Forget all the “mega giants” of traditional Georgian cuisine like Khinkali, Mtsvadi, and Khachapuri, and even roasted piglet! There are much more elegant, tasty, mouthwatering dishes to try, and fried aubergines (eggplants) with nuts is undeniably one of them.

Fried eggplants with nuts or, as Georgians call them, Nigvziani Badrijani (ნიგვზიანი ბადრიჯანი) are usually served as starters at Georgian feasts (supras), and are particularly tasty paired with mchadi, the oven-baked cornbread. To prepare eggplants with nut-paste rolls, you’ll need to first slice the egplants without peeling, fry them, then grind the walnuts, spices, garlic, vinegar, and water together in a food processor. Once the fried eggplants are ready and already cooled, fill them with the nut paste by rolling up the eggplant slices. Top with pomegranate seeds and enjoy!

Baje (ბაჟე)

Baje is a traditional Georgian (Mengrelian) dish prepared with roasted chicken in walnut sauce. Baje goes wonderfully with both ghomi (prepared from cornflour) with stuffed Sulguni cheese inside, served hot, and with mchadi.    

Red Beans with Walnuts (Nigvziani Lobio)

Yet another traditional and popular dish, it is prepared with cooled boiled beans. Walnuts, onions, Georgian spices, salt and paper are ground together, and the prepared mass added to the beans. Red beans with walnuts is served cold.