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Megrelian kharcho
Megruli kharcho: Mingrelian chicken in fiery walnut, garlic and marigold sauce
In Samegrelo 'kharcho' means something quite different from the Tbilisi soup: chicken pieces simmered in a thick, golden sauce of ground walnuts, garlic, hot pepper and Imeretian saffron (dried marigold), so rich and spicy that it is eaten with plain ghomi to calm it down. Zugdidi families cook it for guests and for Sunday lunch. A common mistake is boiling the sauce hard once the walnuts go in; it turns oily and grainy. Chef's tip: grind the walnuts until they weep oil and spoon a little of that oil over the finished dish; Mingrelians judge kharcho by its glossy, orange sheen. Chicken must reach 74 °C in the thickest part.
- Total time
- 90 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the chicken
- 2 ⅝ lb chicken thighs and drumsticksskin on, bone in
- 4 ¼ cups water
- 1 tsp salt
For the sauce
- 7 oz walnuts
- 6 cloves garlic
- 2 dried red chilliesor 1 tsp chilli flakes
- 2 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp blue fenugreek
- ½ tsp salt
- ⅔ oz fresh corianderchopped
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What you'll need
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Put 2 ⅝ lb chicken thighs and drumsticks, 4 ¼ cups water and 1 tsp salt in a pot, bring to a simmer and skim. Cook gently for 30 minutes.
30 minStep 2: Grind 7 oz walnuts, 6 cloves garlic, 2 dried red chillies, 2 tsp ground marigold (Imeretian saffron), 2 tsp ground coriander, 1 tsp blue fenugreek and ½ tsp salt in a food processor for 4 minutes, until oily and pasty.
4 minStep 3: Lift out the chicken. Whisk 500 ml of the hot broth into the walnut paste, a ladle at a time, until smooth and creamy.
Step 4: Pour the sauce into a clean pan, add the chicken and simmer very gently for 20–25 minutes, stirring often, until the sauce thickens, an orange oil rises to the top and the chicken reads 165°F at the bone. Common mistake: boiling; the sauce splits.
25 minStep 5: Stir in ⅔ oz fresh coriander and serve hot with ghomi or cornbread.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 590 kcal
- Protein
- 42 g
- Carbs
- 10 g
- Fat
- 42 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does megrelian kharcho take?
- About 90 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 70 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.
- Is it very spicy?
- It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
- What can I use instead of walnuts?
- Pecans or chocolate chips, same amount.
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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