Adjika
A fiery seasoning paste of chilli, garlic, herbs and spices, salty and intense, from Georgia and Abkhazia.
Adjika is a thick seasoning paste of crushed chillies, garlic, salt and spices such as coriander seed and blue fenugreek, often with fresh herbs; there is a red version made from dried or fresh red chillies and a green one from green chillies and herbs. It is very hot, heavily salted and herbal, and is used in small amounts to season meat, beans and stews or served alongside bread and grilled food. In Russian-speaking markets the same name is also given to milder, tomato-based sauces that have little in common with the Georgian paste, so it is worth checking the label, where chilli should come first and tomato should be absent or minor. Adjika is sold in Russian and Eastern European grocery shops, sometimes in well-stocked delicatessens and by mail order; it is also quick to make at home with a mortar or blender.
Substitute:
No ready-made product tastes the same; harissa or sambal oelek supply heat and garlic but bring cumin, acidity or a fermented edge, and they lack the nutty, herbal note of blue fenugreek. The closest result comes from grinding dried red chillies with garlic, salt, ground coriander seed and blue fenugreek, or failing that a little fenugreek seed and dried dill, into a paste.