How to cook tkemali from plum

Tkemali is a traditional Georgian sour plum sauce. Virtually no feast in these parts can do without it. Make this sauce is very simple. It goes well with meat, poultry; helps food digest better. Let's figure out how to cook tkemali from plums.

Plum tkemali: a classic recipe

The original recipe requires the use of ombalo - a kind of mint that grows in southern Russia and the North Caucasus. Without it, the Georgians simply do not think tkemali - this is the same as "shubka" without beets, "olivier" without peas. In addition, thanks to this herb sauce does not ferment. But, if you managed to get this seasoning, be careful with it, because in large doses it is poisonous. So, let's understand how to cook tkemali in Georgian.

Ingredients:

• Tkemali plums - 4 kg;
• garlic - 5 cloves;
• dill - a bunch;
• cilantro - bundle;
• ombalo - 2-3 twigs;
• ground red pepper - ½ tsp;
• salt, sugar.

Cooking:

1. Wash the plums and put them in a saucepan.
2. Fill with water (approximately 4 tbsp will be required) and put on fire.
3. After boiling, reduce the heat to a minimum and cook plums for 10-15 minutes, until the skin starts to crack, and the plums themselves are softened.
4. Remove from heat and cool.
5. Pass the plums through a colander - pour the liquid into a separate bowl (it will not go directly into the sauce, but it can still be useful). In the colander will remain the bones and skin, and all the flesh should be in sauce. You can also use a blender, making the mass homogeneous.
6. Add salt and sugar to taste.
7. Finely slice ombalo, dill and cilantro (it is better not to use the twigs) and pour into the pan.
8. Add red ground pepper and garlic squeezed through a press.
9. Mix thoroughly and put on a slow fire for about 5-7 minutes. Do not forget to constantly stir the sauce. If it turned out, in your opinion, too thick, dilute the broth, which is set aside in a separate container.
10. Now you can remove from heat. Served tkemali already cold.

Modified recipe

If ombalo herbs are not available anywhere, do not worry - the original recipe will still allow you to make delicious tkemali.

Ingredients:

• sour plums (sod, plum) - 4 kg;
• garlic - 5 cloves;
• dill, cilantro - small bunches;
• salt, sugar - to taste.

Cooking:

1. Washed plums pour into a container.
2. Cut the fruit in half and remove the bones. Put the halves of the plums into a large saucepan (preferably one that does not stick to anything).
3. Pour all 4 tbsp. spring or filtered water and put on fire.
4. After boiling reduce fire. Constantly stirring, boil the plums for 10-15 minutes, until they begin to fall apart.
5. Remove the prepared mass from the heat and let it cool.
6. The liquid must be drained into a separate container and set aside.
7. Take a colander and use it to strain the drain into a new pan - only the skin should remain in the colander, and the mass itself should be uniform (you can punch it in a blender).
8. Add salt and sugar to taste (if the plum is sour, then you will need more sugar). It is better to add a little and, stir, immediately try.
9. Squeeze the peeled garlic into the pan, add the finely chopped greens and mix.
10. Put on a slow fire for another 5 minutes. Do not forget to constantly stir the sauce. If it turned out too thick, dilute it with the broth that remained in your separate container.
11. Tkemali ready! When it cools down, you can fill them with a saucepan and serve them to the table with lamb, beef, pork, chicken, potatoes - seasoning is combined with many dishes and makes them even tastier!

Cooking for the winter

How to cook tkemali from plums for the winter? In this case, the recipe differs only in that greens and garlic are not added immediately, but are placed directly after opening the jar with the sauce. That is, you will need to do everything as in the recipe above, except for item number 8. Ready sauce should be poured into banks sterilized for a couple, screwed with lids (or rolled up) and left overnight under a warm blanket.

Keep containers with tkemali need in a cool dry place, it is better - in the refrigerator.

In winter, you will need to pour the contents of the jar into the pan, add finely chopped greens (dill, cilantro) and garlic squeezed through a press (4-5 cloves) and boil over low heat for about 10 minutes.

Now you know how to cook tkemali from plum - for "quick" use and as a blank for the winter. As you can see, it is very simple, but the result will certainly delight you. It is no coincidence that this sweet and sour sauce with a delicious spicy aroma is loved all over the world!