Georgian hot pepper paste (Adjika)

1. Wash the chillies (wearing gloves) and cut off the stalks; for a milder paste, remove some of the seeds.

2. Toast the coriander and fenugreek seeds in a dry frying pan for 1-2 minutes until fragrant, then grind finely in a mortar.

3. Roughly chop the chillies, peeled garlic, coriander and dill.

4. Work everything together with the salt and ground spices in a food processor (or traditionally in a stone mortar) into a thick, slightly grainy paste; if it's too dry, add a spoonful of water.

5. Spoon the paste into a clean jar, smooth the top and leave to mature in the fridge for at least a day so the flavours come together.

6. Serve in small amounts with roast meats or fish, stirred into soups or spread on bread – the fiery basic seasoning of Mingrelian and Abkhazian cooking.

Tip: Adjika is very hot: taste just a teaspoonful first. Thanks to the salt it keeps for several weeks in the fridge, even longer with a thin layer of oil on top.