Tkmeli

September 20, 2022

Tkmeli - kvalifood.com

Tkmeli (also called makvali) is a raw blackberry sauce from western Georgia, specifically the Racha and Imereti regions. It is made by crushing blackberries with unripe grapes, garlic, fresh herbs, and chili. The sauce is seasonal, prepared when wild blackberries are ripe, and traditionally served alongside fried or roasted chicken. It is thin – more of a juice-based sauce than a thick puree.

Makes ca. 350 ml

Ingredients

400 g fresh blackberries (or frozen, thawed)
200 g unripe green grapes (or substitute: 2 tsp lemon juice + 2 tsp water)
2-3 cloves garlic (ca. 10-15 g), roughly chopped
15-20 g fresh cilantro, leaves and tender stems, finely chopped
10 g fresh dill fronds, finely chopped
1 tsp ground hot red pepper (or 1/2 tsp cayenne)
1/3 tsp ground coriander seed
salt, to taste
5 g fresh mint leaves, finely chopped (optional)

Directions

Remove grape stems. Crush the grapes with a mortar and pestle or press through a fine-mesh sieve. Collect the juice and discard the solids.
Crush the blackberries with the back of a spoon or press through a fine-mesh sieve. Collect the juice and discard the seeds and pulp.
Combine the blackberry juice and grape juice in a bowl.
Pound the garlic with the salt, hot pepper, and coriander in a mortar until you have a rough paste.
Add the cilantro, dill, and mint (if using) to the mortar. Pound briefly to bruise and combine.
Stir the herb-garlic paste into the fruit juice. Mix thoroughly.
Taste and adjust salt and heat. The sauce should be tart, fruity, and noticeably garlicky.
Serve at room temperature alongside roasted or fried chicken.

Notes

Unripe grapes are the traditional acid source and provide a tartness that lemon juice only approximates. Look for them at farmers’ markets in late summer.
The sauce is thin by design. This is normal.
Let the sauce sit for 15-30 minutes before serving to let the flavors meld.
Best consumed the same day. Can be refrigerated for 1-2 days.
Traditional pairing is chicken tabaka (pan-fried spatchcocked chicken) or fried trout.