Warm and Cold Appetizer 'Ajapsandali'
Salads • Georgian
Description
The oldest recipes for ajapsandali are very short, containing only eggplants, onions, garlic, and a variety of herbs. Indeed, this dish uses almost the entire range of Georgian spicy herbs—cilantro, celery, basil, tarragon, savory, mint, dill, and parsley. Traditionally, eggplants were baked in an oven and pulled apart by hand into thin strands, which is still recommended, as cutting with a metal knife causes the eggplants to darken hopelessly.
Ingredients
- Vegetable Oil 3 tablespoons
- Spanish onions 3 pieces
- Tomatoes 2 pieces
- Garlic 2 cloves
- Orange Bell Peppers 3 pieces
- Salt to taste
- Ground Black Pepper to taste
- Eggplants 4 pieces
- Cilantro 1 bunch
- Parsley 1 bunch
- Ground ancho chili pepper 1 piece
- Saffron 1 teaspoon
- Khmeli-suneli 1 teaspoon
- Basil 1 bunch
Step-by-Step Guide
Step 1
Wash the eggplants, remove the stems, and slice them into 1 cm thick rounds. Heat half of the vegetable oil in a skillet, fry the rounds on both sides, and place them in a pot.
Step 2
Peel the onions, slice them into half-rings, and fry them in a separate skillet in the remaining vegetable oil for a couple of minutes. Wash the tomatoes, pour boiling water over them, remove the skins, finely chop them, and add to the onions.
Step 3
Peel the garlic and crush it with the side of a knife blade. Wash the sweet peppers, remove the cores and seeds, and slice them into strips.
Step 4
Add the garlic, sweet peppers, herbs, and chili pepper to the onions. Add saffron and khmeli-suneli, and simmer for 5 minutes. Transfer to the pot with the eggplants, season with salt and pepper, mix, and simmer covered for another 10-15 minutes.
Step 5
Finely chop the basil and sprinkle it over the dish. It can be served hot or cold.
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