Abkhazian cuisine has long been famous for its traditions. As you have probably heard, in Abkhazia a large number of people live to the advanced age. Longevity is promoted by traditional dishes from vegetables, amazing spices, house wines. .. and almost any dish of Abkhazian cuisine can be called a recipe for longevity.
The secrets of the national cuisine of Abkhazia
So what is the secret of the Abkhazian cuisine? Why is she so famous and so beautiful?
Abkhazia is famous for its fertile soils and very mild climate, all this contributes to the fact that agriculture is very developed in Abkhazia. And since agriculture is at an altitude, then in the menu of the Abkhazians, vegetable dishes predominate. Such dishes are not only delicious, but also very useful. Meat dishes from Abkhazians are much smaller than vegetable dishes.
Famous dishes of Abkhazian cuisine
What is a mamaliga
You probably heard the word "hominy" more than once. This dish is popular not only in Abkhazia, Romanians and Moldavians also consider hominy as their national dish. Without mamalygi in Abkhazia, there is not a single feast and it is called there "abyista".Abistu is eaten not only on holidays, this dish is included in the daily diet.
Mamaliga is a corn porridge, which is prepared without salt. The basis for hominy is corn grits. Traditionally, hominych is prepared very dense consistency, such that it is taken by hand. Together with mamaliga served different types of salted cheeses, but the most salted suluguni. Mamaliga is a fresh porridge, and salted cheese compensates for the lack of salt.
Abkhazians prepare a large number of varieties of hominy. It is prepared with the addition of walnut oil, cooked with milk, and immediately prepared with salted or sour milk cheese.
Mamaliga is so popular because corn is the main product of agriculture. But from corn flour they cook not only hominy. Very popular among the Abkhazians boiled bread, which is called ahampal. Even halva in Abkhazia is made from corn flour.
Adjika
Abkhazian cuisine is famous all over the world for its amazing adzhika. Each Abkhaz family has its own recipe for cooking Adjika, this recipe is passed down from generation to generation. In Russia, it is customary to say "bread and salt" to dear guests, while in Abkhazia they say "acyedzhika", which literally means "bread-adzhika."
The basis of Adzhika is tomato, but the added spices and seasonings can vary, so there are so many recipes. As a rule, garlic, red hot pepper, coriander and other spices and herbs are added to the adjika. All this is rubbed, mixed and added with salt. Adjika is a product of long-term storage, it can not deteriorate, even when stored at room temperature.
Give adzhika almost all dishes. There are lovers who prefer adjika as a separate dish, using it with fresh bread or lavash.
Milk and milk dishes
Earlier in the tradition of the Abkhazians was the use of buffalo milk. Now the Abkhaz have almost abandoned this tradition, and prefer cow and goat milk.
Matzoni is common in sour-milk drinks in Abkhazia. Matzoni is obtained by ripening milk. Milk for matzoni is taken any - cow, sheep or goat. First, the milk is heated to near the boiling point, then it is cooled and a ferment is added.
Matzoni is much better absorbed than simple milk. This product is very rich in amino acids, vitamins and minerals. In the matzoni contains a large number of milk microorganisms, which have a beneficial effect on the intestinal microflora.
There are a lot of cheeses in the Abkhazian cuisine, such as sour-milk cheeses, and smoked and wineskin cheeses. Home cottage cheese is very popular.
Meat
The basis of many Abkhazian dishes is beef and chicken. Goat and lamb are much less common. Despite the large number of Muslims, pork is also popular in this country. Traditionally, meat dishes are prepared using a lot of spicy seasonings and spices.
The favorite dish of Abkhazians is chicken, fried on a spit, and boiled chicken with adjika. Delicacy are carcasses of lambs and kids, which are roasted on a spit.
Fish Abkhazians use very rarely, they prefer to smoke or fry.
Hot broths and soups in the diet are practically absent. Traditional cuisine involves cooking meat in large pieces, frying and baking.
Greens and spices
When preparing traditional dishes, a lot of various greenery is used. A set of spicy herbs is rich and diverse, it is savory, basil, mint, dill, coriander, parsley, all these herbs give the dishes an incomparable aroma and taste.
Abkhazians also use wild grasses, such as chinens, nettles, wild parsley, chicken, wild garlic, sassaparil. Any dish of vegetables or meat is usually flavored with spices, sauces and spicy seasonings.
Salts Abkhazians consume very little. A lot of dishes do not contain salt at all, but nedosol is compensated by the use of Adzhika, which is usually used with almost all dishes.
In conclusion, it should be said that although Abkhaz cuisine is not very different in quantity, it is very original, nutritious, tasty and healthy. Not without reason there are so many long-livers in Abkhazia.