Eggplants with nuts and saffron
6 servings
50 minutes
Eggplants with nuts and saffron are a traditional Georgian dish filled with the rich flavors and aromas of the Caucasus. Its roots go back centuries when Georgian chefs skillfully combined simple ingredients to create true culinary masterpieces. This dish captivates with the tenderness of fried eggplants, the richness of walnuts, and the exquisite hint of Imeretian saffron. Fragrant herbs, garlic, and spices give it a special freshness and spiciness. Georgians often prepare this recipe for holidays and feasts as it pairs wonderfully with wine and hot flatbreads. It can be served as a cold appetizer, surprising guests with an unusual combination of textures and flavors. The eggplants absorb the nut-spice filling, revealing their unique character while saffron adds noble Eastern notes.
1
We wash the eggplants, cut off the stem, and slice them lengthwise into thin pieces 5 mm thick, with the skin on.
- Eggplants: 5 piece
2
We place the slices on a plate, salt them, and leave for about thirty minutes to remove the bitterness. We gently squeeze the eggplants by hand to avoid damaging the flesh.
- Sea salt: to taste
3
We prepare the dressing. In a mortar, we thoroughly crush the herbs with garlic until it becomes a paste. Sprinkling the herbs with salt makes it much easier to crush.
- Coriander: 1 bunch
- Garlic: 4 cloves
- Sea salt: to taste
4
Crush the nuts separately until they also turn into a paste. If there's no time, you can run the nuts through a meat grinder a couple of times.
- Walnuts: 130 g
5
Mix nut paste with crushed greens, Imeretian saffron, and khmeli-suneli. To achieve a paste-like consistency, you can add a little water. Pour in half a teaspoon of vinegar.
- Walnuts: 130 g
- Coriander: 1 bunch
- Imeretian saffron: to taste
- Khmeli-suneli: to taste
- Vinegar: 0.5 teaspoon
6
Heat the pan on high heat and fry each slice of eggplant on both sides in vegetable oil until golden brown.
- Eggplants: 5 piece
- Vegetable oil: to taste
7
We spread each slice with dressing while it's still hot and roll it up, although some fold the slices in half, while others leave them as sandwiches — it's a matter of individual design.
- Eggplants: 5 piece