Ткемали (Tkemali — Georgian Sour Plum Sauce)

Georgian Fast Without Oil Published April 10, 2026

Tkemali is to Georgian cooking what ketchup is to American cooking, except that it is vastly more interesting and has been around for considerably longer. Made from sour plums (cherry plums or tkemali plums), garlic, and a specific blend of herbs, this sauce is tart, aromatic, and completely addictive. Georgians put it on everything: beans, vegetables, bread, roasted potatoes, soups.

During fasting periods, tkemali becomes even more essential. It transforms simple boiled beans or plain rice into something you actually look forward to eating. A jar of tkemali in the fridge is fasting insurance — it makes anything taste Georgian.

FASTING LEVEL: Strict Fast (no oil at all)
SERVINGS: Makes about 750ml (approximately 30 servings of 2 tablespoons each)
TIME: 40 minutes

INGREDIENTS

- 1kg sour plums (cherry plums, greengage plums, or any tart plum variety), pitted
- 1 head of garlic (about 8-10 cloves), peeled
- 1 large bunch fresh cilantro (about 60g)
- 1 small bunch fresh dill (about 20g)
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander seeds
- 1 teaspoon blue fenugreek (utskho suneli)
- 1/2 teaspoon dried marigold petals
- 1 teaspoon dried mint (or pennyroyal/ombalo if available)
- 1/2-1 teaspoon cayenne pepper or dried red pepper flakes
- Salt to taste (about 1-2 teaspoons)

METHOD

1. Place the pitted plums in a large saucepan with 1/2 cup of water. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the plums have completely broken down into a thick pulp.

2. Push the plum pulp through a sieve or food mill to remove any remaining skins. Return the smooth purée to the pot. You should have a thick, sauce-like consistency. If it is too thin, simmer gently to reduce.

3. While the plums cook, pound or process the garlic, cilantro, dill, coriander, blue fenugreek, marigold, mint, and cayenne into a rough paste using a mortar and pestle or food processor.

4. Stir the herb-garlic paste into the hot plum purée. Simmer together for 5 minutes, stirring constantly.

5. Season with salt. Taste and adjust — the sauce should be sharply tart, garlicky, herbal, and carry a mild heat. If the plums are very sour, you may add a pinch of sugar, though traditional recipes do not.

6. Pour into clean glass jars or bottles while still hot. Let cool completely, then refrigerate.

NOTES

- Traditional tkemali uses ombalo (pennyroyal mint), which has a distinctive flavor. Regular dried mint is the standard substitute outside the Caucasus.
- There are two main varieties: green tkemali (made from unripe plums in spring, very tart) and red tkemali (made from ripe plums in late summer, slightly sweeter). Both are correct.
- If sour plums are unavailable, use a combination of regular plums and a generous amount of lemon juice or citric acid.
- Tkemali keeps refrigerated for 3-4 weeks. For longer preservation, bring the finished sauce to a full boil and pour into sterilized jars — it will keep for a year sealed.
- Use it on lobio, on bread, over roasted vegetables, in soups, mixed into rice — there is essentially no fasting dish it does not improve.