Chaman - description with a photo of the plant; growing it; composition and useful properties; use in cooking (basturma); seasoning recipe. Chaman: what is it and when is this spice used Shashlik with the addition of chaman seasoning

Chaman - description with a photo of the plant; growing it; composition and useful properties; use in cooking (basturma); seasoning recipe. Chaman: what is it and when is this spice used Shashlik with the addition of chaman seasoning

02.05.2020 Healthy eating

Armenian barbecue recipe

To prepare delicious Armenian kebab you will need:

meat (pork, beef, it is better to use lamb);
onion;
salt;
ground black pepper;
fenugreek;
greens.

Cooking process

So, let's find out how to cook barbecue in Armenian. First, you need to choose good meat, which must be fresh, so that the taste is at its best. The meat must be cut into pieces (the size of the pieces will depend on your grill), but it is better not to make too huge pieces so that the kebab can quickly fry and remain juicy.

Cut the onions into rings and now you can find out how to make a shish kebab. There is nothing difficult here and everyone can do it himself. After the meat and onions are chopped, we proceed to preparing the marinade for the future barbecue at home. I would like to note right away that for this it is necessary to use glassware in order to prevent changes in taste. You can also marinate meat in ceramic dishes, but if this container is not available, use an enamel one.

We place the chopped pieces in a glass container, take the onion rings in our hands and knead them with our hands, thereby breaking them and squeezing the juice out of them. Throw the onion into the dish and stir well with your hands.

Then we chop the greens (parsley, green onions) and add them to the meat, before rubbing in the hands with the required amount of salt.

Take ground black pepper and sprinkle on the prepared one. Do not forget that pepper must be added to taste and proceed to adding the most important ingredient - fenugreek. In Armenian it sounds like chaman. We add it to the meat no more than a teaspoon, this amount will be enough for the aroma to drive you crazy.

Once again, mix the meat with all the ingredients with your hands and leave the dishes with the marinade to infuse in the shade for 30-40 minutes. It is not worth leaving for a long time, and now let's find out how to fry Armenian shish kebab.

After the meat has been saturated with all the spices, it is necessary to proceed to the most important part of cooking - frying it on the grill. We put the pieces on skewers, and send them to hot coals. Remember that kebab is best fried not on red coals, but on slightly burnt ones.

The temperature from such coals is excellent, it turns out to be excellent and, not burnt or dry. During frying, do not forget to turn the skewers every 50-60 seconds so that the kebab is fried evenly and is juicy.

In order for the dish to turn out especially amazing, while frying, use a cardboard or ordinary newspaper, with which you wave it over the barbecue, this will contribute to better cooking and the smoke from the coals will better saturate the meat and make it especially tasty.

We wish you all Bon appetit and a pleasant weekend.

The variety of aromas and flavors can turn the head of a novice chef. And how many interesting names spices used in modern recipes! Therefore, it is very important to understand the principle of working with aromatic additives and study the properties of various spices. We invite you to get acquainted with Chaman seasoning, which is in demand when preparing Eastern cuisine.

On the website site you can find out where can I buy your favorite seasonings at affordable the price and understand the intricacies of playing amazing recipes.

Chaman spice: what is it?

Spices- this is an integral addition to any culinary masterpiece, because they are able to give a dish a rich taste and unique aroma. Chaman is grass family of legumes, which is known to many as fenugreek, shambhala or helba.

What the same such a spice chaman? The plant is used in this form:

The seeds are only ripe beans. Light roasting is preliminarily carried out, it is important not to overexpose the seeds on the fire, as they will begin to taste very bitter. With proper heat treatment, they give the dish a rich nutty taste and tart aroma.
Plant stems and leaves - harvested during flowering. Dry thoroughly in a well-ventilated area and then grind to a flour condition. They are used as a spice because they have a unique aroma.

Applicable plant in various dishes:

Soups, salads and the second turn out great.
Bread is baked with fenugreek and confectionery products that are unique in taste are made.
Used in the alcoholic beverage industry.
Creation of delicious tea, coffee and various drinks.
In the production of green cheese.
In vegetarianism, fenugreek is considered a valuable source of protein.
Cooking pickles and canned food.

