Samegrelo (Mingrelia) · 25 min · Vegan · Sauce & seasoning · For confident cooks
Bazhe
In German: Warmer Hähnchensalat mit Mandel-Bazhe
For 6 servings · US units
Georgian walnut sauce with garlic, blue fenugreek and coriander
Bazhe is the Georgian walnut sauce: finely ground nuts, garlic and a handful of the classic spices, loosened with lukewarm water into something like pourable cream. It comes from Mingrelia and is eaten cold or at room temperature – traditionally with ghomi, roast chicken or fish. You'll have it stirred together in about 25 minutes with no cooking at all; after that, give it at least 30 minutes to rest so the flavours come together.
Ingredients
- 8¾ ozwalnutsraw, as fresh and oily as possible
- 3 clovesgarliccrushed with salt in a mortar
- 1 tspgroundBlue fenugreek, called utskho suneli in Georgia: dried, ground leaves and seed pods with a mild, hay-like, nutty aroma.Substitute: Dried fenugreek leaves from an Indian grocer come closest but are stronger and more bitter, so use about half the amount; ground fenugreek seed is harsher still and works only very sparingly. Khmeli suneli contains blue fenugreek but also brings coriander, dill and other spices, which changes the character of the dish.Read more
- 1 tspdried coriander leaf as an alternativeThe fresh leaves of the coriander plant, with a strong, citrusy and pungent aroma.Substitute: There is no real substitute, because its distinctive aroma cannot be reproduced. Flat-leaf parsley adds the fresh green note, but tastes noticeably milder and different.Read more
- 1 tspgroundGround dried marigold petals, a Georgian spice that turns dishes golden yellow and tastes mild, earthy and slightly bitter.Substitute: There is no equivalent substitute. A small pinch of turmeric matches the colour but brings its own sharper earthy flavour and should be used far more sparingly; dried calendula petals from a pharmacy or tea shop colour more weakly and taste flatter. True saffron is no substitute, its flavour is entirely different.Read more
- ½ tspground red pepperhot or as sweet paprika, to taste
- saltto taste, crushed with the garlic
- 1½ tbspwine vinegarstirred in at the end
- ¾ cupwaterlukewarm, added gradually
- 1 bunchfinely chopped or crushed inThe fresh leaves and tender stems of the coriander plant, with a bright, lemony, pungent aroma.Substitute: There is no true substitute: flat-leaf parsley adds freshness and colour but not the distinctive aroma, and dried cilantro has little flavour left. If it is missing, use more of the other fresh herbs, knowing the dish will taste noticeably different.Read more
- 1 tsp(optional)A Georgian blend of dried herbs and ground seeds, chiefly blue fenugreek, coriander and marigold, with a warm, nutty, herbal flavour.Substitute: A rough version can be mixed at home: ground coriander in equal parts with dried dill, summer savory and mint, plus a little ground fenugreek seed or, better, dried fenugreek leaves from an Indian grocer. Ordinary fenugreek is more bitter and sharper than blue fenugreek, so use it sparingly; without marigold the colour and earthy note are missing, and a pinch of turmeric replaces only the colour. The result is recognisably similar but not the same.Read more
- 1 pinchcinnamonadds a sweetish note (optional)
- 2 tbspfor drizzling; walnut oil as an alternative (optional)Corn oil gently warmed with ground red pepper and dried marigold (Imeretian saffron), orange-red, mildly hot, with a floral, earthy note.Substitute: Another neutral oil, such as sunflower oil, replaces the corn oil with no noticeable difference. There is no real substitute for the marigold: a pinch of turmeric matches the colour but not the floral, slightly bitter taste, and without it you are left with a plain chilli oil.Read more
- 2 tbspinstead of vinegar (optional)Juice pressed from pomegranate seeds, deep red, fruity, tart and slightly astringent.Substitute: The best option is to press fresh pomegranate seeds yourself, which tastes even fresher. At a pinch, pomegranate molasses thinned with water will do, but it brings a darker, caramel-like note.Read more
- 1⅓ lbchicken breast filletfor the salad version only, marinated in ajika and grilled (optional)
- 6⅓ ozalmondsbazhe version made with almonds instead of walnuts (optional)
Method
- Grind the walnutsGrind the walnuts in a blender, through a meat grinder or in a mortar to a fine, slightly oily paste – stop well before it turns into nut butter.
- Pound garlic and cilantroCrush the garlic with salt in a mortar until smooth, working in two thirds of the finely chopped cilantro as you go; set the rest aside for garnish.
- Add the spicesAdd the blue fenugreek, the coriander, the ground marigold and the ground red pepper to the garlic paste; if you prefer, dissolve the spices and garlic in a little water first.
- Combine paste and walnutsMix the spice paste thoroughly into the ground walnuts so everything is evenly combined.
- Thin with waterWork in the lukewarm water a little at a time, stirring constantly, until the sauce has the consistency of pourable sour cream.
- Season with vinegarStir in the wine vinegar and taste for salt, acidity and garlic.
- Let the sauce restLet the bazhe sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes so the spices can come together.
- Garnish and serveIf you like, pour the spiced oil over the top, scatter with the reserved cilantro and serve at room temperature or lightly chilled – the sauce is never heated.
Tips and variations
Pomegranate juice in place of the vinegar gives a fruitier acidity. A teaspoon of khmeli suneli can go into the spice mix as well. A pinch of cinnamon in the spice mix adds a gently sweet note. The spiced oil is worth starting the day before: steep ground red pepper and marigold in corn oil, strain the next day and pour it over the finished sauce – walnut oil works too. Bazhe is classically served with ghomi, roast chicken or fish, and it's very good with broccoli steamed for 10 minutes. For a warm salad version, marinate chicken breast fillet in ajika with olive oil, lemon juice and spring onion, grill it and arrange with romaine and cucumber – dressed with a bazhe made from almonds plus red curry paste and tom yam paste, garnished with flaked almonds.
Allergens
Contains: Tree nuts, Sulphur dioxide and sulphites
These notes follow from this recipe's ingredient list. Ready-made products and brands may contain further allergens — please check the packaging yourself.
Something not right?
This recipe was put together from independent sources and checked before publishing. Even so, a mistake can slip through — an amount that does not add up, a step that does not work as written. If you spot something, write to us: we will look into it and put it right.
