Salt of Svaneti
Svanetian salt (Georgian: სვანური მარილი), from the Svaneti region in the mountainous north-western part of Georgia, has a unique fragrance and taste and is traditionally used dishes.
Svanetian salt is a kind of set of spices that creates an aromatic, harmonious bouquet. Its composition includes yellow flowers (saffron), hot pepper, dried coriander seeds, foreign spices, garlic, and real Svanetian spice - "Gitsruli "- a plant that thrives in Svaneti.
Svanetian salt with "Gitsruli" gives unforgettable taste and flavor to salads, soups, and, especially meat.
The culture of Svaneti salt has been going on since the XVIth century, this fact is verified by the XVIth-century cup preserved in the Museum of History and Ethnography of Mestia, which was especially used for making Svanetian salt.
Historically, Svaneti suffered from a lack of salt. According to folk tradition, Svans traveled to different places to collect salt, after bringing it to Svaneti, in order to increase the amount, they mixed various ingredients in the salt, which made its aroma and taste very diverse, thus we got a unique Svanetian salt, which replaced white salt in Svanetian cuisine and not only.
"Gitsruli" - the true worth of Svanetian salt
Svanetian salt is now an affordable and popular product in all stores in Georgia. But most of the presented products by the salt companies didn't use Gitsrule. Currently, Gitsruli has been replaced by other herbs: Dzira or Begkondara.
Dzira - Cumin
The root is the same as cumin, a biennial herb. Grows 30-50 cm tall. Includes up to 30 species.
They are used in canning, confectionery, and pharmaceutical production. It grows in the temperate climates of Europe and Asia, and in the subtropics of India and Pakistan. It is also common in the Caucasus.
Vitamins - A, B1, B2, B3, B6, B9, B12, C, D, E, K.
Microelements - iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), zinc (Zn).
Macro elements - calcium (Ca), potassium (K), magnesium (Mg), phosphorus (P), sodium (Na).
The root contains substances necessary for the body, such as phytonutrients, protein, crypto-xanthine, ketone, triacylglycerol, limonene, flavonoids, is flavonoids, flavonoid glycosides, monoterpenoid glucosides, alkaloids, kaempferol, phytosterol, etc.
Thymus serpyllum, known by the common names of Breckland thyme, Breckland wild thyme, wild thyme, creeping thyme, or elfin thyme, is a species of flowering plant in the mint family Lamiaceae, native to most of Europe and North Africa. It is a low, usually prostrate subshrub growing to 2 cm tall with creeping stems up to 10 cm long. The oval evergreen leaves are 3–8 mm long. The strongly scented flowers are either lilac, pink-purple, magenta, or a rare white, all 4–6 mm long and produced in clusters. The hardy plant tolerates some pedestrian traffic and produces odors ranging from heavily herbal to lightly lemon, depending on the variety.
In Georgia-Svaneti grows purple and pale pink flowers.
Thyme has anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antiseptic properties, which is why it has long been used to help heal cuts, bruises, and scrapes. 5 Products that contain thyme can be applied topically to help speed along the healing process, and consuming thyme helps reduce inflammation in the body.
What should really look like high-quality Svanetian salt?
First of all, it should have a balanced aroma characteristic of a spice. It should have a dry, loose consistency and a light color.
If the spice is wet, it indicates that there is garlic excess, which also affects svanetian salt taste.
The Svans use this spice both with boiled and fried meat, as well as for seasoning kubdari hearth. They add cucumber and tomato to various simple salads and soups.
Svanetian salt goes very well with meat stewed in tomatoes and boiled potatoes. Fried chicken wings with Svan salt and Dijon mustard.
