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Loading...Chanakhi is a beloved Georgian one-pot dish where bone-in lamb is slow-baked with eggplant, potatoes, tomatoes, and aromatic herbs in a clay pot called a ketsi. The result is a deeply savory, fork-tender stew with rich juices that soak into the vegetables. It's rustic comfort food that captures the warm, earthy flavors of the Caucasus.
Prep Time25 mins
Cook Time110 mins
Total Time135 mins
Servings4
Yield4 servings
Nutrition Facts
Per serving (estimated)
- 590 kcalCalories
- 26 gFat
- 9 gSaturated Fat
- 42 gCarbs
- 8 gFiber
- 9 gSugar
- 38 gProtein
- 380 mgSodium
- 1450 mgPotassium
- 90 mgCalcium
- 4.5 mgIron
- 38 mgVitamin C
- 180 mcgVitamin A
Ingredients
For the lamb and marinade
- 1.5 lb (680 g) bone-in lamb shoulder, cut into 1.5-inch chunks
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 tsp dried marigold petals or saffron threads
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 2 tbsp sunflower oil
For the vegetables
- 2 medium eggplants, cut into thick rounds
- 4 medium Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and halved
- 2 large ripe tomatoes, sliced into rounds
- 1 large yellow onion, sliced into half-moons
- 1 large red bell pepper, cut into strips
- 6 garlic cloves, smashed
- 1 small hot red chili, sliced (optional)
For finishing
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
- 1/3 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh basil or tarragon leaves
- 1 tsp ground blue fenugreek or regular fenugreek
- Flaky sea salt, to taste
Directions
- If using an unglazed clay pot, submerge it in cool water for 20 minutes; drain just before assembly. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Toss the lamb chunks with coriander, cumin, black pepper, marigold or saffron, salt, and sunflower oil in a large bowl. Let stand for 10 minutes while you prep the vegetables.
- Sprinkle the eggplant rounds with salt, let them sit for 10 minutes to draw out bitterness, then pat dry with paper towels.
- Layer the ingredients in the clay pot in this order: onion slices on the bottom, then lamb chunks nestled in, followed by potatoes, bell pepper, eggplant, garlic, and finally tomato slices fanned across the top. Tuck the chili between the layers if using.
- Drizzle 2 tablespoons of water around the edge, cover the pot with its lid (or seal tightly with foil), and bake on the middle rack for 1 hour 30 minutes, until the lamb is fork-tender and potatoes easily pierce with a knife.
- Remove the lid, sprinkle the blue fenugreek evenly over the top, and bake uncovered for 20 more minutes to concentrate the juices and lightly char the tomatoes.
- Spoon off any excess fat from the surface, scatter the fresh cilantro, parsley, and basil over the top, and finish with a pinch of flaky sea salt.
- Bring the clay pot straight to the table and serve family-style with crusty Georgian shoti bread or warm flatbread for sopping up the rich pan juices.
Cook’s Notes
- Soaking an unglazed ketsi in water before baking helps it regulate steam and prevents cracking in a hot oven.
- Salting the eggplant ahead of time removes any bitter compounds and keeps the rounds from turning mushy during the long bake.
- For a richer stew, brown the lamb in a hot skillet for 2-3 minutes per side before layering it into the pot.
- Blue fenugreek (utskho suneli) is a signature Georgian spice; if unavailable, regular fenugreek plus a pinch of dried thyme makes a workable stand-in.
- Leftovers taste even better the next day once the spices have melded; reheat gently in a covered pan with a splash of water.
