What is Shotis Puri, how is it eaten and what is in it? Useful properties of Georgian bread, recipes for its preparation and contraindications for use.
Shotis puri (shoti) is a traditional Georgian bread that is baked in the shape of a saber (also reminiscent of a boat) with an obligatory groove in the middle. Such bread turns out to be very lush and satisfying. It has a slightly salty taste and a crispy crust. Suitable for almost any dish that can be eaten with bread. Nutritionists and other medical professionals cite both beneficial and harmful properties of Shotis Puri. Let's figure out who can eat such baked goods, and who should reduce their consumption to a minimum.
The composition and calorie content of Shotis Puri
The traditional composition of Shotis Puri contains a standard set of ingredients for baking bread: usually white flour, some dry yeast, and water for kneading the dough. Occasionally, onions can be added to it. It is difficult to find Shotis Puri prepared with the addition of any other ingredients - the people of Georgia honor the traditions of their people.
A through hole is made in the middle of the cake, and this is no coincidence - it is necessary for the hot air to escape from the shot. Thanks to this, they do not turn into bloated balls, but take on the original shape of a boat or saber.
The calorie content of Shotis Puri per 100 g is 226.7 kcal, of which:
- Proteins - 7, 5 g;
- Fat - 0.7 g;
- Carbohydrates - 47.4 g.
The ratio of proteins, fats and carbohydrates: 1: 0, 1: 6, 3, respectively.
Vitamins per 100 g of product:
- Vitamin B1, thiamine - 1.5 mg;
- Vitamin B2, riboflavin - 1.8 mg;
- Vitamin B4, choline - 500 mg;
- Vitamin B5, pantothenic acid - 5 mg;
- Vitamin B6, pyridoxine - 2 mg;
- Vitamin B9, folate - 400 mcg;
- Vitamin E, alpha tocopherol - 15 mg;
- Vitamin H, biotin - 50 mcg;
- Vitamin PP - 20 mg.
Micro and macro elements in 100 g shotis puri:
- Potassium, K - 2500 mg;
- Calcium, Ca - 1000 mg;
- Silicon, Si -30 mg;
- Magnesium, Mg - 400 mg;
- Sodium, Na - 1300 mg;
- Phosphorus, P - 800 mg;
- Chlorine, Cl - 2300 mg;
- Iron, Fe - 18 mg;
- Iodine, I - 150 mcg;
- Cobalt, Co - 10 μg;
- Manganese, Mn - 2 mg;
- Copper, Cu - 1000 μg;
- Molybdenum, Mo - 70 mcg;
- Selenium, Se - 55 μg;
- Fluorine, F - 4000 mcg;
- Chromium, Cr - 50 μg;
- Zinc, Zn - 12 mg.
On a note! Many people confuse shotis with pita bread, which it is not. Lavash is Armenian, not Georgian, leafy bread, very flat and wide. It is most often used to make shawarma. Shotis puri is eaten as a regular bread, a bite to eat with first and second courses.
Benefits of Shotis Puri
Many people question the health benefits of shotis puri, arguing that white flour has harmful properties. Georgian bread is really baked from high quality flour, from which you can get better. In addition, scientists from all over the world have devoted many scientific works to the question of the harmful effects of higher grades of flour on a living organism. Experts advise people to alternate the use of white and dark flour bread, in which case their body will remain full and unharmed.
The main advantages of Shotis Puri are the original Caucasian taste, persistent aroma and the ability to diversify any standard table.
Residents of Georgia regularly eat shotis puri and are famous for their longevity, because white flour has not only harmful, but also many useful properties:
- Strengthens bones and teeth - contains a large amount of phosphorus, calcium and other useful elements.
- Quickly saturates the human body - white bread contains a lot of easily digestible carbohydrates, so it is even customary to give it to athletes after hard training. For the same reason, white bread is recommended for children who are in the phase of active growth, move a lot and spend energy learning about the world around them.
- Improves the general condition of a person - Georgian bread Shotis Puri optimizes the absorption of iron, folic acid and other nutrients by the body.
Interesting! The first bread, which was as similar as possible to the modern one, was tasted by mankind more than 7,000 years ago. It was baked by the ancient Egyptians, who were the first to realize that by adding yeast and sour milk to the dough of cakes, you can get a very tasty and aromatic product.
Contraindications and harm to Shotis Puri
The harm of shotis puri lies in white flour, which is rich in calories and simple carbohydrates. From such a product, as from any baked goods made from white flour, you can quickly gain weight.
In addition, the results of a scientific study, in which about 60 thousand volunteers took part, showed that white bread can provoke the development of various pathogenic processes in the body, provided it is regularly consumed in large quantities. So, scientists have proved that bread made from premium flour can lead a person to diabetes, pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract and the cardiovascular system. However, everyone can enjoy shotis without fear of the consequences - for this you simply need to eat white bread in moderation.
How to prepare Shotis Puri?
Many popular culinary magazines advise every woman to learn how to make Shotis Puri - the bread has such an attractive appearance and distinctive taste that it can decorate any meal.
It is not difficult to knead the dough for shoti, but problems can arise with baking. According to Georgian traditions, it must be baked in a special Georgian oven called "tone". The secret of the oven is that it heats up to 300 ° C, at this temperature the bread does not fall and remains fluffy until the end of baking.
For reference! A tone stove is a structure made of clay and bricks in the shape of a ball or a jug. It can be used as an oven for baking bread or a barbecue for grilling meat dishes.
