Badrijani Nigvzit
Thin slices of fried aubergine rolled around a garlicky walnut paste — a fixture of every Georgian feast table. They are best made a few hours ahead, so the aubergine takes on the flavour of the filling.
Ingredients
- aubergine — 3 pcs
- salt — 1.5 tsp
- sunflower oil, for frying — 120 ml
- walnut — 200 g
- garlic cloves — 3 pcs
- ground coriander — 1 tsp
- blue fenugreek — 1 tsp
- dried marigold — 0.5 tsp
- cayenne pepper — 1 pinch
- white wine vinegar — 1 tbsp
- water — 100 ml
- coriander, finely chopped — 20 g
- pomegranate seeds, to serve — 2 tbsp
Instructions
- Slice the aubergines lengthways 5 mm thick, sprinkle with 1 tsp of the salt and leave for 20 minutes, then pat dry.
- Fry the slices in batches in the oil over medium-high heat for 2 minutes on each side, until soft and golden, and drain on paper towels.
- Grind the walnuts and garlic to a fine, oily paste in a food processor, or pass them twice through a mincer.
- Mix in the ground coriander, fenugreek, marigold, cayenne, vinegar and the remaining salt, then add the water a spoonful at a time until the paste is soft and spreadable.
- Stir in the chopped coriander.
- Spread a heaped teaspoon of paste along each slice and roll it up from the narrow end.
- Chill for 60 minutes, then serve scattered with pomegranate seeds.