Kakheti · 35 min · Vegan · Main course · For beginners
Soko Chashushuli
In German: Tschaschuschuli mit Austernpilzen · In English: Mushroom chashushuli
For 2 servings · US units
Georgian oyster mushrooms braised in white wine with tarragon and pomegranate
In Soko Chashushuli, oyster mushrooms braise soft in white wine and are then seasoned with tarragon, fresh coriander and Svan salt — proof that Georgian cooking doesn't have to be complicated. It comes together in a little over half an hour and works as an everyday dish all year round. The pomegranate seeds scattered on top bring a fresh, slightly tart contrast to the savoury mushrooms.
Ingredients
- 10½ ozOyster mushroomswashed thoroughly, free of grit, cut into pieces
- 1 ozOnionfinely diced
- ⅛ ozgarlicfinely diced
- ⅛ ozleaves, partly for sprinkling before servingA fresh herb with narrow leaves and a distinct anise note, often used by the bunch in Georgian cooking.Substitute: Where tarragon goes in fresh and in quantity, there is no good substitute, since dried tarragon tastes flat and hay-like. Chervil or fennel fronds come closest to the anise note but are milder and less pungent.Read more
- ¼ ozfresh, chopped, added at the endThe 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
- 2⅔ tbspWhite winedry, for deglazing
- ⅛ ozplain salt as substituteA Georgian seasoning salt from the mountains of Svaneti: coarse salt pounded with garlic, chili, coriander seed and blue fenugreek.Substitute: It is best made at home: pound coarse sea salt in a mortar with fresh garlic, chili flakes, ground coriander and, if available, blue fenugreek. Without blue fenugreek the characteristic nutty, hay-like note is missing; a very small amount of ground fenugreek seed comes close but tastes more bitter. Ordinary garlic salt captures only part of the flavor.Read more
- 1 tbspvegetable oilfor frying
- ⅛ ozCoriander
- pomegranatefor sprinkling before serving
Method
- Clean the oyster mushrooms and wash them thoroughly until no grit is left in the gills, then drain them well and cut them into bite-sized pieces.
- Finely dice the onion and garlic, pick the tarragon leaves and set some aside for serving, and chop the fresh coriander.
- Heat the vegetable oil in a pan and fry the onion and garlic until soft and fragrant.
- Add the mushroom pieces and fry for about 5 minutes, turning them now and then so they colour all over.
- Deglaze with the dry white wine and let everything braise over medium heat for around 15 minutes, until the mushrooms are tender and most of the liquid has cooked down.
- Stir in the ground coriander, the Svan salt, the tarragon leaves and finally the fresh coriander, and let it all mingle for a moment.
- Spoon the mushrooms onto plates and scatter with pomegranate seeds and the reserved tarragon leaves just before serving.
Tips and variations
If you don't have Svan salt to hand, plain salt does the job — the herbs carry the dish anyway. You can also braise the mushrooms whole instead of cut into pieces, though you'll want a knife and fork at the table in that case. Soko Chashushuli is at its best straight from the pan while the pomegranate seeds are still crisp.
Allergens
Contains: Sulphur dioxide and sulphites, Molluscs
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.
