Georgian Badrijani Nigvzit (Eggplant Rolls with Walnut Paste)

About This Recipe

Georgian Badrijani Nigvzit is a real, traditional Georgian dish, known as Eggplant Rolls with Walnut Paste. Thin fried eggplant slices rolled around a garlicky ground walnut paste, garnished with pomegranate seeds, a beloved cold Georgian starter.\n\nBadrijani Nigvzit showcases Georgia's characteristic use of ground walnuts as a base for savory pastes, a technique found throughout the country's cuisine, here paired with fried eggplant for one of its most iconic cold appetizers.\n\nThe result is a dish worth making on its own merits: it rewards patience with the technique and delivers real, specific flavor rooted in Georgian home cooking, not a generic stand-in for a search term.

Ingredients

Serves 6

• 2eggplants(sliced lengthwise into thin strips)
• 1 tspfine sea salt(for salting eggplant)
• 300 mlneutral oil(for frying)
• 200 gground walnuts
• 4garlic cloves
• 2 tbspwhite wine vinegar
• 1 tspkhmeli suneli
• 0.5 tspchili flakes
• 100 mlwater
• 1 tspfine sea salt(for filling)
• 3 tbsppomegranate seeds(to garnish)

Instructions

1. 1

   Salt the eggplant

   Salt the sliced eggplant and let sit for 20 minutes to draw out bitterness, then pat dry thoroughly.

2. 2

   Fry the eggplant

   Fry the eggplant slices in oil until golden on both sides, about 3 minutes per side; drain on paper towels.

3. 3

   Make the walnut paste

   Blend ground walnuts, garlic, vinegar, khmeli suneli, chili flakes, water and salt into a smooth, thick paste.

4. 4

   Fill and roll

   Spread a spoonful of walnut paste onto each fried eggplant slice and roll up into a tight cylinder.

5. 5

   Chill

   Refrigerate the rolls for at least 30 minutes to firm up and let the flavors meld.

6. 6

   Serve

   Arrange the rolls on a platter, garnish generously with pomegranate seeds, and serve cold.

Variations

• •

  Add a bit of ground coriander to the walnut paste for extra warmth.

• •

  Some households use a food processor to make quick work of grinding the walnut paste smooth.

• •

  Serve as part of a larger Georgian supra (feast) spread alongside pkhali and khachapuri.

Storage

Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave with a splash of water or stock to loosen the texture.

Frequently Asked Questions