ტყემალი
Tkemali (Georgian Sour Plum Sauce) recipe
Vegetarian By pre-orderTkemali is the ketchup of Georgia, only much better. It is made from sour wild plums, cooked down and sieved, then seasoned with garlic, herbs and ombalo, a wild mint. Green tkemali comes in spring, red in late summer, and both disappear fast at a Georgian table.
Not on the regular Deda menu. Want it cooked for you in Vancouver? Order it ahead for catering or a family dinner.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 45 min
- Total
- 60 min
- Serves
- 8
Ingredients
- 1.5 kg sour plums (cherry plums or Italian prune plums)
- 150 ml water
- 6 garlic cloves
- 1 bunch dill, 1 bunch cilantro
- 1 tbsp dried ombalo or pennyroyal (or dried mint)
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1/2 tsp chili flakes
- 1 tsp salt, 1 tbsp sugar
Method
- Put the plums and water in a pot, cover and simmer 15 minutes until the skins split.
- Push everything through a sieve to remove the stones and skins.
- Return the purée to the pot and simmer 20 to 25 minutes until it coats a spoon.
- Crush the garlic, chop the herbs finely and stir them in with the ombalo, coriander, chili, salt and sugar. Cook 5 minutes more.
- Pour into hot sterilized jars or cool and keep in the fridge for up to 3 weeks.
Tamara's tip: in Vancouver look for cherry plums at the farmers' markets in July. Under-ripe ones give the best sour green tkemali.
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