Vegan Travelling

Georgia (Sakartvelo), country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia

I am warmly recommended to visit Georgia. It is very beautiful place with old architecture, nature and very nice people that really believe in hospitality.

Young lady in Georgian costume:

Views of Sighnaghi:

Sugar cotton man:

One of the first things I met during my trip to Signaghi (one hour from Tbilisi) was this village café with the board outside that welcomes all the guests, including vegans:

The national Georgian cuisine includes a lot of vegan dishes with rich nutrition value. The dishes are spicy and even hot. Georgian dishes usually prepared with a lot of walnut, coriander, garlic, vinegar, red pepper, pomegranate grains, barberries and other spices.
The first dish you have to try is Lobio (kidney red bean) which is a must dish in every meal. Lobio usually prepared with garlic, onion, a handful of basil, mint, coriander and parsley. The general name for the combination of these spices is Khmeli Suneli. This herbs mixture is an ingredient of many traditional Georgian dishes and sauces.

Another culinary recommendation from Georgia is Badrijani Nigvzit. This is a dish with eggplants seasoned with ground walnuts, vinegar (or pomegranate juice), pomegranates and spices. You should also try eggplant rolls stuffed with ground walnuts, garlic, coriander and parsley, spiced with Khmeli Suneli and saffron.

Ispanakhi Pkhali (Spinach Salad) is also very testy vegan dish. Its ingredients are: spinach with ground walnut, garlic, dried coriander, chopped onion and paprika. You can also try another roll variation: the cabbage stuffed with the some traditional filling (garlic, coriander, onion – all spiced with Khmeli Suneli):
Vegan rolls with walnuts:

Finally, we need sweets! In Georgia, you can find few vegan deserts. I preferred a Churchkhela. It is a traditional sausage or roll, shaped madden of hazelnuts sewn onto a string, dipped in thickened fresh grape juice and dried in the shape of a sausage. The color of Churchkhela depends on color of the used grapes Churchkhela was and still daily favorite delicacy of people and necessary component of ancient soldiers’ ration.
Churchkhela:

As you can see, it is really easy to stay vegan in Georgia while having delicious dishes.

3 Responses to “Travelling to Georgia”