Georgian Eggplant Rolls
Everything rests on the walnut paste. The nuts must be fresh and ground to a damp crumb so they release their own oil, because that oil is what binds the paste; water and vinegar only bring it to the right thickness. Do not serve these fridge-cold — the flavour opens up at room temperature.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Rest
- 30 min
- Total
- 1 h 20 min
- Servings
- 4
- Level
- Medium
- Per serving
- 340 kcal
Ingredients
Eggplant
Walnut paste
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What to use instead
Without utskho suneli, add another half spoon of ground coriander and a pinch of ground fennel seed. Different, but still balanced.
To serve
Makes: 8 rolls, 4 servings
Shopping list
The ingredients for the servings you chose — copy them or send them to a messenger. Tick what you already have at home: only the rest goes on the list.
Method
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Step 1: Slice and salt
Cut the eggplant lengthways into 5–7 mm slices, salt them and leave for 20–30 minutes. Salt draws out moisture and the slices then soak up noticeably less oil.
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Step 2: Dry them off
Blot the beads of liquid with paper towel and dry each slice well. Surface moisture stops eggplant from browning and steams it instead.
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Step 3: Fry
In a hot pan with the oil, fry the slices 2–3 minutes per side until soft and blotched with gold. Drain them on a rack, not a plate, or the undersides go soggy.
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Step 4: Grind the walnuts
Pulse the walnuts in a blender to a damp crumb, until oil starts to glisten on the sides of the bowl. This is the crucial moment: walnut oil is what makes the paste creamy.
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Step 5: Finish the paste
Add garlic, spices, half the coriander, salt and vinegar, then work in the cold water a little at a time until the paste has the body of thick sour cream and holds on a spoon.
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Step 6: Roll them up
Put a heaped teaspoon of paste near the wide end of each slice and roll it up tightly. Set the rolls seam side down.
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Step 7: Let them stand
Leave at room temperature for at least 15 minutes so the garlic and spices spread. Scatter with pomegranate seeds and the remaining coriander just before serving.
Tips & variations
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Tip
The walnuts have to be fresh: rancid ones ruin the dish and no amount of spice hides it. Taste before you grind.
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Swap
Without utskho suneli, add another half spoon of ground coriander and a pinch of ground fennel seed. Different, but still balanced.
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Variation
Spread the same paste on fried eggplant rounds like little open sandwiches — quicker, and easier to hand round at a party.
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Storage
Up to 2 days covered in the fridge. Take them out 30 minutes before serving; cold walnut paste tastes shut down.
Nutrition
| 1 serving | Whole dish 4 servings | |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 340 kcal | 1,360 kcal |
| Protein | 8 g | 32 g |
| Fat | 27 g | 108 g |
| Carbohydrates | 15 g | 60 g |
Approximate values calculated from standard ingredient data.
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