Chakapuli

The story

Chakapuli is a Georgian main with a clear sense of place. Chakapuli is a celebrated Georgian spring dish traditionally associated with young lamb, fresh tarragon and tart green plums. It is especially linked with Easter and the brief season when these ingredients are abundant. The recipe below keeps the defining ingredients and technique intact while giving practical metric quantities and enough detail for a home cook to judge texture, seasoning and doneness rather than simply follow a timer.

Ingredients

• 800 g boneless lamb shouldercut into 4 cm pieces
• 180 g Spring onionsroughly chopped
• 80 g fresh tarragonleaves picked
• 60 g fresh corianderroughly chopped
• 40 g flat-leaf parsleyroughly chopped
• 200 g green plums or tkemali saucegreen plums halved, or 80 ml tkemali
• 300 ml dry white wine
• 250 ml water
• 2 piece green chillisplit
• 12 g Garlicsliced
• 1.5 tsp fine salt

Method

1. Place half the chopped spring onions and

   Place half the chopped spring onions and herbs in the bottom of a heavy casserole. Arrange the lamb over them, season lightly and cover with the remaining onions, herbs, plums, chilli and garlic.

   Tip: Do not fear the amount of herbs. Their volume collapses dramatically and defines the sauce. Avoid: Browning the meat changes the fresh character; timid quantities of tarragon make the dish generic; sweet ripe plums do not provide enough acidity.

2. Pour in the white wine and enough

   Pour in the white wine and enough water to come about halfway up the ingredients. Bring slowly to a simmer without browning the lamb first; chakapuli should stay green and aromatic rather than dark and roasted.

3. Cover and cook gently for 45 minutes,

   Cover and cook gently for 45 minutes, checking after 30 minutes that there is enough liquid to prevent catching. The herbs will collapse into the broth.

4. Uncover, stir carefully and simmer another 15–20

   Uncover, stir carefully and simmer another 15–20 minutes until the lamb is tender and the broth tastes distinctly sour-herbal. If using bottled tkemali rather than fresh plums, add most of it during this final stage.

   Look for: the lamb is tender and the broth tastes distinctly sour-herbal

5. Taste for salt and acidity

   Taste for salt and acidity. Add a little extra tkemali if the broth lacks the mouth-watering sourness that balances the lamb fat.

6. Rest for 10 minutes off the heat,

   Rest for 10 minutes off the heat, then serve in bowls with bread to soak up the green, winey broth.

   Look for: Lamb pulls apart with a spoon and the broth tastes bright, herbal and sour enough to make the next bite appetising.

Nutrition

per serving

Estimated from the listed ingredients and default serving size. Actual values vary with brands, trimming, absorption and cooking losses.