On our website you can see Photo and reviews on the use of fenugreek.

Chaman spice composition

Due to its unique composition, seasoning it is not for nothing that it is also called Shambhala. Fenugreek can be classified as a plant miracle, because it contains:

Potassium.
Calcium.
Arsenic.
Magnesium.
Phosphorus.
B vitamins.
Nicotinic acid.
Ascorbic acid.
Iron.
Proteins.
Essential oils.

Thanks to its unique components, the plant is capable of:

Increase appetite and stimulate the digestive tract.
Reduce blood pressure.
Improve the work of the cardiovascular system.
Normalize metabolic processes in the body, therefore it is used in the treatment of diabetes mellitus.
Soften your cough.
Increase the body's defenses.
Relieve allergic reactions.
Reduce toothache.
Remove decay products from the body.
Eliminate skin diseases.

How to cook Armenian chaman?

Seasoning-based, you can to cook inimitable in taste Armenian chaman:

Boil water and let it cool to 30 ° C.
Enter 900 grams of fenugreek. Mix thoroughly and leave to cool completely.
Add 450 grams of chili pepper and the same amount of paprika to the resulting mass.
Add 450 grams of minced garlic.
The next step is to add 2 teaspoons of cumin, black and allspice.
The ingredients are mixed until a homogeneous, pasty consistency is obtained.

The seasoning is ready!

Chaman in Armenian barbecue

To prepare the right Armenian kebab it is impossible to do without fenugreek. You only need 1 teaspoon of marinade seasoning to make you forget about everything in the world!

How to replace chaman?

Many chefs are wondering, but what to replace spice, if it's over? None of the spices is able to fully reproduce the unique properties of chaman. As a last resort, you can try to replace shambhala with blue fenugreek (utskho-tsuneli) or add ground hazelnuts to the dish to add a nutty flavor.

In order to prepare a delicious dish, you need a set of products, a little skill, and various spices to add flavor to the food. In some recipes, you can find such a spice as chaman. What it is, when it is better to use it and what dishes simply cannot do without it - all this will be discussed below.

About the concept

First, it is imperative to understand the concept itself. So, chaman - what is it? This is a spice, which, by the way, has several names, and each of them is used quite often. So, this spice can also be called shambhala, fenugreek and fenugreek. As for the name we are describing, it is most widespread in Armenia. In the vastness of our homeland and in Europe, this spice is often called "Shambhala".

About spices

It is worth saying that the chaman belongs to the legume family, this has long been known.It will also be interesting that various parts of it can be used for food. So, the seeds of this plant, leaves and even stems (in a ground form) are perfect. Having understood the concept of "chaman" - what it is, it is also worth saying that this spice gives dishes an amazing nutty taste, and in some cases it can even replace ground hazelnuts, if necessary. Basically, this spice has an interesting bittersweet aftertaste, which gives the dishes an amazing persistent aroma.

Errors

You should know what chaman (spice) looks like so as not to confuse it with other spices. So, in a crushed form, the spice looks like a coarsely ground beige flour. However, culinary experts say that fenugreek-shambhala is often confused with blue fenugreek (utskho-suneli, common in the Caucasus), which is not worth doing. After all, these are completely different things. The identification of ground chaman with ground cumin is considered a huge mistake; this is also unacceptable.

Application

When might you need chaman seasoning? The use of the spice will be relevant for cooking meat, fish and poultry dishes. It is worth mentioning that this spice appears in all recipes for making basturma. It is also good for various kinds of soups: mushroom, pea, potato, onion. As already mentioned, chaman gives dishes a light nutty flavor, and it is also similar to mushroom flavor. In India, Shambhala is used more for preparing vegetarian dishes. This spice is widespread in Armenia as well, where it is almost the main one in the preparation of various types of meat. It will also be interesting that this spice is by its nature an excellent thickener (analogue of starch), therefore it is often used to prepare various sauces. It will also be important for many that this seasoning goes well with other herbs and spicy vegetables. And ground chaman is part of such spices as suneli hops and curry.

