Megrelian Food

The food in Samegrelo is spicier (and hotter) than in eastern parts of Georgia. Chillies are often used to jazz up sauces and flavour meats. Spicy sausages and kebabs make an appearance, as do stews stained saffron-yellow by French marigold petals. It’s not just about heat. If Imeretian-style khachapuri cheese bread is already an exercise in indulgence – with its oozing cheese centre and just-baked crust – the Megrelian version is even more voluptuous, with an extra layer of golden cheese on top. Megrelians love roast suckling pig on feast days but focus their energies on assorted vegetables too, often cooked in clay pots. To cool the palate are fresh, ricotta-like cheeses enlivened with mint, and plenty of aromatic herbs and greens. Walnuts, hazelnuts and cornbreads also balance those richer, spicier dishes. Stretched-curd sulguni cheese is made of buffalo or cow’s milk and is sometimes smoked. Elarji, an elastic blend of hot cornmeal and sulguni, is another of the region’s best-loved staples. Ajika, in red and green versions, is a hot chilli paste with a complex mix of spices that most families blend to their own tastes. Premade ajika is available in markets and shops throughout Georgia and is a great condiment to bring home: add a small amount to a dish or sauce for unmistakably Georgian character.