Tomatoes in Armenian: how to translate the culinary traditions of highlanders in domestic realities

Traditionally, preservation of pot-bellied vegetables in the Armenian style takes place without the use of vinegar, and the tomatoes are stuffed with stuffing from herbs and garlic. However, the recipe is “overgrown” with many variations: conventions are not always respected, but the workpiece is no less tasty.

Choose tomatoes ...

Canned brown and green tomatoes in Armenian will turn out delicious if you choose the main ingredient correctly. Do not use spoiled fruits and tomatoes for the preparation, on the skin of which there are dents and cracks. It is important to pay attention to two more points.

1. The form. Give preference to plum-shaped or bullet-shaped tomatoes. The fruits of these varieties are covered with dense skin, contain a lot of pulp, but not enough juice.
2. Colour. Most often, green tomatoes are beginning to begin to grow brown. This is due to the fact that under the influence of the press and hot brine, the fruits are deformed: you need the most durable and strong vegetables.

... and other components

Traditionally, the preparation is done with herbs (parsley, cilantro, basil, dill), however, there are original recipes that involve the use of:

• Bulgarian pepper;
• cabbage;
• carrots;
• onions.

3 ways to preserve

The task of preservation is to increase the level of acidity so that pathogenic microorganisms cannot develop and stored products do not deteriorate. Armenian tomatoes for the winter can be prepared in three ways.

1. Fermentation. Due to the functioning of beneficial microorganisms, lactic acid is formed, which is undesirable for bacteria.
2. Salting. Lactic acid is formed, and the salt takes on the role of a factor that is harmful to pathogenic microorganisms.
3. Pickling. The essence of the method is the introduction of the finished acid. In the case of tomatoes, 9% vinegar is used in Armenian.

The specifics of each method are reflected in the table below.

Table - Features of conservation methods

Methodological subtleties

The preservation process, in addition to following step-by-step recipes, involves the correct preparation of products and the sterilization of cans and blanks. How to do it?

How to prepare products

1. Rinse vegetables, herbs and herbs thoroughly.
2. Free onions and garlic from husks, peppers from seeds and stalks.

How to sterilize jars and caps

1. Wash containers and lids with soda and laundry soap.
2. Sterilize banks in any way (in the oven, slow cooker, microwave, steam bath);
3. Boil the lids for 10-15 minutes or pour over boiling water.

How to sterilize workpieces

1. At the bottom of a large pan, lay a tissue napkin.
2. Cover the jars with the workpiece with lids (but do not twist) and place in the vessel.
3. Pour water into the pan so that it reaches the "shoulders" of the cans.
4. After boiling, keep containers in a steam bath.

The exposure time in a water bath depends on the volume of the can. The following table will help with this.

Table - Sterilization time for workpieces

Tomatoes in Armenian: 5 recipes

There are many options for how to cook tomatoes for the winter in Armenian, which differ in the technique of preparation and the set of ingredients used.

Classic

Features The recipe for salted tomatoes in Armenian suggests a small amount of ingredients. Despite this, the taste of the workpiece is multifaceted: spicy and sharp notes are shaded by light bitterness.

Ingredients:

• tomatoes - 1.5 kg;
• water - 2.5 l;
• salt - 125 g;
• garlic - head;
• hot pepper - two pods (or less, to taste);
• parsley and cilantro - a bunch;
• basil - a branch;
• bay leaf - two pieces.

Technology

1. Finely chop the herbs, pepper, garlic. Connect the components.
2. Divide the tomatoes in half with a longitudinal slice: put the spicy mixture between the halves.
3. Stir salt in water, add laurel, boil, remove from heat, cool.
4. Stuffed tomatoes in banks.
5. Pour the vegetables with brine.
6. Arrange two wooden sticks crosswise and immerse the tomatoes in each jar with this design.
7. Three days later, the salty green tomatoes in Armenian will be ready. Keep the workpiece in the refrigerator.

Lightly salted

Features This version of Armenian salted tomatoes with garlic will appeal to those who do not like too salty preparations.

Ingredients:

• tomatoes - 1 kg;
• water - 1 l;
• garlic - head;
• salt is a big spoon;
• parsley and celery to taste.

Technology

1. Cut off the top from the tomatoes and put the “hats” to the side - they will still be needed.
2. Using a spoon, remove the pulp from the fruit, chop finely and mix with chopped herbs and garlic.
3. Fill the "pots" of tomatoes with the prepared mixture and cover with "hats".
4. Put the fruits in a pickling bowl.
5. Dissolve salt in cold water, defend, filter through gauze folded into several layers.
6. Pour the tomatoes with brine, put a large plate on top and squeeze with oppression.
7. Soak in a cool place for three days.

Original

Features The specificity of the method is in a special way of stuffing tomatoes. To make the dish less sharp, hot pepper can not be cut, but put the whole can on the bottom of the can.

Ingredients:

• tomatoes - 1.5 kg;
• salt - 110 g;
• garlic - seven cloves;
• hot pepper - pod;
• cilantro and parsley - ten branches each;
• basil - five branches;
• leaf of cabbage.

