A recipe from Gemo
Elarji
A rich Megrelian cornmeal and sulguni dish, made by cooking ghomi until thick and then working in enough fresh cheese to make it glossy, dense, and stretchy. Serve it immediately while the cheese still pulls in long strands.
Method
- 01
Put the coarse cornmeal in a heavy pot, cover it generously with cold water, stir, and pour off any floating husks or dark specks. Repeat until the water looks mostly clear, then drain well.
- 02
Add 1200 milliliters fresh water and the salt to the pot. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and cook gently, stirring from time to time, until the coarse cornmeal is swollen and tender.
⏱ 35 min - 03
Sprinkle in 50 g fine corn flour gradually while stirring hard with a sturdy wooden spoon. Keep the heat low and mash the mixture against the sides and bottom of the pot until it becomes smooth, very thick, and no longer tastes raw.
⏱ 15 min - 04
Add the 700 g sulguni in several handfuls, stirring and folding after each addition so the cheese melts evenly into the hot cornmeal. Keep working the mixture until it turns glossy, heavy, and elastic.
⏱ 5 min - 05
Check the texture by lifting the spoon: the elarji should pull into long, stretchy ribbons instead of falling like loose porridge. If it seems slack, cook and stir for another few minutes over low heat; if it is scorching, reduce the heat immediately.
- 06
Wet a large spoon or ladle with hot water, scoop the elarji onto warm plates, and serve at once. It is best while thick, steaming, and stretchy, with bazhe sauce on the side if desired.
Nutrition
