Ljutenica

Ljutenica

Ljutenica, lyutenitsa or lutenica (Bulgarian: лютеница, Serbian: љутеница, Macedonian: лутеница; lyuto or luto meaning "hot") is a spicy vegetable relish or chutney^[1] in Bulgarian, Macedonian and Serbian cuisines.

The ingredients include peppers, carrots, garlic, vegetable oil, sugar, salt, and tomatoes. It comes in many varieties: smooth; with bits; with small spicy peppers or eggplant; and spicy or mild.^[2]

Ljutenica may be slightly spicier than the other popular relish. However, different regions and countries have substantially different interpretations of these relishes.

In Bulgaria, lyutenitsa comes in a jar and is often used as a spread on toast and breads. It is also frequently eaten with many meats, meatballs and kebapcheta. Most households have this in their house all year.

In recent years, industrial production of ljutenica, as well as ajvar, has flourished. Large-scale production of both relishes has popularized them outside the Balkans.^[3]

See also

Ljutenica with bits of peppers

• Pindjur, like ljutenica and ajvar but with eggplant (aubergine)
• Zacuscă, a similar vegetable spread in Romania
• Kyopolou, an eggplant-based relish in Bulgarian and Turkish cuisines
• Biber salçası, a Turkish spread made from red peppers alone
• Chushkopek, an appliance used to prepare peppers for ljutenica
• List of dips
• List of sauces
• List of spreads

References