Introduction:
Georgian Satsivi is a delicious dish made with tender chicken pieces and a rich, creamy walnut sauce. This recipe requires some preparation ahead of time, but the result is a flavorful and unique dish that will surely impress your guests. Serve it with some traditional Georgian sides or a simple salad for a complete meal.
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients:
- 1 large (about 2kg) corn-fed chicken
- 2 carrots
- 1 onion
- 1.5-2L water, to cover
- 175g (1 1/2 cups) walnuts
- 1 brown onion, quartered
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled
- 1 sprig fresh coriander, leaves picked
- 1 small fresh red chilli, deseeded
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons ground coriander
- 2 teaspoons ground turmeric
- 1 1/2 teaspoons chilli powder, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- Salt (up to 1 tablespoon)
- Fresh coriander leaves, extra, to serve
- Fresh red chillies, extra, to serve
Instructions:
Step 1: Place the chicken, carrots, and onion in a large saucepan. Add enough water to cover. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 1 hour or until the chicken is cooked through. Remove the chicken from the stock and set aside to cool.
Step 2: Strain the stock through a fine sieve placed over a large bowl (you should have 3-4 cups of full-flavored stock). If necessary, simmer the stock further to reduce it.
Step 3: Remove the chicken meat from the bones and cut into large pieces. Cover and place in the fridge. Discard the bones.
Step 4: Blend the walnuts in a blender until a smooth paste forms. Transfer to a large bowl.
Step 5: Blend the onion, garlic, coriander leaves, chilli, and a little stock in a blender until smooth. Add the mixture to the walnut paste, along with 125ml (1/2 cup) of the remaining stock. Stir to combine.
Step 6: Add the vinegar, ground coriander, turmeric, chilli powder, curry powder, and cumin to the walnut mixture. Stir to combine. Season with salt (the mixture should be a bit salty as no salt is used in the stock). Gradually stir in the remaining stock until the mixture is runny and creamy. Cover and refrigerate overnight to thicken.
Step 7: Place the chicken pieces in a large serving bowl. Pour the walnut sauce over the chicken, cover, and refrigerate for 7 hours. Serve topped with extra coriander leaves and chillies.
Serving Suggestion: Serve Georgian Satsivi with traditional Georgian sides, such as Mchadi (cornbread) or Khachapuri (cheese-filled bread), or a simple salad for a complete and satisfying meal.