Walnut grass - seasoning from Dagestan

2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14

Nutgrass is a dried herb called "blue fenugreek". This herb has a rich, spicy, nutty flavor.

Nut grass is a national ingredient of Dagestan cuisine. Greens are added to dishes such as puff khinkal, chudu and flat cakes. In addition, seasoning emphasizes the taste of meat dishes and vegetable stews.

The eternal dispute of "two herbs"

Walnut grass from Dagestan - a seasoning that is often used in the preparation of national Caucasian dishes. It is widely used in Dagestan, the spice is added to various dishes. From the name of the product it is clear that the herb has a rich flavor of nuts.

Many researchers and botanists visiting the Caucasus, including Dagestan, wonder about the origin of grass. Market traders answer the lively questions of tourists like this: "It's just walnut grass, what difference does it make where it grows!". But the researchers do not think to give up: they are interested in the question of which herb is walnut - round succulent or blue fenugreek? Only one thing is clear, the peoples living on the territory of Dagestan call different herbs nut greens, and not just one.

But most often in everyday life people use blue fenugreek or shamballa. Grass is harvested and dried in the shade. The sun's rays discolor the leaves, and the plant loses its taste properties. Rubbing the herb intensifies the nutty smell.

The stalls of Dagestan markets are full of various spices and seasonings, so having mastered them, you can safely experiment with the most mysterious spice of the Caucasus - walnut grass.

Multinational seasoning

Blue fenugreek or Shamballa is an annual, spicy aromatic plant belonging to the legume family. In different countries, medicinal herbs are called differently. The plant is considered to be a deposit in India, where it is especially popular.

Inhabitants of Germany called the walnut grass fenugreek, which means "goat horn" in German. It is easy to explain this name: it's all about the appearance of the grass - curved stems and leaves that look like pods. In Russia, the grass is called fenugreek, from the word "pazhit", which means pasture for cattle grazing.

Dried greens have a sharp, sweetish and slightly bitter taste, a strong specific smell. Weed must be used with care.

Dried fenugreek adds a nutty flavor to dishes and pairs well with meats and vegetables. If nuts should be present in the dish, then they can easily be replaced with fenugreek.

Walnut grass is not used in Russian cuisine, but it is popular in the former national republics: Armenia, Georgia, Dagestan.

In Yemen, the main ingredient in the national dish is preciselywalnut grass. Seasoning from Dagestan and India is used in the preparation of dishes from different countries and peoples.

Useful properties of fenugreek

The leaves of this plant are a source of iron, protein and vitamins C and A.

Due to its high protein content, fenugreek is popular among vegetarians. Residents of the Middle and Far East often use walnut grass because of their addiction to vegetarian food.

After harvesting, only the stems and leaves of the grass are dried. Dry greens are used to make a Georgian condiment called suneli hops.

Nut grass - Caucasian ingredient

Often nut grass is an important ingredient in Dagestan dishes. Photos of the components of various dishes prove this. In Dagestan, puff khinkal and miracle pie are traditional, which have a distinctive taste due to the greenery of fenugreek. As mentioned above, fenugreek stems and leaves are most often used, but there are dishes for cooking that require plant seeds. Crushed seeds are served as a seasoning for ready meals.

Dagestan khinkal with spices

Puff khinkal is a national dish in Dagestan. To prepare it, you will need the following ingredients:

For the test:

• 280 grams of flour;
• 250 ml warm water;
• 1 bag of yeast (small);
• 10 grams of sugar;
• 15 grams of s alt;
• a little vegetable oil.

For the broth:

• 1.5 kg lamb;
• 4-5potatoes;
• 1 bow;
• walnut grass and s alt.

The meat is thoroughly washed and then placed in a pan. It is not necessary to cook lamb, you can take chicken or beef. Water is added to the pot. After boiling, reduce the heat and s alt the broth.

Pour flour into a bowl, add sugar, yeast and s alt. Add water and gradually mix all the ingredients. Leave the dough warm for half an hour.

Next, the dough is divided into 3 equal parts, each of which is then rolled out. The test plate must be greased with oil and sprinkled with walnut grass. A roll is formed from the plate, which is cut into small portions.

Potatoes are sent to the meat broth. Remove the foam from the broth as needed.

Each khinkal is cooked separately for half an hour in meat broth. The finished dish is served on a large plate.

Nut grass cakes

Yeast, flour, water, s alt, vegetable oil and dried fenugreek are used as the main ingredients for Dargin flatbread.

First you need to knead the dough and leave it in a warm place for an hour and a half. Then the dough is rolled out for a long time on a large board. As a result, it will become soft and elastic. The dough plates are sprinkled with walnut grass and brushed with butter.

On a test basis, draw a circle in the center, similar to the sun, this can be done with your finger. Next, we create patches of rays by twisting. Everyonedoskutik is laid around the sun. Place the cakes in an oven preheated to 150 degrees for 40 minutes.

Thanks to the nut grass, the cakes are especially fragrant.

Fenugreek chanakh recipe

Chanakhi - aromatic meat dish. With proper preparation, the finished dish looks appetizing and attractive. Chanakhs are prepared from available products. In addition, dried fenugreek greens add an unsurpassed flavor to the dish. Often, housewives have a question about how to replace walnut grass, if there is none. It should be noted that this ingredient is unique and required.

To prepare canahs, you must have the following products: half a kilogram of meat, 5 pcs. potatoes, onions, 2 eggplants, 1 cup tomato juice, black pepper, s alt, 4 garlic cloves, 4 tomatoes and nut grass.

1. The eggplant is cut into small cubes.
2. Pieces are s alted and left for half an hour.
3. Then the eggplant is washed with water.
4. Meat, tomatoes and potatoes are diced.
5. The meat is laid out on the bottom of the pot, potatoes, eggplants, onions, tomatoes are placed on top. The layers must be s alted and peppered.
6. Water is added to the pots to the top layer of food.
7. Chanakhs are stewed in the oven at 180 degrees. 10 minutes before the dish is ready, sprinkle with walnut grass and finely chopped garlic.

After cooking, the dish can be sprinkled with herbs.

Medical benefits of the herb

Walnut grass in many countries is consideredmedical. In the Caucasus, this plant is widely used for medicinal purposes, as it helps to get rid of many diseases, as well as strengthen the immune system.

Fenugreek, as well as satiety, help relieve the symptoms of many women's diseases, plants reduce pain during the menstrual cycle. In addition, walnut grass has a good effect on reproductive function, normalizing the cycle.

The plant restores and improves metabolism, so in the republics of the North Caucasus it is used as a spice in national dishes. Walnut grass strengthens the walls of the intestines, helps the stomach digest food faster.