Technology

1. Dilute the salt in water, add laurel, boil, cool.
2. Wrap greens with a leaf of cabbage and chop finely.
3. Grind pepper and garlic, mix with herbs.
4. Cut each tomato crosswise, without cutting to the base of about 1 cm.
5. Chop each tomato with the prepared mixture.
6. Put the workpiece in a saucepan or a deep bowl, pour brine, weight over the press.
7. Insist three to four days.

With bell pepper and cabbage

Features Tomatoes fermented with vegetables can be served as a full meal. It is more convenient to prepare a snack in a large enameled pan. Stuffed tomatoes with vegetable filling will decorate the holiday table.

Ingredients:

• tomatoes - 2 kg;
• water - 1 l;
• bell pepper - four pieces;
• cabbage - head of cabbage;
• carrot - two pieces;
• garlic - head;
• hot pepper - pod;
• horseradish root, cilantro, celery, dill - to taste;
• sugar and salt.

Technology

1. Chop cabbage, mix with a small amount of salt and gently crush.
2. Finely chop the greens, chop the carrots on a coarse grater, chop the bell pepper into small cubes, mix.
3. Cut the tops from the tomatoes, remove the pulp with a spoon, grate the vegetable with sugar and salt from the inside.
4. Stuff the tomatoes with the vegetable mass.
5. At the bottom of a large pan put horseradish root, hot pepper. Then lay out a layer of tomatoes, herbs and chopped garlic. Repeat the sequence and continue until the bowl is full.
6. In a liter of water, stir a tablespoon of salt, boil, cool.
7. Finely chop the tomato pulp, mix with garlic and pour the brine into the mass.
8. Pour tomatoes with the resulting solution and keep under pressure for 24 hours.
9. Then put it cool (preferably in the refrigerator) for four days.

Pickled

Features The recipe is suitable for those who want to make tomatoes in Armenian instant cooking. The ingredients are laid out in layers, which significantly saves time. Instead of chopped tomatoes, you can use whole cherry tomatoes.

Ingredients:

• tomatoes - 3 kg;
• water - 1 l;
• onions - 1 kg;
• garlic - head;
• parsley, basil and dill - in a bunch;
• vinegar 9%, salt - a large spoon;
• sugar - two large spoons;
• vegetable oil - a large spoon for each jar;
• hot pepper to taste.

Technology

1. Cut the tomatoes into halves, divide the onion into half rings, chop the herbs and pepper.
2. Lay out the ingredients in jars in layers: tomatoes, garlic, herbs and pepper, onions. Repeat the sequence until the container is full.
3. Stir sugar and salt in boiling water, boil for a couple of minutes, remove from heat, introduce vinegar.
4. Pour boiling brine into jars.
5. Sterilize the workpiece, add a tablespoon of oil heated in a skillet to each container.
6. Roll up.

Tricks of the “experienced”

Mistresses with experience in canning tomatoes use several tricks. For example, so that vegetables do not deform during conservation, each fruit can be pierced with a needle or a toothpick at the base. Here are three more tips.

1. How to make a blank original. Put green, brown and pink vegetables in one jar of tomatoes, then the harvest will turn out beautiful, unusual and tasty.
2. How to speed up the process. To make the harvesting faster, you can chop the greens and garlic with a blender, food processor or meat grinder. This is especially true when preserving a large volume of tomatoes.
3. What to do with the "surplus"? From the tomatoes left after preservation, you can quickly prepare a nutritious lunch - Armenian omelet. Peel the tomatoes, cut into large pieces and sauté in vegetable oil. Pour beaten eggs with salt into the pan, mix a little and close the pan. When the omelet is fried, add a few slices of suluguni cheese, chopped parsley and basil. Let the scrambled eggs stand in a pan under the lid for two to three minutes.

Tomatoes in Armenian cook even a novice hostess. By choosing a recipe, you can adjust it according to your own taste preferences: accidentally added spice can become a secret ingredient, giving the workpiece a unique taste. For example, you can put a sprig of rosemary. And what will become the “highlight” of your tomatoes?

Reviews: “My grandmother did them and taught me”

I put only celery, garlic and pepper and pour the same brine. Although I know that there is still such a combination of herbs: celery, parsley, savory, basil, dill. Sprigs of dried dill are laid on top and bent so that they do not float.

Barbariscka, http: // hlebopechka. ru / index. php? option = com_smf & Itemid = 126 & topic = 141704.0

In our family, tomatoes were always stuffed with herbs and garlic, plus a little hot pepper. Left to ferment. Unusually delicious appetizer. My grandmother made them and taught me this. In such tomatoes, it is good to add the Bulgarian pepper (in the mixture of greens) thinly sliced.Greens - not only dill, you can also parsley, and a little mint, celery that you love. I know that in Georgia housewives also made similar pickles, so it’s incorrect to call them Armenian.

Svetlana, http: // kuking. net / 1_646.htm

My grandmother (the kingdom of heaven to her) made green tomatoes in Armenian (so called). This is when the tomato is not completely cut in the middle and a circle (slice) of chili pepper, a section of garlic and a slice (circle, stick) of horseradish are put into it like a shell. Then stuffed tomatoes in a jar and salt with a simple pickle. Snack with vodka and any strong and non-sweet drinks in cold weather.

POLE, http: // forum. homedistiller. ru / index. php? topic = 102333.20

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