Classic Tbilisi salad with beef
Origin of the recipe
Tbilisi salad is a classic of Soviet cuisine. It has had many different names—"Sun of Tbilisi," "Old Tbilisi," and "Tiflis." But the main ingredients have always been the same: beans, beef, onions, peppers, walnuts, and Georgian spices. It's a very filling and delicious salad with the inimitable aroma of a sunny mountainous country.
What do you need for cooking?
Ingredients
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Boiled beef
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Canned beans
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Red onion
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Sweet pepper
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Chili pepper
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Garlic
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Walnuts
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Fresh cilantro
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Ground black pepper
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Khmeli-suneli
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Olive oil
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Apple cider vinegar
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Water
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Salt
Kitchen utensils
- Knife
- Board
- A saucepan with a lid
- Skimmer
- Mortar and pestle
Step-by-step recipe
Step 1:
Place the beef in a saucepan and add water until completely covered.
Step 2:
Bring the water in the pot with the beef to a boil.
Step 3:
Remove any scale that has formed in the pan.
Step 4:
Cover the pan with a lid, leaving a gap for air to escape, and cook the beef for 1 hour, until done.
Step 5:
Cut the red pepper into small strips, removing the white pith, and place the peppers in a bowl.
Step 6:
Finely chop the garlic and add to the pepper.
Step 7:
Chop the chili to taste and add to the bowl.
Step 8:
Cut the boiled beef into thin strips.
Step 9:
Grind the walnuts in a mortar.
Step 10:
Add nuts and beans to a bowl.
Step 11:
Cut the onion into thin half rings.
Step 12:
Place the onion in a small bowl, add 2 tablespoons vinegar and water.
Step 13:
Leave the onions to marinate for 10 minutes.
Step 14:
Squeeze the onion to remove any liquid and add it to the salad.
Step 15:
Add salt, black pepper, hops-suneli, 1 tablespoon of vinegar, olive oil to the salad and mix.
Step 16:
Add cilantro to the salad and mix.
Cooking tips
When boiling beef, you can skip skimming the scum and simply drain the water, rinse the pot, and then return the beef to a boil. This will keep the water cleaner and reduce the amount of impurities in the meat.
Slice the beef along the grain, not across it. This will prevent the strips from falling apart and will make them easier to cut. It's also a good idea to let the beef cool before slicing; this will make the meat a little firmer and prevent burning your hands.
