Phali is an old Georgian cuisine dish. Usually it is served as a snack, less often - as a side dish. Very tasty and original phali from spinach in Georgian is obtained. This dish is, among other things, also useful and budget.

The story of the appearance of dishes in Georgian cuisine

On the menu of any catering establishments in Georgia you can meet such a treat. It is served both in small street shops with local fast food, and in expensive prestigious restaurants. You can also try phali in Russian cafes that specialize in preparing Georgian dishes.

The history of refreshments begins several centuries ago in Adjara. In the first version of the dish, the base was ordinary white cabbage. The remaining ingredients were also vegetable. But reaching today, the recipe is very much transformed. Now in restaurants you can find phali options even with meat and cereals as the main components.

The second name of the traditional treat is “mkhali”. It appeared at a time when the recipe began to be actively distributed in Russia.

It was believed that the new version is more harmonious for our perception. Today, one can meet the dish under discussion with both the first and second names.

It is extremely rare that phali is served as a main course. For example, vegetarians or fasting people can eat it for lunch. More often, such a treat is served as an appetizer or an addition to the main dishes. It can be combined with meat or fish, and Georgians love to serve phali to freshly prepared barbecue. The dish goes well with alcoholic drinks of different strengths.

To date, the main feature of this treat is the variability.Culinary experts can not take into account the classic initial version of the dish, but prepare it literally from everything that is in store with the hostess and will suit the structure.

Georgian spinach phali - classic recipe

Ingredients:

  • fresh spinach - 330 - 350 g;
  • peeled walnuts - 70 g (kernels only);
  • cilantro (fresh) - 1 medium bunch;
  • garlic - 2 to 3 cloves;
  • wine vinegar - 1/2 tsp;
  • hops-suneli - ¼ teaspoon;
  • chopped coriander - ¼ teaspoon;
  • red pepper and salt.

Cooking:

  1. Rinse the spinach thoroughly from sand and other contaminants. Immediately after this, pour it with boiling water and leave it in this form for 1 minute, no more.
  2. After scalding, transfer the greens to a colander. Squeeze lightly to remove excess fluid.
  3. In the bowl of a blender or other kitchen "assistant" put washed and dried cilantro. Pour pieces of garlic and nuts there. Interrupt everything at high speed.
  4. Add spinach. Process everything in a blender again until smooth. It is very important that there are no pieces of spinach left in the mass, otherwise the structure of the snack will be spoiled. To do this, you need to arm yourself with a powerful kitchen appliance.
  5. Add vinegar, spices, salt to the mass.
  6. From the mixture thoroughly mixed with your hands, form small balls.

Serve appetizer with pomegranate sauce. You can pre-wrap it in fresh pita bread or lay it in a not completely cut pita.

Frozen Spinach

Ingredients:

  • frozen spinach in briquettes - 850 - 870 g;
  • onions - 300 - 320 g;
  • peeled walnuts - 130 - 150 g;
  • sunflower oil - 70 ml;
  • butter - 60 g;
  • cilantro (fresh) - 40 g;
  • parsley (leaflets only) - 60 g;
  • garlic - 30 g;
  • red wine vinegar - 1 dess. a spoon;
  • sugar - teaspoon;
  • salt, suneli hops, paprika, coriander.

Cooking:

  1. In a pan, mix two types of oil. Warm well.
  2. Put unfrozen spinach in a bowl. If it is sheet, then the product must be finely chopped beforehand. Fry greens for about 10 to 12 minutes until cooked.
  3. Cool the mass. Squeeze out excess moisture with fat through a sieve.
  4. In a separate dry frying pan for 3 to 4 minutes with frequent stirring, fry chopped kernels of nuts.
  5. After cooling, grind them as much as possible using a special blender nozzle.
  6. Chop the onion finely and fry until golden brown on any fat.
  7. Mix all prepared ingredients except nuts. Add to them the remaining greens, salt, spices, vinegar, sugar. To kill everything with a blender or grind with the help of another kitchen "assistant".
  8. Combine the resulting composition with nuts. If the mass is dry, you can pour a little melted butter into it.
  9. Mix well and leave for half an hour in the cold.
  10. Then, mold from the mass of miniature balls.

Garnish a dish of frozen spinach with pomegranate seeds.

With beetroot

Ingredients:

  • leaflets of young spinach - 230 - 250 g;
  • walnuts (peeled kernels) - 60 g;
  • beets - 1 large;
  • a mixture of Georgian spices - 2 pinches;
  • garlic - 1 clove;
  • cilantro - 100 g;
  • wine vinegar (dark) - ½ teaspoon;
  • salt.

Cooking:

  1. There are several options for cooking phali with the addition of beets. The easiest way to do this is to first bake the root crop in the foil inside the oven until soft.
  2. Cook the spinach leaves for 3 to 4 minutes. Cool and squeeze out excess liquid. Pass boiled greens through a meat grinder.
  3. Rubbed boiled beets very finely.
  4. Separately, beat the cilantro with a blender with nuts, garlic, salt and all spices.
  5. Mix all prepared ingredients. Add vinegar to them. Top up if necessary.
  6. Make balls from the mass.

Cool the appetizer and garnish with parsley.

Calorie content of the presented recipes

The calorie content of the classic version of the snack is up to 134 kcal per 100 g. It will vary depending on the additives used in the recipe.So, the version of frozen greens has the following calorie content - 162 kcal per 100 g (due to butter), and with beets - no more than 135 kcal per 100 g

Tips and Tips

In order for the appetizer balls to be well-dazzled, all its ingredients must be very carefully interrupted with a blender or passed through a meat grinder. Large pieces of spinach leaves will make the finished mass falling apart.

It is interesting:spinach - outdoor cultivation and care

With greens, it is always worth cutting exclusively leaves, and throwing away the dense stems.

Walnuts must be very carefully cleaned. Even the smallest piece of hard shells can spoil the whole impression of the dish.

Phali based on fresh or frozen spinach is a great snack option for your diet. It will complement boiled chicken breast or other low-calorie dishes. You can create spectacular decorations for the main hot treats for the New Year's phali table. For example, lay out “balls” from them on a “Christmas tree” from meat pieces.

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