Chakapuli – Stewed Lamb with Tarragon

Traditionally, the key ingredients of Chakapuli are lamb and tarragon. The literal meaning of the name is the meat and greens boiled in its juice without removing the froth. The dish originates from Kakheti (East Georgia), as the lamb is very popular there.

Chakapuli is a spring dish. In Spring, apart from the lambs, you can find fresh, natural tarragon and unripe cherry plums everywhere. As for me, I enjoy this dish during this season, others eat it during other seasons as well.

My father took me to the famous Telavi market to buy fresh lamb. Telavi market is a very diverse gourmet market in Kakheti. If you visit Kakheti you should definitely visit this market, especially in springtime. It is marvelous. You will enjoy a variety of fresh food products as well as local people. I enjoyed photographing the venue, bringing colorful photos with. After a desperate search of the desired parts of lamb in Telavi Market, my father decided to buy a veal for making Chakapuli. It is better to have good parts of the veal, then bed parts of the lamb.

We finally arrived in our village – Anaga. Surprisingly, my father asked me to make Chakapuli. So, here is what I’ve made and what everyone liked there.

Certainly, you can use any other meat in this dish. However, keep in mind that generally it is made of lamb. When people are fasting in Georgia, they are making Chakapuli with mushrooms and tarragon. Though, I think that when the ingredients are dramatically replaced, the dish should be named otherwise, like “Mushrooms with tarragon”.

Enjoy your meal!

Recommendations:  

Due to the sourness of wine and tarragon, there is no need for salt, though you may add it to your taste.

Avoid to replace it with chicken, as it is lack of fat and is very dry for such juicy and sour dish.

Meat must be absolutely fresh, soft, and with a modest amount of fat.