Georgia
SEASONINGS
Georgian food tastes sour and savory first, then nutty and herbal, with warmth. Flavors are built around contrast between richness and acidity. Sourness is very important; it is created with sour plums, pomegranate juice, grape verjuice, and small amounts of vinegar. Fruit acidity sharpens meats and walnut sauces and often replaces the role that citrus or dairy plays in other cuisines.
Walnuts are a structural element, ground into sauces satsivi and bazhe, used to thicken stews, and mixed into fillings. Walnuts add fat, bitterness, and body without cream or butter.
Fresh herbs define much of the aroma. Fresh cilantro is the most important, used both as leaves and seeds. Dill, parsley, summer savory and especially fresh tarragon are used generously. Many dishes combine dried and fresh herbs in a single dish. Garlic is used confidently but in balance, rarely sharp.
Georgians use coriander seed, fenugreek, marigold petals, and black pepper a lot. Chili exists, but does not define the cuisine. Blue fenugreek is much more prominent than in neighbouring cuisines. It belongs to the same family as the fenugreek, but has a milder, sweeter flavour reminiscent of autumn leaves. Also, the marigold flower is quite distinctive, called the Imeretian Saffron. Georgians use the dried and ground petals to give an earthy flavour and bright yellow colour to walnut dishes and sauces.
Many spices are dried and ground together rather than added separately, thus there are unique Geogrian mixes:
KHMELI SUNELI – a distinct blend, which combines coriander, fenugreek, blue fenugreek, marigold, bay leaf, summer savory, celery seed, dried basil, dill, parsley, and mint. There is no fixed recipe for khmeli suneli, like Indian masala.
SVANETIAN SALT is a popular mix; the recipe originates in Svaneti, but nowadays it can be bought virtually everywhere and is a practical souvenir. Salt contains a mixture of sea salt, dried garlic, fenugreek, coriander, cumin, chili pepper, dill, and several other herbs.
AJIKA – a spicy and subtly flavored condiment made with hot peppers, garlic, coriander, tomato, fenugreek, marigold, and salt. It is a part of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Georgia. It comes in red and green varieties, with red being the hotter option. Red ajika exists in two variants – dry and wet. Dry is a seasoning mix used on raw meat, while the wet one has the consistency of a thicker mustard and is used to highlight the already roasted meat.
TKEMALI – Georgian sauce made of cherry and red-leaf plums. The flavour of this sauce varies, but it’s generally pungently tart. Alongside plums, garlic, cumin, coriander, dill, chili pepper, pennyrile and salt are used. Tkemali is used for fried or grilled meat, poultry and potato dishes, and has a place in Georgian cuisine similar to the one ketchup has in the United States.
BAZHE – rich and creamy sauce of ground walnuts, coriander, fenugreek, blue fenugreek, marigold petals and sometimes onions and garlic. The unique texture comes from the way the walnuts are processed and emulsified with water or other liquids. A touch of vinegar or pomegranate juice is often added to balance brightness. It can be served as a dip for vegetables or bread or poured over grilled meats or fish.
SATSIVI – is a thicker, more luxurious sauce compared to bazhe. It’s made with ground walnuts, coriander, fenugreek, blue fenugreek, sometimes cinnamon or cloves. Satsivi can be served hot or cold and is a classic accompaniment to poultry dishes, especially chicken or turkey.
Tunisia
SEASONINGS
Tunisian cooking leans heavily on robust spices. Compared to other North African cuisines, Tunisian food is spicier with chili paste, harissa, at the heart of cooking. Harissa is made from Tunisian baklouti chili peppers (1-5k SHU), garlic, cumin, coriander, caraway, lemon, salt, and olive oil. This condiment can be used as a sauce, rub, or marinade, and is sometimes called ”the new sriracha” for its growing popularity. Tunisia is the biggest exporter of prepared harissa and UNESCO lists it as part of Tunisia’s Intangible Cultural Heritage.
The next step is to balance heat and aromatics, combining hotter elements with warm cinnamon, fresh mint, and coriander; tangy preserved lemons. Saffron in Tunisian cuisine is used more subtly than in neighboring cuisines. Caraway is more important than in other Mediterranean cuisines. Olive oil is used liberally; it’s sometimes infused with spices. In stews, cooks frequently use raisins, apricots, prunes, almonds, pine nuts, and other nuts to create a sweet-savory contrast.
TABIL is a distinctly Tunisian seasoning, a fragrant mix of ground coriander, cumin, caraway, and black pepper. Variations also add dried garlic, chili powder, black pepper, bay leaves, ginger powder, dried mint, and salt. Earthy, tangy coriander is essential in this mix. Used to marinate meats, roasted vegetables, features ojja, usban, pastas.
QÂLAT DAQQA or TUNISIAN FIVE-SPICE – includes cinnamon, cloves, caraway, grains of paradise, and black pepper. Used for meats, marinades, pumpkin, or eggplant dishes.
RAS EL HANOUT – a complex blend of spices that reaches even 80 ingredients. It starts with cumin, coriander, cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg, turmeric, ginger at its core.
BAHARAT in Tunisia refers to a simple mixture of dried rosebuds and ground cinnamon, often combined with black pepper.
SAUCES
HARRISA – signature heat, depth, and smoky warmth found across many Tunisian dishes: dried chilies (especially baklouti pepper), garlic, coriander seeds, caraway, cumin, olive oil.
KAMMOUNIYA – cumin-based paste is primarily used in liver stews to add warm, earthy notes.
CHERMOULA is a marinade and sauce often used with fish, combining herbs like cilantro and parsley with garlic, cumin, coriander, and lemon juice.
