Samegrelo (Mingrelia) · 70 min · Vegetarian · Side dish · For confident cooks
Elarji
In German: Elardschi
For 4 servings · US units
Cheese-pulled cornmeal from Mingrelia — straight from the pot to the plate
Elarji comes from Mingrelia and is essentially ghomi with a generous amount of fresh sulguni stirred through it — worked until the mass turns elastic and pulls long strands of cheese. Georgians use white corn for it exclusively; yellow corn is considered a stopgap at best. It's eaten hot and fresh off the stove, and in plenty of families it lands on the table often.
Ingredients
- 6⅓ ozrinse several times until water runs clearCoarsely ground white corn, paler and milder than yellow polenta.Substitute: Coarse yellow polenta, not the instant kind; colour and flavour become stronger while the texture stays close. Fine corn flour, by contrast, makes the result smooth and pasty.Read more
- 4 tbspfrom white cornFinely ground whole maize, yellow or white; not the same as cornstarch, which British English also calls cornflour.Substitute: Fine cornmeal or polenta, ground a little finer in a blender, works well but gives a grainier, more crumbly result. Cornstarch is not a substitute.Read more
- 1⅓ lbfresh, sliced or coarsely grated; low-moisture mozzarella as substituteA Georgian brined cheese made from cow's or buffalo milk, scalded and kneaded like mozzarella, sliceable, salty and mildly sour.Substitute: The usual stand-in is roughly two parts low-moisture mozzarella to one part feta or another brined cheese: the mozzarella provides the melt and stretch, the feta the salt and tang. The blend does not fully match sulguni, being softer and less fibrous, and feta on its own would crumble rather than melt. For smoked sulguni, part of the mix can be replaced with smoked scamorza.Read more
- 3⅓ cupswater
- saltto taste
- 7 ozonly for the older millet version instead of cornmeal (optional)Small, round, yellow grains of a cereal, sold hulled; mild and slightly nutty when cooked, fluffy or porridge-like depending on the amount of water.Substitute: For porridge, fine cornmeal works, turning out a little sweeter and smoother; as a side dish, quinoa will do, though it stays more distinct and has a faintly grassy note.Read more
- 3½ ozin addition to fresh cheese in the millet version (optional)Georgian stretched-curd cheese made from cow's or buffalo milk, brined and then smoked, sliceable, stringy and elastic, salty with a distinct smoky note.Substitute: Smoked scamorza comes closest, being likewise a smoked stretched-curd cheese that melts and strings in a similar way; it is milder and less salty, so add a little more salt or mix in some feta. Smoked mozzarella also works but is softer and wetter.Read more
- ⅔ ozbuttermillet version only (optional)
- ⅛ ozmintfinely chopped or as a leaf for garnish (optional)
- 6 ozwalnutsfor the bazhe walnut sauce served alongside (optional)
- 4 clovesgarlicfor the walnut sauce (optional)
Method
- Wash the cornmealPut the coarse white cornmeal in a pot, cover it with cold water and wash it several times: stir, pour off the water along with anything floating on top, and repeat until the water stays clear.
- Bring to a boil and saltAdd the water to the washed cornmeal, bring it to a boil and season with salt.
- Simmer the cornmeal lowTurn the heat down and cook the cornmeal for 30–35 minutes over low heat, stirring almost constantly so nothing catches on the bottom.
- Thicken with corn flourSprinkle in the corn flour and cook for another 15 minutes, stirring the whole time, until you have a very thick mass that's hard work to move.
- Add the sulguniCut the sulguni cheese into strips or grate it coarsely, then add it to the hot cornmeal.
- Work in the cheese until stretchyStir and pound vigorously for 2–3 minutes, until the cheese has melted completely, the mass pulls long strands and comes away from the sides of the pot.
- Portion and serve hotPortion the elarji onto flat plates using a wet spoon or a wet bowl, and serve it hot right away.
Tips and variations
In the older, Old Georgian version, millet takes the place of both the cornmeal and the corn flour: cook the millet, drain it well, melt both fresh and smoked sulguni into it, and round it off with butter and finely chopped mint. Leftover elarji, once cooled, can be rolled into balls, turned in breadcrumbs, then egg, then breadcrumbs again, and fried crisp in hot oil. Bazhe, the walnut and garlic sauce seasoned with ucho suneli, Imeretian saffron, chilli, vinegar and fresh coriander, goes well alongside. If you'd rather skip the sauce, simply put out a little extra cheese and a few mint leaves.
Allergens
Contains: Cereals containing gluten, Milk (including lactose)
May contain if you use the optional ingredients: Tree nuts
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.
