Satsivi ( ka, საცივი, ''sac'ivi'', ; also known as chicken in walnut sauce) is a
Georgian dish made from
poultry
Poultry () are domesticated birds kept by humans for their eggs, their meat or their feathers. These birds are most typically members of the superorder Galloanserae (fowl), especially the order Galliformes (which includes chickens, quail ...
such as turkey or chicken put into
walnut
A walnut is the edible seed of a drupe of any tree of the genus '' Juglans'' (family Juglandaceae), particularly the Persian or English walnut, '' Juglans regia''.
Although culinarily considered a "nut" and used as such, it is not a tru ...
sauce. The term ''satsivi'' is also used as a generic name for a variety of
poultry
Poultry () are domesticated birds kept by humans for their eggs, their meat or their feathers. These birds are most typically members of the superorder Galloanserae (fowl), especially the order Galliformes (which includes chickens, quail ...
made with the walnut sauce.
[Satsivi](_blank)
Georgian Recipes b
Georgia About
2014
Bazhe

Bazhe ( ka, ბაჟე, ''baže'') is the most versatile of the Georgian walnut sauces, being more runny than ''satsivi'' sauce and containing either
red wine
Red wine is a type of wine made from dark-colored grape varieties. The color of the wine can range from intense violet, typical of young wines, through to brick red for mature wines and brown for older red wines. The juice from most purple gra ...
vinegar
Vinegar is an aqueous solution of acetic acid and trace compounds that may include flavorings. Vinegar typically contains 5–8% acetic acid by volume. Usually, the acetic acid is produced by a double fermentation, converting simple sugars to ...
or
pomegranate juice. It is often used to dress boiled or fried fish, such as
trout
Trout are species of freshwater fish belonging to the genera '' Oncorhynchus'', '' Salmo'' and '' Salvelinus'', all of the subfamily Salmoninae of the family Salmonidae. The word ''trout'' is also used as part of the name of some non-sa ...
. As is typical of the Georgian palate, this sauce is slightly tart, as sweeteners are not usually used by Georgians in their cooking.
[Bazhe sauce](_blank)
Georgian Recipes b
Georgia About
2013
Satsivi
Satsivi ( ka, საცივი) is a Georgian dish made with walnut sauce and served cold, either as a dipping sauce for boiled or fried turkey or chicken. Traditionally, satsivi is made of walnuts, water,
garlic
Garlic (''Allium sativum'') is a species of bulbous flowering plant in the genus ''Allium''. Its close relatives include the onion, shallot, leek, chive, Welsh onion and Chinese onion. It is native to South Asia, Central Asia and northe ...
,
a combination of dried herbs,
vinegar
Vinegar is an aqueous solution of acetic acid and trace compounds that may include flavorings. Vinegar typically contains 5–8% acetic acid by volume. Usually, the acetic acid is produced by a double fermentation, converting simple sugars to ...
,
cayenne pepper
The cayenne pepper is a type of '' Capsicum annuum''. It is usually a moderately hot chili pepper used to flavor dishes. Cayenne peppers are a group of tapering, 10 to 25 cm long, generally skinny, mostly red-colored peppers, often with ...
, and
salt
Salt is a mineral composed primarily of sodium chloride (NaCl), a chemical compound belonging to the larger class of salts; salt in the form of a natural crystalline mineral is known as rock salt or halite. Salt is present in vast quanti ...
to taste.
In this way, satsivi in the Caucasus is similar to the nut- or legume-based paste sauces to the south such as the
hummus
Hummus (, ; ar, حُمُّص, 'chickpeas'; full Arabic name: ''ḥummuṣ bi-ṭ-ṭaḥīna'' ar, حمص بالطحينة, 'chickpeas with tahini'), also spelled hommus or houmous, is a Middle Eastern dip, spread, or savory dish made f ...
(which often contains garlic, lemon juice as a souring agent, and tahini, or sesame butter/paste) varieties found in
Syrian
Syrians ( ar, سُورِيُّون, ''Sūriyyīn'') are an Eastern Mediterranean ethnic group indigenous to the Levant. They share common Levantine Semitic roots. The cultural and linguistic heritage of the Syrian people is a blend of both indig ...
,
Lebanese
Lebanese may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to the Lebanese Republic
* Lebanese people
The Lebanese people ( ar, الشعب اللبناني / ALA-LC: ', ) are the people inhabiting or originating from Lebanon. The term may al ...
, or generically
Levantine cuisine
Levantine cuisine is the traditional cuisine of the Levant.
Perhaps the most distinctive aspect of Levantine cuisine is ''meze'' including ''tabbouleh'', ''hummus'' and '' baba ghanoush''.
Levantine dishes
* Arabic coffee (قهوة عر ...
.
Boiled turkey or chicken pieces submerged in satsivi is a staple of winter holiday feasts. The dish as a whole is usually also referred to as ''satsivi''. There are also vegetarian varieties of this dish made with eggplants or cauliflower.
Cauliflower satsivi
Georgian Recipes b
Georgia About
2013
A similar dish of boiled chicken with walnut paste is known as Circassian chicken
Circassian chicken ( Adyghe: ''Jed de ships sch'etu'') is a dish of shredded boiled chicken served under or in a rich paste made with crushed walnuts, and stock thickened with stale bread. Circassian Chicken is a classic Circassian dish, adopted ...
in Turkish
Turkish may refer to:
*a Turkic language spoken by the Turks
* of or about Turkey
** Turkish language
*** Turkish alphabet
** Turkish people, a Turkic ethnic group and nation
*** Turkish citizen, a citizen of Turkey
*** Turkish communities and mi ...
, Levantine, and Egyptian cuisine
Egyptian cuisine makes heavy use of poultry, legumes, vegetables and fruit from Egypt's rich Nile Valley and Delta.
Examples of Egyptian dishes include rice-stuffed vegetables and grape leaves, hummus, falafel, shawarma, kebab and ...
, as well as "Aquz" in the Caspian cuisine of Northern Iran
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkm ...
.
See also
*'' Nigvziani badrijani''
* List of sauces
The following is a list of notable culinary and prepared sauces used in cooking and food service.
General
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
* (salsa roja)
*
*
* – a velouté sauce flavored ...
References
{{chicken dishes
Georgian words and phrases
Food ingredients
Condiments
Cuisine of Georgia (country)
Soviet cuisine
Sauces
Walnut dishes
Food paste