Badrijani Nigvzit

Badrijani nigvzit is a Georgian starter of thin fried aubergine slices, each rolled around a paste of ground walnut, garlic and herbs, and topped with pomegranate seeds.

Badrijani is the Georgian word for aubergine, and nigvzit means "with walnuts", so the name describes the dish. It is one of the cold and room-temperature starters of Georgian cooking, set out with bread and other small plates at the start of a shared meal.

What it really is

Aubergine is cut lengthways into thin slices and fried in oil until soft and golden on both sides. The filling is a thick paste of ground walnut mixed with garlic, fresh herbs and spices. A spoonful is spread along each cooled slice, which is then rolled up. The rolls are arranged on a plate and finished with pomegranate seeds, whose sharp juiciness and bright red colour contrast with the dark, nutty filling.

There is no meat or dairy in the classic version. The dish is made from vegetables, nuts and herbs, and it is fried in oil rather than in animal fat or cooked in stock.

How it's served

• Cold or at room temperature, as a starter on a shared table.
• Several rolls to a plate, sprinkled with pomegranate seeds just before serving.
• With bread and other starters, rather than as a main course on its own.

How to write it on the menu

• Name the main ingredient and the filling: aubergine rolls with walnut paste.
• Flag walnuts as an allergen, since walnut is in the filling.
• Say the dish is vegan if your recipe is, and name the frying oil if guests ask.
• State whether it is served cold or warm, and that pomegranate is a garnish.
• Keep the Georgian name, Badrijani Nigvzit, with the English description beside it.