Beef Chashushuli

Cut 700 g of beef chuck or brisket into 3–4 cm cubes, pat dry and season with black pepper. Heat 2 tbsp sunflower oil in a heavy pot until shimmering. Brown the meat in batches over high heat, 2–3 minutes per side, until a rich crust forms.

Reduce the heat to medium, add 2 sliced onions and cook for 8–10 minutes until soft and lightly golden. Add 5 minced garlic cloves, 2 chopped hot green peppers and 1 tbsp tomato paste; stir for 2 minutes.

Add 4 tomatoes, peeled and coarsely grated or finely chopped along with their juice. Cook for 5 minutes, mashing the tomatoes with a spoon, until a thin sauce forms.

Return the beef to the pot. Add 1 tbsp adjika, 1 tsp utskho-suneli, 1 tsp ground coriander, 0.5 tsp khmeli-suneli, 0.5 tsp Imeretian saffron and 2 bay leaves; stir to combine. Do not add water or stock: the sauce should come from the tomatoes and onions alone.

Cover the pot, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 90–120 minutes, stirring every 30 minutes. The chashushuli is ready when the beef falls apart easily with a fork and the sauce has become thick and rich.

Season with salt to taste, remove the bay leaves, add 30 g roughly chopped cilantro, cover and let stand off the heat for 5 minutes. Serve hot with Georgian bread.