“Churchkhela! To whom churchkhela? - these cries of wandering food merchants will be remembered by anyone who has ever rested on the Black Sea coast. Only few people know what this product is, where it came from and how it is made.
History
Churchkhela is a national delicacy of Georgia. Literally translated, the name means "seedless dried berries." From Georgia, the dish "migrated" to other peoples of the Caucasus along the Black Sea coast. In different parts of this mountainous region you can find a wide variety of different types of colorful sausages, presented in a large assortment in bazaars and beaches, but in general its essence boils down to one thing. Churchkhela is a string of nuts in thickened grape or pomegranate juice.
It is known that the delicacy was invented a long time ago - in the era of the ancient Georgian kingdom of Diaoh. Sweetness is mentioned in historical documents of the Middle Ages: during the reign of David the Builder, soldiers took with them on long hikes hearty and non-perishable foods that were easy to eat. Churchkhela was one of those. This dish is high in calories, moreover, it does not deteriorate over time, but only becomes more solid.
Nutritional properties
Churchkhela is nourishing and nutritious due to the high content of fructose and glucose (in different varieties their share in the finished product ranges from 30 to 50 percent), vegetable fats, proteins, organic acids, minerals, vitamins.
All kinds of nuts are used in cooking: walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts. And also - dried raisins, peach and apricot kernels.
Due to its composition, the product is useful for mental activity and increased physical activity. The composition is favorable for the work of the heart and blood vessels, the product reduces the risk of atherosclerosis and hypertension.
The high calorie content of the product must be remembered by all those who suffer from excess weight. 100 grams of a delicious dish contains from 500 to 700 calories! Patients with diabetes mellitus and allergy sufferers should also refrain from eating Georgian delicacies.
Cooking method
The classic way of making churchkhela is Kakhetian (named after the region of Georgia). The grape juice is boiled for half an hour, then defended at 10-12 hours. After that, the work continues: the juice is filtered and evaporated, sometimes chalk or marble, corn flour is added to it. The thickened juice is defended for another 5-6 hours, the precipitate is drained. The remaining composition is heated to 30 degrees Celsius. Wheat flour is added to it. The mixture is heated while stirring continuously. Then nuts are immersed in a viscous liquid (they are pre-soaked and boiled in sugar syrup), strung on threads. Churchkhela is dried for 2-3 weeks in the sun. After that, they are placed in boxes, shifting each layer with a cloth and "infused" in a cool dry room for 2-3 months.
Varieties
Today, the number of recipes for preparing sweetness has increased. They experiment with the recipe in every way. In addition to grape or pomegranate juice, apple, orange, plum, cherry, apricot, etc. are increasingly used. Peanuts, cashews, pecans, dried fruits, prunes, dried apricots and dried berries are used as the filling. Sometimes the blanks doused with syrup are rolled in seeds. Thanks to such experiments, the varieties of churchkhela are growing day by day.
Interesting fact
In 2011, the Georgian authorities issued a patent for a number of national dishes. Including churchkhela. This is how the country expressed its reverent attitude towards a special dish that has survived to this day through the centuries.
