Hot Green Pepper Adjika with Garlic and Spices

Cooking method

1. Step 1:

   

   First, let's get all the ingredients ready for the spicy green pepper adjika with garlic. We'll wash and dry everything thoroughly, since even a single drop of water can cause the adjika to spoil.

2. Step 2:

   

   Leave the peppers at room temperature so they wilt a little. This gives the peppers a more pronounced taste and heat as some of the water evaporates. Then remove the stems and seeds. I leave the seeds in, since they hold most of the heat. Adjika is usually made with red pepper, but where I live you can usually only buy green. So that's what I'll use — it turns out every bit as good.

3. Step 3:

   

   Peel the garlic, rinse it, and dry it.

4. Step 4:

   

   Sort through the cilantro, remove any spoiled and yellow leaves, and cut off the root if there is one.

5. Step 5:

   

   Now run the peppers, seeds and all, through a meat grinder with a fine plate.

6. Step 6:

   

   Then run the garlic through and add it to the ground pepper.

7. Step 7:

   

   Now run the cilantro through too and add it to the bowl with the pepper and garlic.

8. Step 8:

   

   Add the saffron to the bowl of ground vegetables and herbs. In adjika we use Imeretian saffron. Unlike true saffron, it's made from marigold flowers and has a very rich color and an incomparable aroma.

9. Step 9:

   

   Then add the utskho-suneli, also known as blue fenugreek. This spice doesn't have a very strong aroma — it opens up when heated or steeped. It's this spice that softens the sharp, pungent heat of the pepper and adds a unique nutty aroma with "Caucasian" notes. And don't confuse it with khmeli-suneli. Utskho-suneli is just the ground seeds and pods of blue fenugreek, whereas khmeli-suneli is a spice blend.

10. Step 10:

    

    Then add kondari, also known as savory. Because of its sharp taste and aroma, use it with caution. But without it there's no real adjika.

11. Step 11:

    

    Mix everything thoroughly. If you're making a large batch, it's easiest to do it by hand. But keep in mind that the mixture is very hot and can cause an allergic reaction and irritation. And if you don't wash your hands well and then touch a mucous membrane, you're in for a burning sensation that lasts quite a while. So it's better to put on rubber gloves — and even better, a couple of pairs, since your hands will really "burn."

12. Step 12:

    

    Then add the coarse salt and mix again. It's best to use coarse salt, and never iodized salt — it's not suitable for preserving. Mix again.

13. Step 13:

    

    Run the whole mixture through the meat grinder once more.

14. Step 14:

    

    Pack the finished adjika very tightly into small, clean, dry jars, seal them with lids, and put them in the refrigerator.

15. Step 15:

    

    This adjika is a perfect accompaniment to hot meat or poultry dishes. It can also be served with soups or appetizers.

16. Step 16:

    

    Enjoy — but be careful.