ON MY MIND (Clockwise from left) Freshly cooked shkmeruli waiting to be devoured by hungry guests; Georgian wines; Mike Zulueta cooking his chicken dish

PREP WORK (Clockwise from left) Honorary Consul Cunanan A checks on the dishes; JJ Yulo tries to make for khinkali (next photo); Gina Mapua seasons the finely-coated dumplings with ground pepper; Roasting chicken for the shkmeruli; Consul Annette Georgian Ablan checks her recipe for satsivi Feast An intimate gathering of fellow foodies celebrates the exotic appeal of Georgia’s soulful cuisine

By Angeli De Rivera Photography by JC Inocian

ich bold aromas floated Cunanan Jr. together with Russia, Turkey, Azerbaijan, to its culture and history is industry with cattle farms, Wine is widely consumed in the air as I entered JJ Yulo of Pinoy Eats World Armenia and the Black Sea. through its cuisine. piggeries and poultry farms not just for celebrations the premises where fame, the gathering started A small nation about the One would assume scattered all over the state. but with everyday meals. that evening’s dinner with several of the invitees same size as Austria, this that Georgian cooking is A Georgian pantry usually This winemaking tradition Rwould be held. “Is this cooking their designated former territory of the Soviet heavily influenced by nearby consists of Mediterranean is still carried on today in Georgia at a Glance what a Georgian kitchen Georgian dishes for the Union boasts panoramic Russia. On the contrary, and Central Asian-sourced centuries-old wineries that smells like?” I wondered. It dinner. “Consider this the views of magnificent castles, the local fare is as colorful ingredients—walnuts, corn, make their own artisanal Capital: Tbilisi was a delight to be invited first official Georgian dinner churches and old settlements and exotic as its magnificent assorted grains, vegetables wines using native grapes Patron saint and namesake: St. George to this special dinner-cum- in the country,” announced set against immaculate scenery. At the crossroads like tomatoes, , , like the Rkatsiteli, Mtsvani Date of independence from Soviet Union: December 25, 1991 cooking session. The idea of Consul Cunanan. I for one snow-capped mountains. of European and Central , cucumber, berries and Saperavi grown in the Population: Approximately 5 million trying a strange cuisine was felt honored to be part of this It is a destination to be Asian cultures, Georgian as well as fine-quality butter, region. Currency: Georgian Lari exciting, and the appetite- momentous meal. discovered, still unmarred by cuisine is a cauldron of cream and artisanal cheese. Religion: Christian Orthodox How to get there: Qatar Airways flies daily from Manila to inducing aroma of and Western commercialization influences from Turkey, Iran Wine is an integral part A collective cooking Doha then to Tbilisi with a short stopover in Baku, Azerbaijan. spices dancing all over our Georgia the bountiful and where the old traditions and Russia. Thanks to its of the nation’s identity with session Emirates Airways also flies daily from Manila to Dubai then noses promised delicious To experience Georgia is a are kept alive. But for us cool climate and fertile soil, archaeological evidence While we didn’t have the to Turkey. From there, Turkish Airways flies to Tbilisi. things to come. Organized by privilege. After all, hardly who know next to nothing fruit orchards, vineyards that winemaking originated privilege of a Georgian Honorary Consul of Georgia any Filipino gets to visit this about Georgia, perhaps the and tea plantations abound. in Georgia, estimated national to guide the cooks, For more information about Georgia, Thelmo Luis “Buddy” remote nation surrounded by best way to be introduced Livestock is also a big around 8,000 years ago. they did have cookbooks on visit www.georgiaconsulphil.com.