Substitutes

Many may have a logical question: will we replace the chaman (seasoning) with something else? So, no other spice can convey exactly the same taste and aroma, but the previously mentioned spice utskho-suneli is similar. And since chaman has a light nutty flavor, in some cases ground hazelnuts can replace it.

Healing properties

Having understood the concept of chaman - what it is when this spice is used, it is also worth saying a few words about what benefits it brings. So, it will be interesting that in India women consume shambhala seeds after childbirth in order to tidy up their backs, normalize metabolic processes in the body, and also facilitate the flow of breast milk. As for the vastness of our homeland, then this spice is also used to heal the body. First of all, it should be said that it is an excellent anti-inflammatory, sedative and wound healing agent. The use of this spice will have a good effect on recovering people: it helps to restore and gives strength and energy. Consuming chaman in the form of porridge will help cope with hair problems and women who do not have enough breast milk when feeding their babies. This spice perfectly heals wounds, heals boils and even ulcers (the whole reason is the huge content of adhesives in the spice). And in the form of an ointment, it will help to cope with problem skin. A tablespoon of chaman mixed in a cup of warm milk is an excellent tonic. It will also be interesting that ground fenugreek, both in the old days and now, is used in the treatment of impotence in men and infertility in women. According to other sources, this spice is an excellent aphrodisiac. For women, the following information will be important: you can make hair conditioners from chaman (ground chaman + yogurt), as well as face masks (along with turmeric and vegetable oil).

Attention!

Although this seasoning is almost universal in its application, it should also be said that there is a category of people for whom it can be dangerous. So, these are pregnant women. They should not consume this spice, since it contains saponins that can provoke a miscarriage.

2014-05-14

Date: 14 05 2014

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Barbecue marinades are often the subject of controversy at men's friendly gatherings. Everyone defends the "correctness" of their favorite kebab marinade. The only argument is usually the words: "Yes, I have been doing this for a hundred years ... it always turns out delicious." Well - sounds quite convincing! Based on "tasty" and I will tell you today about my tried and tested marinades for barbecue.

Have you ever wondered "why is the kebab marinated"? And is a kebab marinade even needed? Consider the common statement: "Marinade is necessary to make the meat for the kebab softer." There is some truth in this.

The fact is that the marinade, even during many hours of marinating, only slightly penetrates into the depths of the meat for barbecue - only a few millimeters. Therefore, the marinade cannot soften the connective tissue (collagen) that is inside the pieces of meat. Only the surface softens, but it seems to us that the whole piece of meat becomes softer from marinating - after all, it really becomes somewhat easier to bite it!

If the marinade does not have any significant effect on the softness of the kebab, why is the meat still marinated?

Consider for this the constituent parts of the marinades:

1. Spices, fresh and dried herbs, wines, garlic, onions give the kebab a certain aroma and taste. They do not affect the tenderness of the meat!

2. Fats (vegetable oil) are used to dissolve aromatic substances found in spices and herbs. Thus, they mainly serve to ensure that the aromatic substances get to the surface and slightly into the depths of the meat for the barbecue. The fats in the marinade won't soften tough meat!

3. Barbecue marinades usually contain acids. They are found in fruit and berry juices (apple, lemon, orange, cranberry, pomegranate), tomato juice, wine, wine and balsamic vinegar, lactic acid products. Acids somewhat destroy the connective tissue on the surface of the meat, thus they also facilitate the penetration of aromatic substances a little into the thickness of the meat for barbecue.

4. Salt mainly serves to enhance and enhance the flavor of meat.

I would also like to add that the widespread use of onions in barbecue marinades is due to its excellent compatibility with any meat and fish. In addition, the sugar contained in the onion caramelizes during the time, which gives the meat a beautiful crust.

How to prepare an onion for a kebab marinade

In order for the onion to have the desired effect in the marinade, it must let the juice flow. To do this, you can simply chop the onion thinly, salt and mash it with your hands, grate it on a coarse grater (or mince it) and squeeze the juice.