At home, you can bake shotis in any oven, in extreme cases in the oven. It's almost impossible to make such bread in a bread maker, so don't waste your time on it.
Step by step recipe for shotis puri:
- Start by making the dough, for this stir 0.5 tsp in 50 ml of water. salt and 2 g of dry yeast.
- Pour 4 tbsp into the prepared solution. l. flour and knead a thick dough.
- Shape the dough into a sickle (boat) cake and let it sit for 20 minutes. In the meantime, preheat the oven.
- Place the bread in the oven and bake until tender (about 10 minutes). By the way, according to their long-term traditions, Georgians do not bake bread on stands, but stick it to the walls of the oven.
- Leave the finished bread on a hot baking sheet and cover with a towel. By doing this, you can keep it warm before serving.
Professional advice! Shotis puri can always be garnished by adding finely chopped green onions to the dough. This additive will practically not affect the taste of bread, however, it will make its appearance more appetizing.
Shotis Puri recipes
Shotis puri can be paired with all Georgian dishes that are eaten with bread. It is worth adding cheese with herbs to the sickle-shaped cakes, and you will get a new independent dish. Also, eating barbecue or Georgian soups is not complete without shotis.
Several recipes for dishes served with shotis puri are presented below:
- Shotis puri with cheese … In Georgia, there is a rather unusual way of serving Shotis bread. A still warm tortilla must be cut in the middle, put inside a little fresh cilantro with suluguni cheese. Due to the high temperature of the bread, the cheese will quickly melt and soak the shotis with incredible taste and aroma. The optimal drink for such a delicacy is tarragon.
- Shish kebab with shotis … Georgian gourmets often eat shotis with barbecue. So, when the meat is ready, they envelop one piece of hot and juicy meat with shotis and remove it from the skewer. Thanks to this, the bread is saturated with the indescribable aroma of a fire and the juice of a freshly cooked barbecue. To cook one of the types of traditional Georgian kebabs, you will need 1 kg of pork or veal, as well as a unique marinade. To prepare such a marinade, you should definitely buy 200 ml of high-quality red wine (preferably dry). Cut 4-5 large onions into rings and cover the meat with them. Season the future kebab with 1 tsp. coarse salt, a pinch of coriander, paprika, ground pepper and thyme. Pour wine over the meat. Leave the dish to marinate in a warm room for 2-2.5 hours.
- Soup kharcho … This dish is traditional in Georgian cuisine and is often eaten with shotis. For the preparation of a truly Georgian soup, it is recommended to use beef meat (500 g). Also an integral attribute of kharcho soup are tklapi - sweet and sour strips of dried plum puree. It will be quite difficult to find them in domestic stores, so you can cook soup without them. So, let's start cooking. Pour water over the meat and cook. Remember to skim the broth periodically. The total cooking time for the broth will be 1 to 2 hours, depending on the meat. Strain the finished broth, and remove the meat from the bones, chop it into small pieces and send it back to the future soup. While the broth is cooking, start slicing vegetables. Dice 2 onions and crush 1 garlic clove with a rolling pin. Cut the greens as small as possible - a few sprigs of cilantro and parsley. Add all prepared ingredients, except for the garlic, to the strained broth. Pour 150 g of thoroughly washed rice here. When the soup is almost cooked, add crushed garlic, salt (to taste) to it, be sure to hop-suneli and bay leaf. To achieve the maximum similarity of the soup with the Georgian one, add 100 g of chopped walnuts to it. Serve ready-made kharcho soup with a slice of hot pepper, fresh herbs and shotis puri. The finished soup should have an original sour taste, rich in spices and pungency.
- Chikhirtma … Another Georgian soup. Chop 1 chicken meat into large pieces (you can use pieces of meat with bone). Send the chicken to the pot. Add 6 onions to this. Simmer the meat over low heat, without adding water to the pan. If you notice that the meat is still burning to the bottom of the pot, add a little water. When the meat is practically cooked, cover it with water. Determine the volume of water yourself. As a rule, this is 8-10 glasses. If you want to cook a large portion of the soup, add more water. In the boiling soup, add a bunch of cilantro with roots, tied with a thread in advance. Cook the soup for 10 minutes. At the end of the specified period, strain the broth through cheesecloth. Discard onions and cilantro. In a separate bowl, combine 5 egg yolks with 1 tablespoon wine vinegar. Pour the resulting mixture into a slightly cooled broth, but carefully so that the yolks do not curl. Pour the finished broth into plates, add pieces of chicken meat to it. Serve with Shotis Puri.
Interesting facts about Shotis Puri
In ancient times, Georgian families baked bread no more than once a week. On this day, the whole family gathered at a common table and feasted on freshly baked flatbreads with fresh cheese, various preserves and wine. After a kind of feast, all the bread was put into Kidobani - a special wooden container designed to store bread.
The name "Shotis Puri", as it is easy to see, is compound. The word "puri" in Georgia is usually called bread, and the word "shotis" defines its shape - saber (sickle, boat shape).
Shotis puri cakes did not appear by chance - thanks to the small size of the bread, it was convenient for the military to take it on military campaigns, in which they fought enemies with sabers.
How to cook shotis puri - watch the video:
Shotis puri is not just a bread cake made of white flour, but also a real historical heritage of Georgia, its tradition, which continues to live in spite of technological progress and the impact of world culinary trends. Bread will benefit your body if it is consumed irregularly and in reasonable amounts. If you are trying to lose weight, keep your shotis intake to a minimum.