66 FOOD | December 2013 - January 2014 FOOD | December 2013 - January 2014 67 Khinkali after they rise to the surface. Check the 1. Clean, rinse and cut chicken into Georgian Dumplings dough to see if it is done. If not, continue pieces. Recipe by Gina Mapua adapted to cook until done. 2. Parboil the tomatoes, peel and chop DINNER HIGHLIGHTS from The Cooking of the Eastern 6. Retrieve cooked khinkali with a finely. (from top left) kubdari or flat bread with meat filling; Mediterranean slotted spoon, allow to drain and put 3. Heat olive oil in a saucepan. Sauté appetizing badrigiani; after Makes about 24 dumplings on a serving platter. Add more khinkali onions with chicken pieces and chopped dinner espresso for everyone; to the pot to cook. Serve the khinkali, coriander. satsivi garnished with fresh coriander 2 cups flour, plus extra for rolling dusted generously with freshly ground 4. Add tomatoes, tomato paste and sweet 1 1/2 teaspoons . To eat, diners pick up the peppers to the sautéed chicken. When 1 1/4 cups warm water, plus extra khinkali by the knot, raise it overhead the mixture thickens, add the wine. made sure that the food if needed and lower it into their mouths to catch all 5. Season with salt and pepper to taste. remained abundant, cooked beef filling (recipe below) the juices. The knot of dough is not eaten. Boil for 30 minutes. with the same gusto and 6. Once cooked, sprinkle remaining pride just like in a traditional 1. Stir together flour and salt in a bowl. beef filling: coriander, dill and garlic. Mix well. supra. There was Badrigiani, Add water and mix until dough forms. 3/4 kilo ground beef, preferably with an hors d’oeuvre of walnuts 2. Transfer to a work surface and knead 10% fat only Shkmeruli and eggplant rolls and Pkali a until smooth, about 6 minutes. Let the 1/2 cup finely minced onions Recipe by Thelmo Cunanan, Jr. spinach paté also prepared by dough rest for 30 minutes while making 1/2 teaspoon ground Serves 6 Gina. Consul Cunanan made the beef filling (recipe below). 3/4 teaspoon salt Chakhokbili, a rich chicken 3. To form the khinkali, divide the dough ground black pepper, plus more 1 whole chicken, cut into pieces stew of tomatoes, coriander, into 4 equal balls. Work with 1 ball at for serving salt, to taste dill and red peppers. But the a time, keeping the rest of the dough 1/2 cup very cold water 2 tablespoons butter favorite dish of the evening covered in a bowl. Roll the ball into a 2 cups fresh milk had to be Mike Zulueta’s sausage and cut into 6 equal parts. With 1. Mix the beef with the onions, cumin, 1 bulb garlic, peeled and crushed or Shkmeruli, a rich and creamy a rolling pin, roll each little ball into a salt and ground black pepper. pressed in a garlic press chicken dish infused with 5-inch circle. 2. Gradually add water to the beef lots of garlic. The Filipino in 4. Put about 2 tablespoons filling in the mixture by the tablespoon, making sure 1. Sprinkle the chopped chicken with me was so tempted to eat it center of the dough and pleat the dough the water is absorbed before adding salt. Sauté in butter. Put the chicken with rice. to close, forming an elongated knot. With more. The mixture should be soft and pieces into a shallow clay ovenproof bowl I asked Consul Cunanan scissors, cut off the tip of the knot, leaving almost soupy. or casserole. why our dinner didn’t a neat edge. Be sure to leave enough of 2. Pour the milk into a saucepan and Eastern Mediterranean and dumplings to be filled with wine as we waited for the feature a Georgian dessert. the knot as a handle for diners to pick Chakhokhbili reduce over medium low heat to about Georgian cuisines as reference. cumin-infused minced last dish to cook. He explained that Georgians up the khinkali. Push formed khinkali Recipe by Thelmo Cunanan, Jr. 1 1/3 cups + 1 tablespoon. Then add the Also, Consul Cunanan and beef—imagine a bigger and really don’t do dessert. bottom into flour and place on a plate. Serves 6 pressed garlic, salt and the oil left over friend Mike Zulueta had spicier xiao long bao. Belarus A supra to remember Funnily enough, meals As you continue to form more khinkali, from frying the chicken. visited the country previously Honorary Consul Annette According to Georgian in Georgia are always so make sure they don’t touch each other. 1 whole chicken 3. Pour the milk-garlic mixture over and were familiar with Ablan prepared Satsivi, a custom, a supra is a special abundant that there’s usually 5. Fill a large pot 3/4 full with water. 1/2 kilo tomatoes the chicken pieces in the clay bowl or Georgian flavors. traditional chicken dish in feast characterized by no more room for dessert. When the water boils, generously salt the 2 tablespoons olive oil casserole. Even before settling walnut sauce that went well overflowing food and Thankfully, we had delicious water and bring to a boil again. Lower the 2 onions, finely chopped 4. Place the bowl in a preheated 375°F into our seats around the with the Kubdari or meat- marathon drinking sessions. non-Georgian sans rival and heat so the water simmers. Gently drop 3 bunches coriander, chopped oven. Cook the chicken, letting the sauce dining table, we were stuffed bread made by Gina. Consul Cunanan shared with espresso as our meal ender. in khinkali, but do not fill the pot. Leave 3 tablespoons tomato paste boil for 10 to 15 minutes. already filling ourselves Consul Cunanan served us that a supra also features The bottles may have enough room for the khinkali to move 2 sweet red peppers, skins removed with Georgian food culture. several bottles of Georgian poetic tributes and long been emptied and the dishes about. Do not let water boil violently 1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon white wine Cookbook enthusiast and wine, not available locally, orations made by a tamada cleared out, but my first or the khinkali may break up. Continue salt and pepper, to taste expert cook Gina Mapua which he brought back from or toastmaster. While our experience of Georgian to cook the khinkali for 3 extra minutes 1 bunch dill, chopped was busy kneading dough a recent trip. Soon we were dinner omitted the drunken cuisine was unforgettable and 2 cloves garlic for her Khinkali or Georgian enjoying sips of the fine revelry and orations, we hopefully won’t be my last.

68 FOOD | December 2013 - January 2014 FOOD | December 2013 - January 2014 69