Without diminishing the importance of the marinade for the taste and aroma of the barbecue, in conclusion of my "cleverness" I want to say that the consistency and juiciness of the barbecue largely depend (in my humble opinion) on the quality of the meat, the ability to cook it and a good barbecue.

To ensure a deeper penetration of the marinade into the meat, the pickled kebab is often massaged with your hands several times during aging. In this case, the pieces are well squeezed, released and mixed, repeating the procedure many times.

Let's take it as a condition that our grill is "correct", the meat is of excellent quality and we know how to cook it well. Therefore, we will focus on what it can be marinated with.

Barbecue marinades recipes

Fermented milk marinade for barbecue (for any meat and poultry)

Ingredients

We need:

1 liter of any high-quality fermented milk drink (natural yogurt, kefir, yogurt, ayran, matsun, yogurt)

Red hot peppers (fresh)

Most often I make such a marinade from homemade yogurt.

Regarding the greens for such a marinade. I like most of all for lamb kebab - savory, thyme, purple basil, rosemary, a little mint. You can take a mixture, or you can take some kind of separate herb. For chicken - garlic arrows, green basil, cilantro. For pork - basil (purple, green). For shish kebab from offal (kidney, liver) - marjoram. For fish - dill, thyme. Often onions are added to fermented milk marinades.

A separate conversation is about spices. I prefer to add a minimum - just a little black pepper and, sometimes, ground fenugreek (personally my addiction).

Mix the fermented milk product with chopped peppers, herbs, salt. The marinade is ready. I prefer spicy herbs for pickling kebabs, not chopping finely, but putting them in twigs, crushing the leaves with my hands.

Homemade tomato juice barbecue marinade (for pork, lamb, beef)

Ingredients

We will need:

Tomatoes

Cilantro greens

Cooking tomato juice in any way.

For such purposes, it is best to take juicy rather than fleshy tomatoes. In principle, any will do. Salt the juice, put the crushed garlic, cilantro, prepared onion.

White wine marinade (for chicken, turkey, fish kebabs)

Ingredients

White wine 1 liter

Thyme or savory

We mix all the ingredients. You can add onions, a little wine vinegar and white ground pepper to the base.

Marinade of sherry, madeira, marsala (for beef, lamb, game kebabs)

Ingredients

Wine 800 ml

Sherry vinegar 200 ml

We mix the products and marinate the kebab. Sherry vinegar can be replaced with good wine vinegar (3-6%). Add a few crushed juniper berries to the marinade for game (wild boar, roe deer).

Red wine barbecue marinade (for beef, lamb, game, pork)

Ingredients

Wine 1 liter

Purple basil greens

We prepare the marinade from the specified products. You can add onions, a little bay leaf, black ground pepper to the base.

Kebab marinade with lemon juice (for chicken, turkey, fish)

Ingredients

Lemons 2 pieces

Olive oil 200 ml

Thyme, green basil

Squeezing the juice out of the lemons

mix with olive or any other quality vegetable oil, put herbs, salt and marinate the kebab. It is highly desirable to add onions so that the lemon flavor is somehow balanced. But - this is again my personal opinion.

Pomegranate juice barbecue marinade (for lamb, pork)

Ingredients

Pomegranates 3 pieces

Olive oil 150 ml

Onion 2-3 heads

Cilantro greens, basil

Squeeze out the juice from the pomegranate seeds, mix with olive oil, prepared onions, salt, herbs. The marinade is ready.

A kebab marinade should favorably emphasize the taste and aroma of meat without drowning it out. Knowing what the marinade is for, in principle, you can experiment with its various components. And what are your favorite kebab marinades, my dear readers?

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Chaman- a herbaceous plant, a representative of the legume family. This herb is also known as shambhala, fenugurek, fenugreek. Scientists call the birthplace of the plant India, Pakistan. The word "chaman" is also used to denote a spice with a tart taste and specific smell.

Chaman is an essential ingredient for making basturma.

The plant was well known to the ancient Egyptians. Scientists have found mentions that it was used in mummification. In Europe, it was known primarily as a medicinal plant.

