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    Home » Recipes » Georgian

    Published: Aug 12, 2023 · Updated: Oct 30, 2023 by Joanne

    Georgian Style Eggplant Rolls with Walnuts: Badrijani Nigvzit

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    Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and purchase an item, Sees Food, Will Travel will earn a commission at no extra cost to you. See terms and conditions for details.

    These eggplant rolls are stuffed with a savory and garlicky walnut paste to make a combination that will impress your dinner guests! Best of all, these tasty Georgian-style appetizers, also known as badrijani nigvzit, are surprisingly easy to make!

    Plate filled with Georgian eggplant roll or badrijani nigvzit

    Why You'll Love It

    Eggplants are featured in a variety of Georgian dishes. Most of these dishes are appetizers, stews, and salads to start the supra or feast. Eggplants, or aubergine, in Georgian cooking are an essential ingredient because they take on the remarkable flavors of the nation's brilliant spices and herbs.

    These Georgian eggplant rolls are filled with a savory paste that's also essential to the national cuisine. You can check out a more detailed description of this ingredient on the walnut paste recipe post.

    Ingredients  

    • Walnut Paste
      • Garlic
      • White Wine Vinegar
      • Coriander Powder
      • Blue Fenugreek Powder
      • Marigold Powder
      • Fresh Green or Red Chilies (optional)
      • Fresh Parsley
      • Water
      • Salt
    • Eggplants
    • Garlic
    • Salt
    • Pomegranate Seeds
    • Parsley

    Substitutes

    • Pomegranate Seeds & Parsley: These are used as decoration, so you can choose to leave them out. 

    • Eggplant: You can use zucchini to automatically change this recipe to zucchini rolls.

    Recipe Tips

    • Pick Specific Eggplants: The best eggplants for rolls are elongated purple eggplants. The best ones to go for are the straight ones that are not as narrow.

    • Draw Out Water from Eggplants: You can skip salting the eggplants. But they draw out the water from the eggplants, which helps lessen the bitter taste.

    • Make it Ahead: Badrijani nigvzit are usually served cold or room temperature, so these are great make-ahead appetizers. If you allow them to sit for an hour in the fridge, the depth of flavors get a chance to develop.

    How to Make Georgian Eggplant Rolls with Walnuts 

    Sliced strips of eggplant on a cutting board
    walnut paste inside a food processor
    Wipe the eggplant slice with a paper towel
    Slices of eggplants in a frying pan
    Slices of eggplant with walnut paste on top
    Being rolling the eggplants
    Making an eggplant roll with walnut paste
    A finished eggplant roll or badrijani nigvzit

    If you haven't made the walnut paste ahead of time, the following steps guide you through the most efficient way to make these eggplant rolls: 

    1. Slice and salt the eggplants to draw out the water.
    2. Make the walnut paste by adding all the ingredients in a food processor and blending them together.
    3. Remove the excess water from the eggplants and wipe down the slices.
    4. Heat the pan and brush on a bit of oil.
    5. Place them on the preheated pan and cook each side until slightly brown.
    6. Remove from the heat and let the eggplant slices cool, then spread a spoonful of the walnut paste down its length.
    7. Begin rolling the eggplants by folding the curved end first, then rolling all the way to the straight edge.

    How to Serve Badrijani Nigvzit

    Close up of Georgian eggplant roll or badrijani nigvzit

    Although you can serve badrijani nigvzit immediately, the optimal way is to serve them at room temperature or cold. Make them as early as a day ahead to let ingredients meld and bring out more complex flavors. 

    These are great on their own as appetizers before starting a meal, but you can also eat them with other starters such as the Georgian tomato cucumber salad and some Georgian bread called shoti.

