Tseluvarchi
Necessary products:
pickled beetroot (“chekane”) – 1 head / It is made by putting cleaned beetroot in a container, with salt water and, without stirring let it ferment. It’s ready when it catches a crust of mold on top. /
water – 1 l.
red pepper – 1 tbsp.
flour – 5 tbsp.
a few cloves of garlic;
enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan
Method of preparation
Chekane is beetroot, which is prepared in the Autumn like all traditional pickles in “kache” (small tub). Wash, scrape off the skin and place in a bowl with salt and wter. It ferments for about a month and is ready for use in December at the latest. Beetroot is also added to the kapama, which gives it a pleasant sweet-sour taste.
The heads of beetroot for Tseluvarchi are cut lengthwise into slices about 1–2 cm thick. They are placed in a pot and covered with cold water. Boil the beets for about 3-5 hours or until soft.
To prepare Tseluvarchi, put oil in a deep pan. Add the flour and mix carefully until the flour is toasted. Add the finely chopped garlic. Add red pepper. Remove from heat and stir to make a thick sauce. The Chekane is added and stirred. Tseluvarchi is served cold and is always present at the Christmas Eve table.