Spinach and walnut OR beetroot and walnut pate. I have to say that right at the outset, because both options are equally delicious. I first tried Pkali in a Gerogian restaurant in Kazakhstan where both spinach and beetroot pkhali were served. It was packed into little serving dishes and garnished with pomegranate grains. A few years later, when Sveta and I spent a while in the Caucasus, we encountered pkhali on several occasions and it was usually the spinach type. It was usually rolled into balls too, which I think is a nicer way to present it. Also, if you make both the spinach and beetroot versions on the same day and then arrange the balls alternately on a platter, with pomegranate grains on top, you'll have created a fantastic multi-coloured creation to grace your table. This wouldn't be a difficult thing to do as the recipe only takes fifteen minutes or so to do once the vegetables are cooked (although beetroot does take a while to cook) and Pkali of either type will keep for days in the fridge and taste better for it.
You can find out more about cooking beetroot by following the link in the list of ingredients below. It is a little time consuming, but not difficult at all. Cooking spinach is both quick and easy; just wash it, chop it roughly and jam into a pot with a tight fitting lid. Steam on a meduim heat for about four minutes. There's no need to add water - the water adhering to the leaves after washing will be enough. When the cooked spinach is cool, squeeze any excess water out before using it for making pkhali. Don't throw the liquid away - it's full of vitamins. You can use it as stock for soup or stews or simply drink it (though it doesn't taste very good on it's own).
Like many traditional Georgian recipes, this one works best if you have a pestle and mortar to pound the ingredients.
IngredientsGrind the coriander seed and peppercorns first, then add the garlic and grind it, too. Roughly chop the herbs if they are fresh and add them to the mix. If you're using dried herbs, just throw in a few pinches. Pound a little more then add the walnuts and really go to work in earnest. Pound everything until a stiff paste begins to form. This whole process will only take about ten minutes altogether, but it will require a bit of elbow. It will be easier for those who play tennis.
When you have the paste, you're almost there. Add the paste to the spinach or betroot, along with a little salt and mash everything roughly with a fork. Take small handfulls of the mixture and form into balls, making a little indentation in each. Lay the balls on a plate with the indentations facing upward and top with a few pomegranate grains.
Pkali is great served alongside a buch of other traditional Georgian veggie dishes. Here are a few ideas: Georgian red beans, beans with spinach and pomegranate, green beans and walnut salad, aubergines stuffed with walnuts and stuffed cabbage leaves.