Homemade Ajvar

Ajvar or ayvar (IPA ['ajvar]) is a relish made principally from red bell peppers, with eggplant, garlic and chili pepper. It is predominantly popular in the Balkans, chiefly in former Yugoslav republics. Depending on capsaicin content in bell peppers and the amount of added chili peppers, it can be sweet, piquant (the most common), or very hot. Image File history File links Ajvar-3. ... Image File history File links Ajvar-3. ... IPA may refer to: The International Phonetic Alphabet or India Pale Ale ... For other uses, see Relish (disambiguation). ... Species C. annuum (incl. ... “Aubergine” redirects here. ... Binomial name L. Allium sativum L., commonly known as garlic, is a species in the onion family Alliaceae. ... For other uses, see Chili. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was a Balkan state that existed from 1945 to 1992. ... Capsaicin (8-methyl-N-vanillyl-6-nonenamide) is the active component of chili peppers, which are plants belonging to the genus Capsicum. ...

Ajvar can be consumed as a bread spread, an addition in sandwiches, a condiment (often used with grilled or roasted meat), or a salad. Percentages are relative to US recommendations for adults. ... Butter is commonly sold in sticks (pictured) or small blocks, and often served using a butterknife. ... An Italian sandwich. ... Salt, sugar and pepper are the most essential condiments in Western cuisine. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Broiling. ... “Roast” redirects here. ... Salad Platter Salad is a light meal — or, as part of a larger meal, much more of an appetizer — consisting of mixed vegetables (usually including at least one leaf vegetable) or fruit, often with a dressing or sauce, occasionally nuts and sometimes with the addition of meat, fish or cheese. ...

Etymology

The name ajvar comes from the Turkish word havyar, which means "salted roe," and shares an etymology with caviar.^[1] Salmon roe at the Shiogama seafood market in Japan Look up Roe in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... For the band of the same name, see Caviar (band). ...

Preparation

Preparation of ajvar is somewhat difficult, as it involves a great deal of manual labor, especially as regards the peeling of the cooked peppers. Traditionally, it is prepared in mid-autumn, when bell peppers are most abundant, conserved in glass jars, and consumed throughout the year (although in most households stocks do not last until the spring, when fresh salads start to emerge anyway, so it is usually enjoyed as a winter food). Often, the whole family or neighbours gather to bake the bell peppers, peel them, and cook them. The principal cultivar of pepper used is called roga — it is large, red, horn-shaped, with thick flesh and relatively easy to peel. It typically ripens in late September. This Osteospermum Pink Whirls is a successful cultivar. ... Highland cow, a very old long-horned breed from Scotland. ...

A jar of ajvar

In order to produce ajvar, bell peppers and eggplants are baked whole on a plate on an open fire, a plate of a wood in a stove, or in an oven. The baked peppers must briefly rest in a closed dish, to allow them to cool and to allow the flesh to separate from the skin. Next, the skin is carefully peeled off and seeds removed. The peppers are then ground in a mill or chopped in tiny pieces (this variant is often referred to as pinđur). Finally, the mush is stewed for a couple of hours in large pots, with added sunflower oil and garlic, in order to condense and reduce the water, as well as to enhance later conservation. Salt (and sometimes also vinegar) is added at the end and the hot mush is poured directly into glass jars which are immediately sealed. Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (455x617, 174 KB) Ajvar. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (455x617, 174 KB) Ajvar. ... A stove is a heat-producing device. ... Oven depicted in a painting by Millet An oven is an enclosed compartment for heating, baking or drying. ... An ancient Chinese tomb model of a foot-powered mill, Eastern Han Dynasty (25 - 220 AD), Freer Gallery of Art. ... For other uses, see Sunflower (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Salt (disambiguation). ... Vinegar is sometimes infused with spices or herbs—as here, with oregano. ...

Production

The best ajvar is produced domestically, as only the manual peeling and seed removal ensures clear taste without slightly bitter influence of the pepper skin. Industrial production is modest; reported annual Serbian production of ajvar is 640 tons. ^[2] Look up ton in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

Ajvar is part of the-so called "zimnica" (winter foods), which include pickled chili peppers, pickled tomatoes, and anything else that can fit in a jar that gets prepared just before winter.

Industrial producers

• Medoprodukt, Tavankut, Serbia
• Vipro, Gevgelija, Macedonia
• Vitaminka, Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Vegafruit, Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Podravka, Croatia
• Vitaminka, Macedonia
• PIK Bečej, Serbia
• Droga Kolinska, Slovenia
• Eta, Slovenia
• Penguen, Turkey

Podravka is a Croatian food company. ... For other uses, see ETA (disambiguation). ...

References

See also

• Lutenica
• Zacuscă, a similar relish in Romania
• Biber salçası, a Turkish spread made from red peppers alone