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Eggplant Rolls with Walnuts
Instructions
Prepare all the ingredients you need. Rinse the vegetables and herbs, and peel the garlic.
Cut the eggplants into slices about 5 mm thick. Even thickness is important so they fry uniformly.
Sprinkle the slices with salt and leave them for 10 minutes. The salt will draw out the bitterness and excess moisture.
Make the filling. Put 50 g of walnuts, 15 g of cilantro, 1 tsp of water, and salt and pepper to taste into a blender. Blend everything until smooth. If you want a runnier filling, add a little more water.
Drain the liquid from the eggplants and fry them in a pan with oil until golden.
To get rid of the excess oil, lay the fried slices on a paper towel and let them cool completely.
Assemble the rolls. Place the filling on the edge of each slice and roll them up like rolls.
Garnish the finished rolls with fresh herbs and serve.Bon appetit!
Tips
- 1
Be sure to salt the eggplants for 10 minutes – the salt draws out the bitterness and makes them softer when fried.
- 2
When blending the walnuts, do not grind them to dust. Leave small pieces – they give the filling its texture.
- 3
Cool the eggplants completely before assembling the rolls – hot slices will spoil the filling (the paste will run).
- 4
Use fresh cilantro with a bright aroma – dried-out cilantro will not give that Caucasian note. The same principle works in other Georgian appetisers.
Video
FAQ
What can I use instead of cilantro? +
Alternatives include parsley (more neutral, but without the Caucasian character), dill (gives a completely different aroma), a mix of parsley and basil (well balanced), or spring onion (freshness, but without the piquancy). Cilantro is a hallmark of Georgian cuisine, and many people dislike its distinctive aroma. If cilantro tastes "soapy" to you (a genetic trait of 10–15% of people), feel free to use parsley. In the original, though, it is cilantro only. You can also buy dried cilantro in sachets and add 1 tsp – a less vivid, but still "Georgian", flavour.
Which walnuts should I use? +
Use fresh ones, but not "green" (with a yellow-brown skin on the kernel). A freshness test: smell them – fresh nuts smell slightly oily, while old ones have a rancid odour. Dried nuts (from last year's harvest) also work, but you may need more water for the filling because they are drier. To improve the aroma, toast them in advance in a dry pan for 2–3 minutes. Shop-bought "shelled" nuts in vacuum packaging are convenient, but check the use-by date. The best option is unshelled nuts: crack them before cooking, and the kernels will be at their freshest.
How long do the rolls keep? +
In the refrigerator, in a closed container, for 1–2 days. On the second day the flavour is brighter – the filling soaks into the eggplants. It is not worth keeping them longer, as the cilantro and walnut filling start to lose freshness. At room temperature, 3 hours at most (the walnut filling is prone to oxidation). I do not recommend freezing them – after thawing, the walnut filling becomes watery. Make them for 1–2 meals. For a festive table, assemble them 2–3 hours before serving.
What to serve them with? +
A classic Georgian serving: with homemade lavash or Megrelian khachapuri, a red semi-dry wine (Saperavi, Kindzmarauli), or khinkali as the main course. With meat – with pork or lamb shashlik. As a standalone appetiser – on a festive table next to suluguni, pickled garlic, and ajika. For fasting periods, it is a great alternative to meat appetisers. For wine, choose a dry red such as Georgian Saperavi. For a ladies' gathering, serve with a glass of rosé or sparkling wine.
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