Nut sauce (bazhe)

20 servings

60 minutes

Bazhe is the basis of any satsivi, be it with chicken or pike perch. It is added at the end of cooking, in the sauce the pieces of poultry or fish slowly cool, soaking up the nutty aroma. The walnut version of bazhe is better known in the world, but in good Georgian homes it was traditionally prepared from the more delicate hazelnuts.

Energy value per serving

• Calories: 167.7
• Proteins: 3.9g
• Fats: 16.5g
• Carbohydrates: 2.2g

Ingredients

• Walnuts: 500 g
• Garlic: 2 clove
• Coriander: 1 bunch
• Khmeli-suneli: 5 g
• Utskho-suneli: 5 g
• Ground red pepper: 7 g
• Saffron: 3 g
• Wine vinegar: 1 tsp
• Salt: to taste

Cooking steps

1. Pass the nuts through a meat grinder to turn them into a paste.

   Required ingredients:

   • Walnuts: 500 g

2. Gradually, while stirring the nuts, pour in water in a thin stream to dilute the sauce to the consistency of liquid sour cream.

3. Peel and crush the garlic in a mortar.

   Required ingredients:

   • Garlic: 2 cloves

4. Add chopped cilantro leaves to the mortar.

   Required ingredients:

   • Coriander: 1 bunch

5. Add a generous pinch of salt.

   Required ingredients:

   • Salt:  to taste

6. Add khmeli-suneli, utsho-suneli, red pepper, and saffron to the sauce.

   Required ingredients:

   • Khmeli-suneli: 5 g
   • Utskho-suneli: 5 g
   • Ground red pepper: 7 g
   • Saffron: 3 g

7. Also add crushed garlic with greens.

   Required ingredients:

   • Garlic: 2 cloves

8. Mix

9. Pour vinegar into the sauce.

   Required ingredients:

   • Wine vinegar: 1 teaspoon

10. Mix again.