Ajapsandali

Ingredients

Vegetables

• 3aubergines, in chunks
• 3peppers, in strips
• 4tomatoes, chopped
• 3potatoes, in chunks
• 2onions, sliced

Aromatics

• 1 headgarlic, crushed
• 1chilli
• 150 mlsunflower oil

Herbs

• 1large bunch coriander
• 1 bunchflat parsley
• 1 bunchbasil, preferably purple
• 1 tbspdried summer savory, kondari
• 1 tspground blue fenugreek, utskho suneli
• 1 tspground coriander seed
• salt and black pepper

To serve

• warm or cold, with bread

Directions

1. Cut it into chunks, salt it and leave it in a colander for 30 minutes, then pat it dry. Modern aubergines are rarely bitter, so this is less about bitterness than about collapsing the sponge-like flesh so it absorbs less oil.
2. Fry the aubergine in hot oil until golden, and drain it. Use hot oil and work quickly. Aubergine put into moderate oil sits and drinks it, and hot oil seals the surface.
3. Fry the potato until golden and set it aside. Fry the onions in the same oil until soft and golden. Add the peppers and cook until they soften. Add the tomatoes and cook them down to a thick sauce, about 15 minutes.
4. Cook the tomatoes down properly rather than adding water, since that concentration is the body of the dish. Now return the aubergine and potato and simmer gently for 20 minutes.
5. Shake the pot instead. It should be thick rather than soupy, with the pieces still recognisable. Take the pot off the heat entirely. Stir in the crushed garlic, all the chopped fresh herbs and the dried spices.
6. Add them off the heat and let the residual warmth do the work. Cooked for even a few minutes the fresh herbs go dark and dull, and their brightness is the whole point.
7. Use a great deal of herb, far more than seems reasonable. Ordinary fenugreek is noticeably more bitter, so use less of it if that is what you have. Cover the pot and let it stand for 20 minutes. Taste it and adjust the seasoning. Serve it warm or at room temperature with bread.

Technique

• Blue fenugreek and summer savory are what distinguish it from ratatouille.
• The herbs go in off the heat at the very end.
• It is naturally vegan and is eaten during Orthodox fasts.

Substitutions

• Ordinary fenugreek used sparingly, in place of blue.
• Thyme and oregano in place of summer savory.

Variations

• Made in one pot, without frying separately.
• With more chilli, which is common in some regions.
• Served cold as part of a spread.

Frequently asked questions

What is Ajapsandali?

Ajapsandali is a salad & side from Georgia: summer ratatouille of eggplant, tomato, pepper and herbs.

How long does Ajapsandali take to make?

Ajapsandali takes 25 min of preparation and 50 min of cooking. The recipe makes 6 servings. It is rated easy to make.

What can I substitute in Ajapsandali?

Yes, within limits. Ordinary fenugreek used sparingly, in place of blue. Thyme and oregano in place of summer savory.

What is the most important thing to get right in Ajapsandali?

Cook the tomatoes down properly rather than adding water, since that concentration is the body of the dish. Now return the aubergine and potato and simmer gently for 20 minutes.