AI-generated image
Kchuch
Kchuch: Gyumri clay-pot bake of aubergine, potato, pepper and herbs
A kchuch is the round clay pot of Gyumri's kitchens, and the dish cooked in it takes its name: layers of vegetables and herbs, sealed and slow-baked until everything collapses into a rich, juicy stew. Shirak families often add lamb, but the vegetable version is a summer and Lenten favourite, heavy with aubergine, potatoes, peppers, tomatoes and garlic. A common mistake is slicing the potatoes thick, which leaves them hard when the aubergine is already soft. Chef's tip: lay the tomatoes and herbs on top and seal the lid with a strip of dough or foil, so the steam stays in and the vegetables cook in their own juices.
- Total time
- 120 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the kchuch
- 2 auberginesin 3 cm chunks
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- 1 ⅛ lb potatoespeeled and sliced 1 cm thick
- 3 red and green pepperscut into strips
- 2 onionssliced
- 4 ripe tomatoessliced
- 6 cloves garlicsliced
- 4 tbsp sunflower oil
- ⅓ oz purple basilchopped
- ½ oz fresh corianderchopped
- ⅓ oz fresh dillchopped
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ cup water
Shop this recipe on Amazon
Spices & pantry
Fresh ingredients (8)
Links open Amazon in a new tab. As an Amazon Associate, WhatToEat.Today earns from qualifying purchases.
Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Toss 2 aubergines with half of ¾ tsp salt and leave for 20 minutes. Rinse and squeeze.
20 minStep 2: Heat the oven to 350°F (fan 325°F). Mix ⅓ oz purple basil, ½ oz fresh coriander, ⅓ oz fresh dill and 6 cloves garlic.
Step 3: In a clay pot or lidded casserole, layer 1 ⅛ lb potatoes, 2 onions, aubergine and 3 red and green peppers, sprinkling each layer with herbs, the rest of ¾ tsp salt, ½ tsp black pepper and a drizzle of 4 tbsp sunflower oil.
Step 4: Finish with 4 ripe tomatoes and the last of the herbs and oil. Pour in ½ cup water.
Step 5: Seal the lid with foil and bake for 1½ hours, until the potatoes are soft right through and the aubergine has melted into the juices. Common mistake: thick potato slices; they stay hard.
90 minStep 6: Rest for 10 minutes and serve from the pot with lavash.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 300 kcal
- Protein
- 6 g
- Carbs
- 36 g
- Fat
- 15 g
- Fibre
- 9 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does kchuch take?
- About 120 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 90 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 vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- 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 potatoes?
- Sweet potato, same weight (sweeter, cooks a little faster).
- What can I use instead of onions?
- 2 shallots per onion.
Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to cook it.
Rate this recipe
Sign in to rate and review this recipe.
You might also like
Caramelised clay-pot tofu and mushrooms
Kho is the slow braise of the Mekong Delta: food simmered in a little clay pot (nồi đất) with dark caramel and seasoning until the sauce is sticky and the flavours go deep. This vegetarian cousin of cá kho tộ (braised fish) uses golden tofu and meaty mushrooms in place of fish, cooked in coconut water, as cooks do in the south, and finished with plenty of black pepper. Serve it bubbling in its pot with steamed rice and a sour soup or plain boiled vegetables. Chef's tip: take the caramel (nước màu) to a deep mahogany, darker than you think, just before it smokes; pale caramel only tastes sweet, while dark caramel gives the bittersweet, smoky flavour of a real kho.
Vietnamese
Spinach with mushrooms
A bright green, savoury puree of potato, mushrooms and fresh spinach cooked in home-made baby stock. Thick and smooth, it's a good way to get iron-rich greens into babies of 8–18 months. Serve warm; spare portions freeze well.
Black bean tacos with lime slaw
Proof that a meat-free taco night can be the best one. The beans are mashed with chipotle and cumin so they hold together in the tortilla, and a quick lime slaw adds crunch.
Mexican