It’s a Balkan “pill” for digestive problems. Eat and enjoy healthy intestines

Ajvar is a vegetable paste prepared mainly from eggplants and peppers. We can find it in many Polish stores for a long time, but it has its roots in the Balkans. Once “caviar” for the poor, now a delicious addition to bread or meat. Not only does it taste delicious, but it also has a beneficial effect on our health. Check what you can gain by introducing ajvar into your diet.

Is ajvar healthy? This Balkan delicacy is worth eating not only because of its taste

Ajvar is considered a healthy addition to the diet because it consists mainly of vegetables rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. If we prepare it with a little fat, it will become a low-calorie snack suitable for weight loss. The main ingredients of the paste – eggplant and pepper – provide the body with large doses of C and B. Thanks to the high fiber content, they regulate the functioning of our intestines, which allows for their healthy cleansing. – Eggplant can also be successfully used in the diets of patients who struggle with irritable bowel syndrome and are suffering from the so-called low FODMAP protocol – Dr. Angelika Kargulewicz.

Peppers and eggplant support the proper functioning of the circulatory system, help reduce blood pressure and regulate cholesterol levels. Pepper also affects libido, so it can be treated as an aphrodisiac. Ajvar is rich in spices that have a beneficial effect on the system, so let’s eat it for health reasons, because it won’t hurt our sides.

How to make ajvar? You can prepare your version at home

Preparing homemade ajwar takes a lot of time, so it is worth making a larger batch and preserving it for the future. Thanks to this, we will have a delicious taste in the jar, which we can enjoy whenever we feel like it. The traditional recipe contains oil, so if you want your ajvar to be dietary, replace it with olive oil and reduce the amount of fat by half. The ingredients you will need are:

• 1 kg eggplant,
• 5 kg of red pepper,
• 150 ml rapeseed oil,
• 60 ml of spirit vinegar,
• 2 cloves of garlic,
• 2 flat tablespoons of sugar,
• half a teaspoon of hot pepper powder (you can also add smoked paprika),
• salt and pepper to taste.

Ajvar on the bread Photo badmanproduction / iStock

First, wash all vegetables and dry them on a towel. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees. Place the peppers on a rack, place a baking tray underneath (vegetables release a lot of juice during thermal processing) and bake them until they are soft and the skin comes off. Place the peppers in a large pot and cover tightly with a lid. Thanks to this, it will retain heat and the cuticles will come off easily. Pierce the eggplants in several places with a knife and, just like before, put the peppers in the oven and bake until soft. When the vegetables are ready, peel them and remove the seeds from the peppers. Place such vegetables in a strainer and wait a few hours until they release all the water. When they drain, grind them in a meat grinder and place them in a large pan (a pot with a thick bottom will also work). Add the oil to the hot mixture and stir constantly so that it does not stick to the bottom. When the mass boils, add spices and pressed garlic. Pour the hot ajvar into jars and pasteurize. If you feel like it, vote in our poll below.