8 best classic recipes for making adjika for the winter

Adjika is one of the most popular seasonings that came to us from the Caucasus. Most often it looks like a red paste. The main advantage is a bright, rich taste with spicy notes, which goes well with various dishes. There are many ways to make delicious seasoning. Among them, the classic adjika recipe stands out, which also has its own variations.

Basic principles of preparing adjika

Despite the variety of recipes, there are several features that unite all types of seasoning:

1. The basis of adjika is garlic, red pepper and salt.
2. You can reduce the spiciness with apples and bell peppers.
3. If you want to preserve nutrients, use recipes without cooking.
4. Cooking increases the shelf life of the product for the winter.
5. For cooking, use iron or enamel dishes.
6. Cook with gloves to prevent hot peppers from getting into your eyes.

Adjika goes well with a variety of dishes, especially meat, and is also low in calories. But because of the severity, you can’t eat a lot, it can negatively affect the stomach.

Preparation of main ingredients and storage containers

The taste of the finished adjika also depends on correctly selected and processed ingredients:

1. For extra heat, choose ripe peppers.
2. Tomatoes should be fleshy and ripe.
3. Dry pepper seeds increase the heat, while soft pepper seeds reduce it.
4. Roast the herbs and seeds, then the essential oils will give a pleasant aroma.
5. Boil tomatoes with a lot of juice first, then the adjika will not be too liquid. For the same purpose, dry the pepper for 1-2 days.

Jars for storing seasonings must be free of cracks and rust on the lids. They are washed and sterilized on the stove or in the oven. All equipment is also disinfected with boiling water.

Cooking methods

Adjika recipes differ in ingredients and processing, as well as in the complexity of preparation.

Classic adjika without cooking for the winter

This is the easiest and fastest recipe to prepare. You only need the basic raw ingredients:

• 1 kilogram of sweet pepper;
• 1.5 kilograms of garlic;
• 3 kilograms of tomatoes;
• 150 grams of hot pepper;
• salt, sugar - to the owner's taste.

Remove the stems from the sweet peppers, cut them, and peel the garlic. Chop all ingredients in a blender, then mix, add salt or sugar. Let it sit overnight, then you can put it in jars.

Cossack adjika

Another classic recipe, but spicier due to the pepper seeds that need to be left. You will need:

• 1 kilogram of tomatoes;
• the same amount of hot pepper;
• garlic (3 pieces).

Prepared this way:

1. Chop the vegetables using a blender.
2. Pass the garlic through a garlic press.
3. Bring the tomatoes to a boil.
4. Then add the remaining ingredients and mix.
5. Cook for another ten minutes.

After this, adjika can be placed in jars and wrapped in cloth until it cools down.

Caucasian adjika

The dish according to this recipe is different from others and comes out very spicy. The ingredients are as follows:

• a little more than a kilogram of tomatoes;
• 2 kilograms of hot pepper;
• about 3 kilograms of garlic.

The seeds are not removed; it is dried along with the garlic. Vegetables are crushed in a blender, then they need to be left for 7 days to ferment in an enamel or glass container, covered with gauze. Remove the paste that has risen during this time, draining the excess liquid, add salt and oil. This adjika can be stored in jars for a long time.

Georgian adjika

This dish has a pleasant taste thanks to a mixture of vegetables and spices:

• kilogram of hot pepper;
• 1.5 kilograms of garlic;
• 3/4 cup salt;
• 0.5 cups of a mixture of coriander, dill seeds and suneli hops;
• paprika.

The Georgian version is prepared very simply:

1. Chop vegetables and spices.
2. Mix the ingredients, add salt.
3. You can add other seasonings.

Abkhazian adjika

For this option, take the following ingredients:

• bulb;
• garlic (2 pieces);
• cilantro;
• basil;
• 150 grams of walnuts;
• Chile;
• khmeli-suneli;
• salt.

Finely chop the onion, garlic, basil and cilantro. Chop walnuts and add seasonings. Then all the ingredients are mixed. If the mixture comes out dry, add water.

With horseradish

You will need the following ingredients:

• 2 kilograms of tomatoes;
• kilogram of bell pepper;
• fresh horseradish root;
• ground pepper;
• a glass of 9% vinegar;
• the same amount of salt.

Chop the vegetables, add black pepper, followed by chopped horseradish, salt and vinegar. Stir, cover with film, drain the liquid after a few hours.

Spicy adjika

This option is not so spicy due to the following set of ingredients:

• 3 kilograms of tomatoes;
• 10 pieces of bell pepper;
• kilogram of carrots;
• a glass of quality olive oil;
• 150 milliliters of vinegar;
• the same number of grams of sugar;
• 30 grams of salt;
• 12 green apples.

Pass all the vegetables and apples through a meat grinder, then bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat, cook, stirring, for 50 minutes, add the remaining ingredients and cook for another 10 minutes.

With carrots and onions

Another simple recipe. Ingredients:

• half a kilogram of sweet pepper;
• the same amount of carrots;
• 2.5 kilograms of tomatoes;
• 3 hot peppers;
• 0.3 kilograms of onions
• Glass of salt
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 250 milliliters of vegetable oil.

Chop all ingredients and grind in a blender, grate the onion. Stir and keep on fire for half an hour. Add salt, sugar, simmer over low heat for an hour or 2.5 hours (for preservation). Also add vinegar for storage.

How and how long can you store

Adjika should be kept refrigerated, especially if it is made from raw vegetables.However, in jars hermetically sealed with tin lids, it does not spoil even at room temperature.

Under such conditions, the dish retains its quality all winter.