Mchadi (მჭადი)

Mchadi is the ancient cornerstone of Georgian peasant cooking — a dense, unleavened cornbread cooked in a dry pan that has sustained farmers and shepherds through hard mountain winters for centuries. It is almost always paired with lobio, a boldly spiced kidney bean stew. Together they form one of the most satisfying and complete vegetarian meals in the Georgian culinary canon, rich in plant protein and fibre.

Serves: 4

Ingredients

Mchadi:

• 300g (2 cups) fine white cornmeal (maize meal)
• ½ tsp fine salt
• 180–200ml (¾ cup) warm water
• 1 tsp (5ml) neutral oil (for the pan)

Lobio (Bean Stew):

• 400g (14 oz) dried red kidney beans, soaked overnight
• 1 large onion, finely diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp (30ml) sunflower oil
• 1 tsp (5ml) ground coriander
• 1 tsp (5ml) ground fenugreek
• ½ tsp ground marigold (imereti saffron) or turmeric
• 1 tsp dried chilli flakes
• Small bunch fresh coriander (cilantro), roughly chopped
• 1 tsp (5ml) red wine vinegar
• Salt to taste

Instructions

1. For the lobio: cook the soaked beans in plenty of unsalted water for 60–75 minutes until completely tender. Drain, reserving 250ml (1 cup) of cooking liquid.
2. Sauté the onion in sunflower oil over medium heat for 12–15 minutes until deeply golden. Add the garlic and cook 2 minutes more.
3. Add the ground spices and stir for 30 seconds. Add the drained beans and reserved cooking liquid. Simmer 20 minutes, mashing roughly one-third of the beans to thicken. Stir in the fresh coriander and red wine vinegar. Season with salt.
4. For the mchadi: combine the cornmeal and salt. Add warm water gradually, mixing with your hands until a firm, non-sticky dough forms.
5. Shape into oval patties about 1.5cm (½ in) thick and 10cm (4 in) long. Heat a dry cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Add a tiny film of oil.
6. Cook the mchadi for 5–6 minutes per side until golden and cooked through. They should sound hollow when tapped.
7. Serve the mchadi hot alongside the warm lobio, with pickled vegetables if available.

Cook's Notes: Do not add salt to the beans during cooking — it toughens the skins. Season only after the beans are fully tender.