Crisp cornmeal pancakes in the style of Georgian mchadi, pan-fried in butter and served with tangy sour cream.
Mchadi are the everyday cornbread pancakes of western Georgia (Samegrelo and Imereti), traditionally cooked on a flat clay griddle called a ketsi and eaten alongside sulguni cheese or beans. This version keeps the coarse cornmeal texture that makes mchadi distinct from smoother American cornbread β the batter should be thick enough to hold its shape when patted into a disc by hand, not poured. A touch of lime and toasted walnuts nods to Georgian sauces like bazhe, which lean on walnut and citrus for brightness, though the pancakes themselves stay simple and rustic. Frying in butter rather than neutral oil gives the crust a rounder, nuttier flavor that plain cornmeal needs. Served warm with sour cream or a wedge of salty cheese melted over the top, these pancakes work as breakfast, a side for stewed beans (lobio), or a quick snack with tea β a genuinely everyday dish in Georgian households rather than a special-occasion one.
Serves 4
Whisk cornmeal, flour and salt together. Stir in warm water gradually until you have a thick, sticky dough that holds together when pressed.
The dough should be much stiffer than pancake batter β closer to a thick porridge.
Let the dough rest 10 minutes so the cornmeal fully hydrates and softens.
With wet hands, form the dough into 4-6 flat discs about 1.5 cm thick.
Melt butter in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Fry the discs 4-5 minutes per side until deeply golden and crisp at the edges.
In the last minute of cooking, lay a cheese slice on top of each pancake and cover the pan briefly so it softens.
Sprinkle with toasted walnuts and a little lime zest, and serve hot with sour cream on the side.
Use fine or medium-grind cornmeal, not coarse polenta grits β it needs to bind into a dough you can shape by hand.
If the dough cracks when shaping, your water was too cool; add a tablespoon more warm water and knead briefly.
Real sulguni cheese (if you can find it at an Eastern European grocer) melts stretchier than mozzarella and is worth seeking out.
Traditional version skips the lime and walnuts entirely and is simply cornmeal, water, salt and butter.
Add a tablespoon of grated cheese directly into the dough before shaping for a richer crumb.
Serve alongside lobio (Georgian bean stew) instead of sour cream for a heartier meal.
Best eaten fresh and hot. Leftovers keep refrigerated up to 2 days; reheat in a dry skillet to re-crisp rather than microwaving, which makes them soggy.
Mchadi is a staple of western Georgian cuisine, particularly in Samegrelo and Imereti, where corn replaced wheat as the dominant grain centuries ago due to the region's climate. It is traditionally cooked on a ketsi, a flat unglazed clay dish set directly over fire.
Yes β traditional mchadi is naturally gluten-free if you use a gluten-free flour blend or omit the wheat flour and use slightly more cornmeal and water instead.
A mix of mozzarella and a little feta gets you close to sulguni's salty, stretchy character β use low-moisture mozzarella so it doesn't make the pancake soggy.
The dough was too wet or the pan wasn't hot enough to form a crust first. Let it fry undisturbed for the full 4 minutes before attempting to flip.
Per serving (180g / 6.3 oz) Β· 4 servings total
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