Name: Ojakhuri
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Georgian
Ingredients: 600g pork neck or shoulder, cut into 3cm cubes; 600g potatoes, peeled and cut into 3cm chunks; 2 large onions, cut into thick wedges; 2 tomatoes, chopped; 4 cloves garlic, minced; 1 tsp paprika; 1 tsp dried barberry or 1 tsp red wine vinegar; Salt and black pepper; Large bunch fresh cilantro and parsley; Vegetable oil for frying

A sizzling Georgian pan-fry of crispy pork and golden potatoes with onions and herbs — the name means 'family dish,' and it shows up on every Georgian table when there's hunger to fix fast.

The Cultural Story

Ojakhuri means 'family' in Georgian, and the dish is exactly that — straightforward, generous, comforting, made for a hungry table at the end of a long day. Chunks of pork and potatoes are fried separately in oil until crispy, then combined with onions, tomatoes, and a finishing of fresh herbs. The genius of the recipe lies in the two-stage frying: the pork gets its own time in the pan to develop a proper crust, then the potatoes get theirs, and only at the end do they meet. This prevents the potatoes from going soggy and the pork from overcooking. In Georgia, it is made in a wide clay pan called a ketsi, which holds heat magnificently and goes directly from the stove to the table, crackling and fragrant. At restaurants in Tbilisi, Ojakhuri arrives still hissing, ordered alongside a carafe of wine without a second thought. It is the dish you cook when you don't want to cook but still want to eat well.

Ingredients

600g pork neck or shoulder, cut into 3cm cubes
600g potatoes, peeled and cut into 3cm chunks
2 large onions, cut into thick wedges
2 tomatoes, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp dried barberry or 1 tsp red wine vinegar
Salt and black pepper
Large bunch fresh cilantro and parsley
Vegetable oil for frying

Instructions

1Season pork pieces generously with salt and pepper.
2Heat 3 tbsp oil in a large skillet over high heat. Fry pork in a single layer without stirring for 4-5 minutes until a deep brown crust forms. Turn and brown all sides. Remove pork and set aside.
3Add more oil to the same pan. Fry potato chunks over high heat for 12-15 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden and crispy outside and cooked through. Remove and set aside.
4Reduce heat to medium. Add onion wedges to the pan and cook 5-7 minutes until softened and beginning to color.
5Add garlic and paprika, stir 30 seconds. Add chopped tomatoes and vinegar. Cook 3 minutes.
6Return pork and potatoes to the pan. Toss everything together gently over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes until heated through.
7Season to taste. Serve immediately — it should be sizzling. Shower with fresh cilantro and parsley at the table.

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