Name: Elarji: Megrelian Stretchy Cornmeal with Sulguni
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 20 min
Cuisine: Georgian
Ingredients: 320 g coarse maize grits, rinsed repeatedly and drained; 80 g fine maize flour, sifted; 1.5 L water; 500 g very fresh, mild Sulguni, coarsely grated or shaved into thin strips; drain and pat dry if it is very wet

Wide rustic bowl of glossy maize elarji with long melted Sulguni strands stretching from a wooden paddle

Yield6 servings

Serving sizeone-sixth of the finished elarji, served by itself

DifficultyIntermediate

Dietary notesContains milk; gluten-free by listed ingredients, subject to product labels and cross-contact

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The dish

About Elarji: Megrelian Stretchy Cornmeal with Sulguni

Elarji is a Megrelian dish from Samegrelo in western Georgia. The cook first makes a thick maize porridge and then kneads fresh, mild Sulguni into it over the heat. The cheese melts through the porridge, making it cohesive and elastic. Unlike plain ghomi, which is commonly served with other dishes, Elarji is generally served on its own.

A local story says shepherds made Elarji while staying with their herds in the mountains of Samegrelo. That is a regional legend, not a verified account of the dish’s origin. What defines the dish in Georgian descriptions is the combination of maize and fresh cheese, along with the repeated stirring and kneading that give it its stretch.

The exact grind of the maize and the proportion of cheese vary. This home version begins with rinsed coarse grits, adds a smaller amount of fine maize flour for a smooth body, then works in young Sulguni. Use cheese that melts and stretches readily. Serve Elarji as soon as it leaves the pot; cooling makes the cheese firm and reduces the characteristic pull.

Cook the dish

Ingredients

Maize porridge and cheese

320 gcoarse maize grits, rinsed repeatedly and drained
80 gfine maize flour, sifted
1.5 Lwater
500 gvery fresh, mild Sulguni, coarsely grated or shaved into thin strips; drain and pat dry if it is very wet

Method

Rinse the grits and prepare the cheese. Rinse the coarse grits in several changes of cold water until the water is mostly clear and loose dark corn particles are removed. Drain well. Sift the fine maize flour. Cut or grate the Sulguni into thin strips and blot away excess brine.
Bring the water to a boil. Add the rinsed grits and 1.5 L water to the heavy pot. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring so the grains do not settle and catch.
Cook the coarse porridge. Reduce to a steady low simmer. Cook for 30–35 minutes, stirring often and scraping the bottom, until the grains are tender and the porridge is thick and uniform.
Add the fine maize flour. Sprinkle it in gradually while stirring continuously to prevent dry pockets and lumps. Cook over low heat for 10–12 minutes, until the porridge is smooth, cohesive and no longer tastes raw.
Knead in the Sulguni. Add the cheese strips in several batches. Stir and fold vigorously with the wooden spoon after each addition. Continue for about 3–5 minutes, until the cheese has melted through and the mass pulls into long, elastic strands.
Finish and serve. Keep the pot over low heat only until the mixture is evenly stretchy and glossy, about 2 minutes. Do not cook until the cheese releases pools of fat. Wet the serving spoon with clean cold water, transfer the Elarji to a wide platter or warm bowls, and serve immediately.

Elarji: warm maize porridge kneaded with fresh cheese

Elarji starts as a pot of ghomi, a thick Georgian maize porridge, then fine corn flour and young Sulguni are worked into it until the mixture turns cohesive and stretchy. This measured Samegrelo-style version serves six and is best brought straight from the pot to the table.

Serving, storage and substitutions

Elarji is traditionally eaten on its own while hot. Set the platter in the centre of the table and cut or lift portions while the cheese is still stretchy. It is not served over ghomi; ghomi is the plain porridge from which Elarji is made.

For food safety, cool leftovers in shallow covered containers and refrigerate within 2 hours. Keep at 4 °C or below and use within 3–4 days. Reheat gently with a small splash of water, stirring and folding until the centre reaches 74 °C. The cheese may not regain its original elasticity.

Freezing is not recommended for texture. Use very fresh, mild Sulguni or a closely comparable young brined cheese that melts and stretches. Aged or smoked Sulguni is saltier and will not give the same soft pull.

Practical guidance

Troubleshooting

If the porridge is lumpy after the fine maize flour goes in, keep the heat low and stir firmly against the sides and bottom until the lumps break up. If the mixture is too stiff before all the cheese is incorporated, add a little hot water, one spoonful at a time. If the cheese releases oil, lower the heat and stop stirring over direct high heat; serve as soon as the mixture comes together.

Nutrition per serving

Serving size: one-sixth of the complete Elarji
Calories: approximately 490 kcal
Carbohydrates: 53 g
Protein: 24 g
Fat: 21 g
Fibre: about 5 g
Sodium: approximately 424 mg

Allergens and food safety

Contains milk. Check Sulguni labels and cross-contact warnings. Maize contains no gluten, but packaged maize products may be processed where wheat is present.

Keep the cheese refrigerated until preparation. Serve the freshly cooked Elarji hot. Cool leftovers in shallow containers within 2 hours, refrigerate at 4 °C or below, use within 3–4 days, and reheat throughout to 74 °C.

To finish

The finished Elarji should form one cohesive, glossy mass and stretch into long strands when lifted.
Stir the porridge steadily, knead in fresh Sulguni in batches, and serve before the cheese firms.