Chanakhi (Čenakai)

Sources: zinaukaip.lt, delfi.lt, myrecipe.ge, livemaster.ge

A juicy traditional Sakartvelian lamb stew with tomatoes, aubergines, potatoes, greens, and garlic.

Chanakhi are normally prepared on clay pots. A clay pot normally holds one ration worth of food. If you do not posses such a pot, it can be substituted with a dutch oven.

There are several accepted methods of preparing this dish that can be classified into two broad categories: one pre-fries all ingredients and then later assembles into a clay pot, the other assembles everything into a clay pot and then lets all ingredient get prepared in the oven. Additionally, one may choose to marinade the meet prior to cooking.

In this recipe we will focus on a simpler method, where we assemble all the ingredients to a pot and prepare it fully in the oven.

Ingredients

• 150 g lamb (ideally fatty, can be replaced with veal, or worst case pork neck, and finally chicken thighs), cut in small cubes
  
• 200 g eggplant (1/3 to 1/2 of an eggplant), sliced along the long side, salted and then drained
• 2 potatoes, sliced along the long side into 4-6 pieces
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 3 green onion leaves
• 2 cloves of garlic, cut in 4 pieces each
• 3 tbsp chopped parsley
• 1/4 tsp of grounded cumin (Kreuzkümmel, зира)
• 3 tsp Provencal herbs (thyme, oregano, rosemary)
• Salt and pepper
• 2 tbsp of olive oil

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 210 degrees.
   
2. Apply the oil to the clay pot.
3. Arrange the eggplant slices on the sides.
4. Place the meat at the bottom of the dish in the center of the eggplant circle. Season with salt, pepper, and cumin.
5. Place a layer of the potatoes on top of the meat.
6. Then place the cloves of garlic.
7. Then place tomatoes.
8. Season with salt, pepper, onion, and herbs.
   
9. Put the pot to the oven. For 2-3 h.