Ajvar is made from red bell peppers and oil. It is commonly known as ‘Serbian salad’ or ‘Serbian vegetable caviar’ in Serbia. Ajvar is produced in many countries like Albania, Serbia, Bosnia, Croatia, etc, but it is most famous in Serbia. About 640 tonnes of Ajvar is produced in Serbia every year. This is generally a winter food.
The word Ajvar originated from the Turkish word ‘Havyar’ which means salted roe. Before the 20th-century Ajvar was very famous in Belgrade. It was the most demanded and popular dish in Belgrade restaurants and homes. But due to their labor disputes, the production of Ajvar in Belgrade was not steady. So, it was replaced by a pepper salad, which was known as red Ajvar.
Ajvar is used as a sauce and as a topping. It is used as a topping in sandwiches or as a condiment for fish or meat. Some people prepare Ajvar as a tangy sauce by adding vinegar, whereas, some people make it sweet. While some make it spicy.
Ajvar originally originated in Serbia. However, there are disputes regarding the origin of Ajvar. North America and Slovenia also claim that Ajvar originated there.
Preparation of Ajvar
The preparation of Ajvar requires a lot of manual labor. It is made up of roasting peppers. But some producers use cooked peppers for making it, due to which the quality of Ajvar degrades.
In the early days, Ajvar was usually prepared in the autumn season and stored in the jar to consume it throughout the year.
For its preparation, at first, the bell peppers are roasted in an open fire. After that, the bell peppers are cooled so that the flesh gets separated from the skin. Then, the skin is peeled off and the seeds are removed carefully. The peppers are then chopped into small pieces.
After that, it is kept in pots for several hours for stewing. Sunflower oil is added at this stage so that it could be stored for a long time. Lastly, some salt and vinegar are added and then, they are stored in sealed jars.
How it can be used?
- It can be used as a sauce.
- It can be used as a condiment in grilled fish and meat.
- You can serve it as a dip with vegetables, crusty bread, etc
- It can be used as a spread on bread, sandwiches, etc.
Why Ajvar is so famous?
- It has an irresistible and unique taste which has a great aroma. The roasted pepper, some oil and vinegar give it an amazing and delicious taste.
- It is thick in texture, so, it is ideal for packaging.
- Ajvar is healthy and does not contain fat. So in spite of its good taste, it can also be eaten on a diet.
- It does not contain any added preservatives and is 100 percent natural.
- As it is cooked on a slow flame, many nutrients are added to it which makes it healthier.
- Ajvar is 100 percent vegetarian.
If you want to taste the genuine taste of this amazing appetizer, you can buy Ajvar online from Serdika Foods.