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Chakapuli
Chakapuli: Kakheti spring lamb with tarragon, sour plums and white wine
Chakapuli is the Easter dish of Kakheti, cooked when the first tarragon shoots and hard green tkemali plums appear in April: young lamb is stewed in Kakhetian white wine with heaps of tarragon, spring onion and coriander until the broth turns bright green and sour. It is eaten from deep bowls with shoti bread to soak up the juices. The recipe uses white wine, as it is traditionally made; for an alcohol-free pot, use the swap in the ingredient note. A common mistake is putting in all the herbs at the start, which turns them grey; half go in at the end for freshness. Chef's tip: if you can't find sour green plums, a squeeze of lemon and a spoon of tkemali sauce give the same tartness.
- Total time
- 120 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the stew
- 2 lb lamb shoulder or neckon the bone, cut into large pieces
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup dry white wineor 200 ml water with 3 tbsp white grape juice and 1 tbsp lemon juice
- ¾ cup water
- 2 bunches spring onionschopped
- 2 ⅛ oz fresh tarragonleaves and tender stems chopped
- 1 oz fresh corianderchopped
- ½ oz fresh dillchopped
- 5 ½ oz sour green plumsor 1 tbsp lemon juice plus 2 tbsp tkemali
- 3 cloves garliccrushed
- 1 green chillichopped
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Put 2 lb lamb shoulder or neck in a heavy pot with 1 ½ tsp salt, 1 cup dry white wine and ¾ cup water. Bring to a simmer and skim.
10 minStep 2: Add half the 1 bunches spring onions, 1 oz fresh tarragon, ½ oz fresh coriander and ¼ oz fresh dill. Cover and simmer gently for 1¼ hours, until the lamb is nearly tender.
75 minStep 3: Add 5 ½ oz sour green plums and 1 green chilli and simmer for 10 minutes more, until the plums soften and the lamb comes off the bone easily.
10 minStep 4: Stir in 3 cloves garlic and the rest of 1 bunches spring onions, 1 oz fresh tarragon, ½ oz fresh coriander and ¼ oz fresh dill. Cook for 2 minutes, just until the herbs wilt. Common mistake: cooking the last herbs longer; they lose their colour.
2 minStep 5: Taste: the broth should be tart and green. Serve hot with bread.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 470 kcal
- Protein
- 34 g
- Carbs
- 8 g
- Fat
- 28 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does chakapuli take?
- About 120 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 100 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of dry white wine?
- Stock with 1 tsp white wine vinegar per 120ml (½ cup).
- What can I use instead of spring onions?
- Chives, or a little finely sliced onion.
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