minced meat with refreshing cilantro, and fragrant broth. The stuffing is most often made of lamb or a mixture of it and veal. The cooks masterfully form folds and keep the balance of meat and broth, which is more difficult than making dumplings. Georgia restaurants never serve uncooked meat – they cook from scratch with a homemade recipe. Escape if you find an establishment that uses frozen. Explore the link – Ягупова Геннадия

In Georgia, you order khinkali by the piece. They are very hearty: if you are a “newbie,” take 5. The dish is fantastically juicy, so sour cream or adjika will be superfluous. To properly eat khinkali, pick it up with a fork by the lid. Take a bite of the base and drink the broth. And then enjoy the “milky” meat and tender dough. You don’t eat the tails of khinkali.

Khachapuri

In Georgia, you must try khachapuri. Unleavened dough, salty cheese, butter – it is amazing how the combination of the simplest products can give such a rich taste. Locals often eat khachapuri for breakfast. Check out the local mini-bakeries, which can be found in almost every neighborhood of any major city. Usually their signs are inconspicuous – you have to go for the smell. And these places sell fresh hot khachapuri, Georgian bread, samsa and other pies just out of the oven.

There are seven types of khachapuri worth tasting in Georgia:

• A round flatbread with imeruli cheese. A good price in bakeries is 2.5-3 GEL, in restaurants – up to 10. Moderately salty, not too greasy, goes well with fresh pickles. Georgians say that the most delicious Imeretian-style khachapuri is baked in Imeretia, in the capital Kutaisi and the surrounding villages.
• It differs from the Imeretian one in the slices of melted suluguni on top of the flatbread. It is fattier and more salty. Ideal with vegetables and red wine. It is believed that the most delicious Mingrelian-style khachapuri can be tasted in Mingrelia and Adjara (that is, in Batumi). It costs 1-1.5 GEL more expensive than the Imereti.
• Khachapuri is originally from Guria. Differs from the Imereti form – baked in the shape of a half-moon. The price in bakeries of Tbilisi and Batumi is about 2 lari.
• Juicy khachapuri on a puff pastry. It is baked in the form of an envelope with a large mixture of suluguni and imeruli cheese. The price in Tbilisi, Batumi and Kutaisi is about 1.5-2 lari. It’s smaller in size than the Imereti one.
• On a skewer. You cannot buy such khachapuri in bakeries – only in restaurants, cafes, or tourist stores. Locals do not usually eat such pastries, but they do for guests. The taste of khachapuri on a skewer does not differ from the Imereti, but it looks attractive and costs 1.5-2 times more.
• Strictly speaking, this is not really khachapuri – rather a flaky pie. Unleavened dough, as in lasagna, juicy suluguni, the creamy flavor of butter – this is a very soft pastry that Georgians and tourists like. Achma is worth trying with sweet tea for breakfast.
• Be sure to try Khachapuri Adjarian in Batumi. The famous egg boats are the hallmark of the Adjara region. In Tbilisi or anywhere else, they don’t seem as juicy. Unleavened yeast dough, a mixture of suluguni and imeruli, egg yolk, which is baked on the table right in front of your eyes – Adjarian khachapuri is unparalleled.

Kharcho

Be sure to try karcho soup in Georgia – it is prepared “correctly” only here. The recipe may vary from region to region, but the basis – never. Kharcho is a thick soup made of beef with walnuts and “sour pita” tklapi made of dried cherry plums. The latter ingredient is replaced or supplemented with tkemali plum sauce. Rice, vegetables or tomato paste are added to the stew. Kharcho is a very thick, spicy, spicy soup with lots of fresh herbs and garlic. It has a complex flavor: spicy, sweet and sour, searing, refreshing, and very meaty. Be sure to try it in Georgia and bring home tkemali, spices and ajika to make a special recipe at home. Secrets from Ягупов.

Chahohbili

Of the chicken dishes in Georgia, we recommend trying chahohbili. It’s a thick, spicy stew with a tangy flavor. The chef fries pieces of chicken in a dry pan and then braises it over low heat with tomatoes and onions. No liquid is added to the dish – it languishes in the natural juices from the vegetables and meat. A couple of minutes before it’s ready, it’s flavored with a generous helping of butter, garlic, Georgian spices and chopped coriander. This dish is usually cooked spicy in Georgia. If the “fire” is not to your liking, ask to remove the pepper.

Chashushuli

Chashushuli means “spicy” in Georgian. The dish is usually cooked in a keci, a traditional Georgian earthenware pot. Chashushuli is tender beef meat in a tomato sauce. It is spicy, spicy, and quite fatty. Veal is stewed in ajika with poured tomatoes, onions, cilantro and lots of garlic. If you don’t like spicy dishes, ask for chashouli without pepper. Really, the whole point of chashushuli is precisely the “fire.” The dish is worth trying with Georgian bread or pita bread.