Cooking with Khmeli Suneli: A Georgian Spice Blend

A pan of onions softening on the hob is a promising start to dinner. Add a little Khmeli Suneli and the smell gives you another reason to stay in the kitchen.

Herbal, earthy and gently fragrant, this Georgian spice blend is lovely in the sort of food you want to eat from a deep bowl: beans, soups, stews and vegetables cooked until tender.

It also deserves an outing with roast chicken, mushrooms, meatballs and potatoes.

If you’ve bought some and aren’t quite sure where to begin, start with a meal you already know how to make. A teaspoon in the right place will tell you far more than leaving the packet unopened while you search for the perfect recipe.

What is Khmeli Suneli?

Khmeli Suneli is a Georgian blend of dried herbs and spices.

Depending on the maker, blends may include coriander seed, blue fenugreek, dill, basil, summer savoury and marigold, alongside other herbs and spices.

That variation matters. Two blends can smell and taste different, so use your own packet as the starting point rather than assuming every recipe needs exactly the same amount.

It’s also worth distinguishing Khmeli Suneli from utskho suneli. Utskho suneli refers to blue fenugreek; Khmeli Suneli is a mixture.

What does it taste like?

Expect a savoury, herbal flavour, with earthy and sometimes slightly floral notes.

Our Khmeli Suneli is about fragrance and depth rather than fierce chilli heat. If you want heat as well, add a little adjika separately.

This gives you useful control over dinner. You can season a whole pot with Khmeli Suneli, then let the chilli lovers add adjika to their own bowls.

How much Khmeli Suneli should you use?

For your first few meals, try:

• 1 teaspoon in a dish serving two.

• 1–2 teaspoons with 500g vegetables.

• 1–2 teaspoons in a stew or bean dish serving four.

These are starting quantities. Taste after the spices have had time to cook through, then decide whether the dish needs more.

Use a little less in delicate food and a little more in a large pot of beans or a hearty stew.

When should you add it?

For soups, stews and sauces, stir it into softened onions with a little oil. Let it warm briefly over a gentle heat, stirring, then add your tomatoes, stock or other liquid before it catches.

For roasting, mix it with oil first so it coats the ingredients evenly.

In yoghurt or another cold sauce, stir it through and leave it for 10–15 minutes before tasting again. The dried herbs need a little time to mingle with the rest.

Five good places to start

1. Roast vegetables

Toss 500g chopped vegetables with 1–2 teaspoons Khmeli Suneli, 1½ tablespoons oil and salt to taste.

Roast at 200°C fan until tender and browned, turning during cooking. Allow around 25–40 minutes, depending on the vegetables and size of the pieces.

Try carrots, cauliflower, squash or wedges of onion. Finish with lemon juice, then serve with thick yoghurt and toasted walnuts.

2. Chicken thighs

Mix 2 teaspoons Khmeli Suneli with 1 tablespoon oil and enough salt to season 600g chicken thighs.

Rub over the chicken and roast until cooked through. Add a little adjika to the mixture if you’d like chilli and garlic as well, reducing the extra salt accordingly.

Serve with potatoes and something fresh and sharp on the side.

3. Mushrooms on toast

Brown 250g mushrooms in a wide frying pan. Once their moisture has cooked away, lower the heat and add a knob of butter and ½ teaspoon Khmeli Suneli.

Stir briefly, then add a splash of water or cream to stop the seasoning catching and gather the pan juices.

Spoon over hot toast. A little parsley and black pepper are welcome here.

4. Meatballs or burgers

For 500g mince, start with 1–2 teaspoons Khmeli Suneli.

Add your usual ingredients and seasoning, then cook a small piece of the mixture to check the flavour before shaping the rest.

It’s particularly good with lamb, but beef, pork or a mixture work too. Serve with a tomato salad and a yoghurt sauce.

5. A pot of beans

Beans give the blend room to show itself. Their mild flavour and soft texture work beautifully with onions, herbs and spice.

The recipe below is Georgian-inspired, written for an ordinary evening with a couple of tins from the cupboard.

Easy Khmeli Suneli butter beans

Serves 2 generously, or 4 as a side

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil.

• 1 medium onion, finely sliced.

• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped.

• 2 teaspoons Khmeli Suneli.

• 1 tablespoon tomato purée.

• 2 × 400g tins butter beans, drained and rinsed.

• 250ml vegetable stock, plus a little more if needed.

• ½ teaspoon Red Adjika, optional.

• 1–2 teaspoons red wine vinegar or lemon juice.

• A small handful of chopped parsley or coriander.

• Salt and black pepper, to taste.

Method

1. Warm the oil in a saucepan over a medium-low heat. Add the onion and cook for 10–12 minutes, stirring, until soft and beginning to colour.

2. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.

3. Stir in the Khmeli Suneli and tomato purée. Cook gently for 30–60 seconds, stirring continuously.

4. Add the beans, stock and adjika, if using. Stir well and bring to a gentle simmer.

5. Cook uncovered for 15–20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Crush a few beans against the side of the pan to thicken the liquid. Add a splash more stock if it becomes too thick.

6. Stir in 1 teaspoon vinegar or lemon juice and the fresh herbs. Taste, then adjust the acidity, salt and pepper.

Serve with bread, a crunchy cucumber salad and a spoonful of yoghurt if you fancy it.

Give it a place in your regular cooking

Keep Khmeli Suneli sealed, away from heat and direct sunlight, and follow the best-before guidance on the packet.

Then use it while its fragrance i

s lively. Try it in next week’s soup, a tray of carrots or a pot of lentils. You’ll soon recognise where you enjoy it most.

Shop our Khmeli Suneli and put something good on the hob.