Tkemali

Tkemali is a sour plum that grows throughout Georgia. The word also refers to the piquant sauce made from this plum, which is used as both a seasoning in soups, stews, and vegetable dishes and as a condiment for grilled meats. Tkemali sauce is piquant, hot, and slightly sweet at the same time. It is served fresh or preserved for winter keeping. Because the tkemali plum is unavailable here, I substitute Santa Rosa plums, preferring them to be slightly underripe. A recipe for tkemali sauce.