Crispy-edged Georgian cornbread cakes, pan-fried in lard or oil — the everyday bread of western Georgia, served with beans, cheese or stew.
Mchadi is the cornbread of western Georgia: a simple flatbread of coarse cornmeal, water and salt, shaped into oval cakes and pan-fried until the outside is crisp and golden and the inside is dense and slightly chewy. It's the daily bread of Imereti and Samegrelo, paired with lobio beans, sulguni cheese or stews. Simple but indispensable.
Serves 4
Place cornmeal and salt in a bowl. Pour in boiling water gradually, mixing with a wooden spoon. The hot water gelatinises some starch and binds the cornmeal.
Once cool enough to handle, knead briefly into a stiff dough. Add a tablespoon of cold water if too dry.
Divide into 6 portions. Wet hands with cold water and shape each into an oval pad about 10 × 6 cm and 1.5 cm thick.
Heat oil in a heavy frying pan or cast iron skillet over medium heat. Place mchadi in pan. Cover with a lid and fry 5 minutes.
Uncover. Flip and fry 5 more minutes uncovered until both sides have a deep golden crust.
Serve immediately while hot, with lobio beans, slices of sulguni cheese, or any Georgian stew.
The covered/uncovered fry creates the perfect crust + tender centre.
Eat with cold beans or hot melted cheese for the full Georgian experience.
Chvishtari: knead 100g grated sulguni or feta into the dough — cheese-stuffed mchadi
Add 1 tsp baking powder for a slightly lighter texture (not traditional)
Bake at 220°C for 25 min instead of frying
Best fresh — they stale quickly. Reheat dry-fry for 1 minute per side.
Mchadi predates wheat bread in western Georgia, where corn arrived from the Americas in the 17th century and quickly became the staple grain. It is mentioned in Georgian folk poetry as the food of mountain shepherds and farmers, alongside cheese and beans.
Use fine cornmeal, not polenta or grits. Too coarse and the dough won't bind.
Cornmeal needs hot water to bind without gluten. Cold water dough crumbles.
Per serving · 4 servings total
Ask our AI cooking assistant anything about this recipe — substitutions, techniques, scaling.
Chat with AI Chef →Join the conversation
Sign in to leave a comment and save your favourite recipes