What makes Georgian cuisine so special is the abundance of unique spices and herbs that add their particular note to the taste of national dishes. It’s a well-known fact that once you try a traditional Georgian dish, you will never forget its taste, and Georgian spices have already earned their fame with tourists, seeing the majority of them grabbing a mix of local spices before they head home. Nowadays, there are plenty of places where you can find a packet or more of local spices. Most go to supermarket chains, where affordable factory-sorted spices are available, or souvenir shops in the old town for more “limited edition” spices produced by smaller brands. If you seek more authentic handmade spices, then you can visit the open-air market near the station, the “Deserter’s Bazaar,” where you can get all kinds of spices directly from the villagers. Now let’s explore the Georgian choice when it comes to herbs and spices for their cuisine.

Coriander 

Coriander is probably the most popular and widely used spice in the country. Almost all Georgian dishes include this incredible herb or its seeds. Dried coriander seeds are crushed and added to meat dishes as well as to food prepared with walnuts. The crushed seeds mixed with garlic are a classical combination for seasoning Georgian tkemali (sour plum), blackberry, tomato and other kinds of sauces. Coriander is also a must addition to such well-known and beloved dishes as lobio (kidney bean soup), eggplant with walnuts and pkhali (dips). Ground coriander is also an essential ingredient for the classic Ajika (red hot pepper sauce).

Blue fenugreek

Georgian cuisine is unimaginable without blue fenugreek, the so called “utskho suneli.” Originally, the herb was mostly used in western Georgia but in time it became widespread further east. Blue fenugreek is used for preparing dishes with walnut, like satsivi (turkey in walnut sauce), bazhe (walnut sauce), lobio and pkhali. It is also an important ingredient for preparing kubdari, a Svanetian meat pie from, Svanuri salt as well as Ajika sauce. The spice pairs well with meat and fish.

Summer Savory 

Savory is yet another integral part of Georgian national cuisine. Savory grows almost everywhere in Georgia and some people even compare it to thyme. The dried savory is used for meat dishes, best with cooked liver. It is also a must spice for kuchmachi, traditional Georgian dish made with pork/chicken hearts, livers and gizzards. Savory is also a good supplement to the popular Georgian bean soup, lobio.

Caraway Seeds 

Caraway originates in Eastern Europe and also grows in the mountains of Georgia. Sometimes caraway is perceived as cumin by mistake and even though they fall into one distinct group, these herbs are totally different. In comparison with cumin, caraway has a more sophisticated and lively flavor of citrus. Traditional khinkali (meat dumpling) in Georgia’s mountainous regions was always prepared with caraway seeds, yet over the years caraway has been replaced with cumin. In eastern Georgia and mostly in Svaneti, caraway is used in meat dishes. Crushed caraway seeds are added to pork and lamb since it makes them easier to digest. It is also a must ingredient for Svaneti’s kubdari (meat pie).

Dried Bay Leaves

Bay leaves are quite widespread in Georgia and grow everywhere, yet by its origin it is a subtropical plant. Bay Leaves are used in many dishes both in their fresh and dried forms. The dried bay leaves can be kept for a longer period since they retain flavor for quite a long time. Dried bay leaves are used in lobio (Georgian bean soup) as well as in various meat dishes like bozbashi (lamb soup).

Dried/crushed Berberis Berries

Berberis Berries have been used in Georgia for various purposes for centuries, the tiny sour berries firmly incorporated into both medicine and cuisine. Fresh or dried berberis is an essential ingredient for the Georgian sausage kupati. Crushed berberis berries are also used for preparing lobio in the Imereti region as well as meat dishes, such as Georgian kebab. The dried berries are used both for seasoning the meat and garnishing the ready kebab when bringing to the table. The leaves of berberis are also useful, used for preparing soups and salads.  In Georgia’s Abkhazia region, sauce prepared with berberis is very popular and, as a rule, it is consumed with meat dishes. Berberis is also used for preparing jams.

Dried Marigold Flower Petals

Dried marigold flower petals, known as yellow flower in Georgia, is frequently associated with saffron for its color, but actually these two plants are quite distinct and have nothing in common. Yellow flower or “Imeretian Saffron” is an essential ingredient in Georgian cuisine. It is mostly popular in Imereti, where it comes from. Dried marigold flower petals are used for seasoning the nigvziani badrijani (fried eggplant with walnut filling) and pkhali (spinach dip) popular with tourists. It is also used for preparing bazhe (walnut sauce), kharcho (meat stew with walnut), and satsivi (turkey in walnut sauce), which is specially prepared for the New Year.

Basil

Basil is cultivated almost in every village of Georgia, yet red rubin basil is more common here and it is most often used in its fresh form. Chopped red rubin basil is added to various types of green beans, prepared with ground walnuts or with eggs. It also pairs well with poultry and is frequently used in the Georgian summer dish chakhokhbili (chicken in tomato sauce), chanakhi (vegetable-meat stew) or plain tomato and cucumber salad.

Megrelian Salt (or mix of spices)

Megrelian Salt is mix of various spices from Georgia’s Samegrelo region. The mixture is used for seasoning almost all kinds of dishes in Samegrelo’s cuisine. This part of Georgia is notable for its spicy and piquant food, consequently the mix includes salt, khmeli suneli (traditional Georgian spice mix), dried coriander, dried savory, dried marigold flower, crushed garlic and most importantly dried coarse hot pepper. Traditionally, this mixture is used for preparing meat dishes, lobio, kuchmachi and others.

Dried Ajika

Dried Ajika also called Megruli dried ajika (from Samegrelo) is a popular seasoning in Megrelian cuisine. Every household has it and it is consumed daily with almost all kinds of dishes. Dried ajika is made of coarse hot pepper and other spices, like blue fenugreek, yellow flower (dried marigold flower), dried coriander, salt and crushed garlic. All these ingredients have to be ground through a meat grinder and then mixed well. Such dry mixture is kept in a family all year round. As a rule, dried ajika is used in lobio (bean soup), meat stew, satsivi, bazhe as well as is consumed simply with boiled meat.

Dried Coarse Hot Pepper

Dried coarse hot pepper is widely used in all parts of Georgia for making tkemali, the well-known Georgian sour plum sauce, dried ajika as well as ajika sauce itself. Additionally, coarse hot pepper is frequently used in meat and vegetable dishes. Often, red chili peppers are tied to a thread and hung over a fireplace or on the balcony to dry before they are crushed for use. 

By Lika Chigladze

Main photo: georgiaabout.com