Georgian Atsetsili salad with sesame oil

Atsetsili salad is one of the many culinary gems of Georgian cuisine. Its name literally translates as «torn», because the ingredients for this salad should not be cut into neat pieces, but rather torn into chunks or slices. This spicy, aromatic, incredibly delicious and nutritious dish is rich in easily digestible plant-based protein, dietary fiber, vitamins and minerals.

Traditionally, Atsetsili is prepared with sesame oil, which not only gives the salad a pleasant nutty aftertaste but also enhances its nutritional value. Sesame oil contains sesamin and sesamol — antioxidants that help protect the human body from free radicals and may help reduce inflammatory processes. In addition, sesame oil is rich in calcium and potassium — minerals that play an important role in maintaining healthy bones and cartilage, hair, nails and tooth enamel. It also contains unsaturated omega-6 and omega-9 fatty acids, which are involved in lipid metabolism and may help reduce levels of «bad» cholesterol in the blood.

CraftOil offers a large and regularly updated range of products. Our catalog always features fresh, aromatic and flavorful sesame oil, pressed on our own branded presses on the day your order is placed. We make it from environmentally friendly sesame seeds, both black and white, immediately bottle it in glass containers, vacuum-seal it to prevent oxidation, securely close each bottle and promptly ship orders throughout Ukraine and worldwide.

We guarantee premium-quality products and 100% natural ingredients in this and all of our other oils.

Ingredients

For 2 servings of spicy Atsetsili salad:

• 1 garlic clove;
• ½ teaspoon salt;
• ½ teaspoon 9% vinegar;
• 1 chili pepper;
• 1 bell pepper;
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil;
• ½ onion;
• 2 walnut kernels;
• 1 eggplant;
• ½ chicken fillet;
• 50 g adjika;

Step-by-step preparation

Cut the chicken fillet into 4 pieces. Set two pieces aside. Thoroughly rinse the remaining two pieces, boil them until fully cooked, and allow them to cool. Once cooled, tear the chicken into small pieces.

Next, prepare the vegetables. Peel and rinse the garlic and onion. Cut the onion in half, then slice one half into thin half-rings. Press the garlic through a garlic press or finely chop it.

Lightly crush the walnuts in a mortar.

Wash the chili pepper, bell pepper and eggplant and pat them dry with a clean kitchen towel. Roast the vegetables in the oven for 15–20 minutes at 170°C (338°F).

Once the vegetables have cooled, tear the eggplant into medium-sized pieces. Remove the seeds and stems from the bell pepper and chili pepper, then tear them into several pieces as well.

Finally, assemble the salad. Combine the chicken, vegetables, walnuts and adjika in a bowl. Season with salt and dress with vinegar and sesame oil.

When serving, Atsetsili can be garnished with finely chopped fresh cilantro and pomegranate seeds.

Notes:

For an especially spicy and aromatic version of this salad, you can replace regular salt with garlic salt.

Garlic salt, walnuts and an excellent selection of spices are always available in the CraftOil online store.