Жареные баклажаны с ореховым соусом (Fried Eggplant with Bazhe Walnut Sauce)

Georgian Fast With Oil Published April 10, 2026

Bazhe is the great white walnut sauce of Georgian cuisine — silky, garlicky, sharpened with vinegar, and poured generously over fried eggplant (or really anything that holds still long enough). Where the walnut paste in badrijani is thick and dense, bazhe is a pourable sauce, closer in consistency to a thin tahini. It is the Georgian equivalent of béchamel, except better and entirely plant-based by default.

This dish is pure indulgence within fasting rules. The eggplant is golden and yielding, the sauce is rich and complex, and the whole thing comes together in under an hour.

FASTING LEVEL: Fast With Oil (the eggplant is fried; for a lighter version, grill or bake it)
SERVINGS: 4-6
TIME: 40 minutes

INGREDIENTS

For the eggplant:
- 3 medium eggplants, sliced into 1cm rounds
- Sunflower oil for frying
- Salt

For the bazhe sauce:
- 200g walnuts
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon blue fenugreek (utskho suneli)
- 1/4 teaspoon dried marigold petals
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- 150-200ml warm water
- Salt to taste

For garnish:
- Fresh cilantro leaves
- Pomegranate seeds

METHOD

1. Salt the eggplant rounds on both sides and let rest for 15-20 minutes. Pat completely dry.

2. Heat 1cm of sunflower oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the eggplant rounds in batches until deep golden on both sides, about 2-3 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels.

3. Make the bazhe: in a food processor, blend the walnuts, garlic, coriander, blue fenugreek, marigold, and cayenne until very smooth — smoother than for pkhali. You want a fine, uniform texture.

4. With the processor running, add the vinegar and then the warm water in a thin stream until you reach a pourable consistency — thicker than milk but thinner than yogurt. Season with salt. Taste and adjust the vinegar — the sauce should be distinctly tangy.

5. Arrange the fried eggplant rounds on a platter, overlapping slightly. Pour the bazhe sauce generously over the top.

6. Garnish with cilantro leaves and pomegranate seeds. Serve at room temperature.

NOTES

- Bazhe should be made fresh and used the same day — it thickens and separates if it sits too long. If it thickens, whisk in a tablespoon of warm water.
- To reduce oil, bake the eggplant rounds at 200°C/400°F for 20 minutes, flipping once, until golden.
- Bazhe is also traditionally poured over fried or poached fish on non-fasting days. During fasts, try it over roasted cauliflower, boiled potatoes, or grilled mushrooms.
- The marigold petals (imeruli shaphrani) give bazhe its subtle golden hue. They are not expensive and are worth sourcing from a Georgian store.