    Plate of Georgian eggplant roll or badrijani nigvzit

    Georgian Style Eggplant Rolls with Walnuts: Badrijani Nigvzit Recipe

    These eggplant rolls are stuffed with a savory and garlicky walnut paste to make a combination that will impress your dinner guests!
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 30 minutes mins
    Cook Time 10 minutes mins
    Total Time 40 minutes mins
    Course Appetizer, Snack
    Cuisine European, Georgian
    Servings 12 Rolls
    Calories 133 kcal
    Disclosure

    The equipment and ingredients sections contain affiliate links to products I love to use as well as items that I personally believe make this recipe the best version of itself.

    Ingredients
     
     

    Walnut Paste

    • 200 grams whole walnuts
    • 1 teaspoon blue fenugreek powder or fenugreek powder
    • 1 teaspoon marigold powder or saffron powder
    • 1 teaspoon coriander powder or caraway powder
    • 3 garlic cloves
    • 3 tablespoon white wine vinegar
    • 3-4 pieces parsley or cilantro or mint
    • 4 tablespoon water or more
    • ½ teaspoon salt to taste
    • 1 chili pepper, small and diced optional

    Eggplant Wrapper

    • 2 eggplants american or long & purple
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • neutral oil for frying vegetable or sunflower
    • 1 garlic clove optional

    Dressing

    • 1 tablespoon chopped parsley optional
    • 1-2 tablespoon promegranate seeds optional

    Instructions
     

    • Slice eggplants into long flat strips about ⅔ cm thick or ¼ inch thick. You should get 6 six slices per eggplant.
      Sliced strips of eggplant on a cutting board
    • Place the slices in a bowl and add the salt. Gently toss the eggplants with the salt to spread the salt. Let it sit for 20 to 30 mins to draw out water.
      Sliced strips of eggplants with salt in a bowl
    • Meanwhile make the walnut paste: Add the coriander powder, blue fenugreek powder, marigold powder, parsley, walnuts, and garlic cloves to a food processor. Pulse for a few seconds or until roughly chopped. Add a tablespoon of water and vinegar then pulse again. Repeat the previous step until you get a somewhat smooth yet nutty texture. Finally, add the salt to taste. Set the paste aside.
      walnut paste inside a food processor
    • Remove the excess water from the bowl of eggplants. Wipe down each slice on both sides with a paper towel.
      Wipe the eggplant slice with a paper towel
    • Brush some oil onto a flat frying pan and let it heat up. Place some slices on the heated pan. Fry both sides until they have some browning, then remove and set them aside to cool.
      Slices of eggplants in a frying pan
    • While the eggplants cool, slice a garlic clove in half and rub it along one side of each slice. This should be the side where you will spread the walnut paste.
      Rubbing a garlic clove along a slice of eggplant
    • Take about 1-2 tablespoon of the walnut paste and spread it along one strip of an eggplant. Begin making the roll by folding the curved end first then rolling it all the way to the straight edge.
      Making an eggplant roll with walnut paste
    • Place the rolled eggplant seam side down on a plate.
      A finished eggplant roll or badrijani nigvzit
    • Finish the dish by dressing it with some greens like parsley or more traditionally, pomegranate seeds.
      Plate of Georgian eggplant roll or badrijani nigvzit

    Nutrition

    Calories: 133kcalCarbohydrates: 8gProtein: 4gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 8gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gSodium: 197mgPotassium: 272mgFiber: 4gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 78IUVitamin C: 8mgCalcium: 28mgIron: 1mg
    Disclaimer: Nutritional values were calculated with the Spoonacular Food API and should be used for informational purposes only.
    Keyword aubergine, fried eggplant, georgian food, georgian spread, georgian walnuts, pkhali, starters, vegan, vegetables, walnut, walnut paste

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    More Georgian

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    • Georgian cucumber tomato salad topped with chopped chilies and purple basil in a white bowl
      Simple Georgian Tomato Cucumber Salad with Walnuts Recipe
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      Walnut Paste: A Must-Have Recipe for Georgian Food
    • A bread shaped like a boat that has toasted cheese filling in the middle and an egg yolk and slices of butter
      Traditional Adjarian Khachapuri: Easy Steps & Simple Ingredients

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