What is "tkemali"

n. A tart Georgian sauce made from sour plums.

Tkemali ( Georgian: ტყემალი) is the Georgian sour plum sauce made of cherry plums. Tkemali is made from both red and green varieties of plum. The flavor of the sauce varies, but generally tends to be pungently tart. To lower the tartness level, occasionally sweeter types of plums are added during preparation. Traditionally the following ingredients are used besides plum: garlic, pennyroyal, coriander, dill, chili pepper and salt.

Tkemali is used for fried or grilled meat, poultry and potato dishes, and has a place in Georgian cuisine similar to the one ketchup has in the U.S. It can be made at home, but is also mass-produced by several Georgian and Russian companies.