Also called chaman is a mixture of spices that are used to prepare basturma and other dishes. The spice got its name from the name of the main ingredient, because chaman in Armenian means "blue fenugreek".

How to prepare chaman for basturma? To prepare this seasoning, 900 g of ground chaman is added to warm boiled water, mixed. Then the mixture is left to cool and 900 g of ground pepper (1: 1 chili and paprika), 450 g of crushed garlic, 2 tsp each are added. ground black pepper, allspice and cumin. The mixture is thoroughly stirred to a paste consistency.

What can replace chaman? If you do not have the most important ingredient, the hostesses say that it can be replaced with the hop-suneli seasoning, which is sold in any supermarket.

Growing

Raising a chaman is not that difficult. It belongs to early maturing, drought-resistant and cold-resistant plants. The grass grows well on fertile soils, does not tolerate very acidic soils. In order to increase the productivity of chaman, it is enough to add a little lime to the soil. The plant should be grown in places hidden from the wind, well refreshed by the sun. It propagates with the help of seeds, which are sown in the spring directly into the ground. They germinate at a temperature of 10 degrees Celsius; for optimal growth, the temperature should be 20-25 degrees above zero.

After the first shoots have emerged, it is necessary to start thinning them. Chaman blooms in June, but its fruits ripen in early autumn. The plant needs watering, especially until the moment it sets the fruit, then the watering can be stopped. A very important place in the cultivation of chaman is the protection of the plant from weeds. When weeds appear, they must be removed, as they will impair the growth and development of the chaman.

Beneficial features

The beneficial properties of chaman have long been known to folk medicine. The strong smell of the herb is due to the presence of coumarin. The seeds of the plant are rich in protein (up to 30%), as well as fatty oil (up to 6%), mucus, vitamin PP, essential oils, alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins.

In Indian medicine, chaman is known for enhancing lactation. In addition, the plant stimulates the digestive system and also helps the heart. In diabetes, it is taken to control blood sugar levels. Outwardly, it is used for wounds. It is widely used in cosmetology for skin and hair care.

Cooking applications

In cooking, chaman has found application as a seasoning that gives dishes a special aroma and taste. As a spice, both seeds and greens of this plant are used.

Chaman is included in such famous spices as curry, various Indian massals, and suneli hops.

Chaman is especially popular in the countries of the East, as well as in India, where it is called Shambhala. Ground chaman resembles coarse flour with the difference that it is slightly beige.

Chaman is considered a classic spice for flavoring different types of cheese such as green cheese. In Indian cuisine, mature plant seeds are used. In America, it is used to flavor rum. Roasted seeds are used to make a coffee substitute. The aroma of these seeds is sweetish, to many it resembles the smell of burnt sugar. When added to food, chaman imparts a nutty flavor and flavor to dishes, so it can easily replace hazelnuts in some recipes. It is recommended to add seeds in small quantities so as not to spoil the taste of the whole dish.

The most famous dish using chaman is basturma. It is jerky, beef with spices. This dish is very popular in Armenia, Egypt. According to an ancient recipe, beef tenderloin is cut into 2 pieces, washed. Sea salt is mixed with sugar, and in this mixture the meat is rolled on all sides. The meat is left to rest for 5-7 hours. A plate of meat is placed in the refrigerator overnight, and then left to stand for 12 hours. Then the meat should be washed from salt and allowed to dry. When the beef is dry, cover it with a cloth and place it under a press to remove moisture from the tenderloin so it becomes more elastic. Next, prepare the chaman seasoning and coat the tenderloin from all sides with the resulting mass. After 2-3 hours, the inset is again greased with a sauce prepared on the basis of chaman. Then the meat is left to hang in the open air for 2 weeks.

Serve ready-made basturma by cutting the meat into thin slices. Serving is usually served with cilantro and / or basil herbs.

Chaman is considered a very famous seasoning that is used solo or mixed with other spices and herbs.

It is indispensable in the eastern culinary tradition, where chaman ("blue fenugreek") is used quite often, especially when preparing the traditional dish of dried meat we have already described - basturma.