Azerbaijan is a unique country with an ancient history. This region is unique. Due to its geographical location, it is equally close to the Middle East, Transcaucasia, and Eastern Europe. Over the course of many centuries, this state has been enriched with traditions, sights and historical monuments of different cultures.
The unique climate attracts many tourists here. Here everyone can find nature to their taste – from the alpine snow-capped peaks of the Caucasus to subtropical forests. Numerous hydropathic resorts, the coast of the Caspian Sea, rivers and mountains will not leave indifferent even the most demanding guest.
The country’s cuisine combines the best qualities and traditions of the peoples inhabiting it. Thanks to this, Azerbaijani cuisine is considered one of the most delicious in Western Asia and the Caucasus. What dishes should you definitely try in Azerbaijan?
Food in Azerbaijan
The nature and land of this region generously gifts its inhabitants with a variety of vegetables, fruits, spices, and fragrant herbs. All this is used in Azerbaijani cuisine.
Where else will you be offered to try a sweet drink made from rose petals or tomato jam? By the way, “ovshala,” as the pink drink is called, has not only a bright and subtle aroma, but also beneficial properties. And who doesn’t love the well-known Kurabye cookies? It was the shape and recipe of the Baku “kurabiye” cookies that spread throughout the world.
The religious canons of the majority of the population do not allow eating pork. But this is fully compensated by a large assortment of deliciously prepared dishes from a variety of meats. Particularly famous are dishes made from lamb, poultry, river and sea Caspian fish.
Features and traditions of Azerbaijani cuisine
Azerbaijanis are hospitable people; they greet even unexpected guests with cordiality and treat them heartily. Their traditions are original, and their dishes are very tasty and unusual.
The range of dishes of Azerbaijani cuisine is so wide that each of the guests will find something to their liking. Here you can find about two thousand varied and delicious dishes, because pilaf alone has 200 recipe options. But this region is famous not only for its abundance and diversity. According to traditional Muslim laws, food should not only nourish the body, but also the soul. This means bringing aesthetic pleasure.
If we talk about the culinary traditions of Azerbaijan, then every detail and feature of the character of this people is important. Azerbaijani cuisine is very fond of meat dishes made from lamb, veal or poultry. Fish dishes cooked on the grill or tandoor are also popular here. River or sea fish are smoked, dried, fried, baked, making dishes with a unique taste, which give them a lot of herbs and spices. To prepare their famous dishes, the residents of this state use a lot of fruits, vegetables and herbs. They mainly prefer grapes, quinces, chestnuts, dogwoods, cherry plums, tomatoes, eggplants, etc. An integral part of any Azerbaijani dish is fresh herbs: cilantro, parsley, green onions, basil. These products are constant companions of national dishes.
Azerbaijanis also love spicy herbs. They fill the dish with a unique aroma and add piquancy to the taste. Coriander, mint, saffron and other herbs are frequent guests on the local table.
Bread occupies a special place among Azerbaijanis. In rural areas, lavash is baked in a saj or tandoor. According to tradition, the dough for lavash is kneaded by the eldest woman in the family, and the daughter-in-law is entrusted with rolling out the dough. The flatbreads bake in literally one minute. The finished lavash sheets are removed from the tandoor and stacked in large piles. Flatbreads, churek, and kutabs with various fillings are also baked in the tandoor.
Azerbaijanis, like most peoples, are very fond of sweets. They offer their guests a variety of fruit preserves and sweet pastries. The range of sweets is surprising in variety and includes more than 50 different recipes. Among the most famous are baklava, kurabiye cookies and sheker-bura.
The famous “kurabiye” goes well with aromatic Azerbaijani tea. The liver does not require special cooking skills. There is a legend that these cookies were invented by a resourceful servant of the eastern Shah. When the thieves took all the sweets from the palace, he baked round cookies from the food that remained. For beauty and sweetness, he sprinkled them with cinnamon and saffron. Since then, these cookies have become a favorite delicacy among all eastern peoples, and then throughout the world.
The traditional sweet is sheker-bura. These sweet pies are very easy to make and are a favorite dessert for Azerbaijani children. This delicacy, like baklava, was originally prepared for the Nowruz holiday. According to me, it symbolizes the moon, and baklava represents the stars. The pies are baked from regular wheat flour, and grated almonds, hazelnuts and cardamom are used as filling. The pies are decorated with a pattern in the form of ears of corn.
Another famous Azerbaijani dessert is firni. It is made from rice flour and milk, then sprinkled with cinnamon and butter. The delicacy has a light creamy taste.
Of course, how can you eat sweets without the famous Azerbaijani tea? In this country, a tradition of tea drinking has developed for centuries, which requires the presence of this drink at any feast. First of all, it is worth saying that in this country they only drink black loose leaf tea. Brew the drink in a large teapot, and the tea should have a strong, rich taste. Then it is poured into low pear-shaped mugs. Nothing is added to tea or diluted with water.
Special fruit jams and oriental sweets are served with tea. To make the drink even more aromatic, spices are added to it: cloves, cinnamon, ginger, etc. In the traditions of the Azerbaijani people, tea is an integral part of the matchmaking ritual. If the bride’s parents serve tea with added sugar, this means the bride and parents agree to the wedding. And if tea with sugar is served separately, then it’s too early to think about the wedding.
List of the most popular and delicious Azerbaijani dishes
Among the large number of traditional Azerbaijani dishes, it is difficult to identify just a few of the best: each dish bears the unique character of the region. They are tasty and healthy, because they add a lot of juicy greens and fruits. But among this diversity, there are dishes that have long become known outside their country.
Pilaf
Indeed, this dish is an integral part of the national cuisine. There are about 200 recipes for this dish in Azerbaijan. It is believed that the most delicious pilaf is prepared in this country.
The dish really turns out very tasty, no matter what recipe it is prepared according to. But there is one common distinctive feature that is characteristic of all recipes for preparing pilaf: the rice base and the filling for it are prepared separately from each other. And only during meals are all the ingredients mixed.
Rice porridge is prepared separately in a copper or cast iron cauldron in butter, sometimes fat tail fat is used for this. The rice should be crumbly. In another container they prepare gharou – a mixture of pieces of lamb, vegetables, fruits and spices. The Azerbaijani pilaf recipe involves not only preparing rice and filling, but also kazmag – a thin flatbread made from unleavened dough. The dough is prepared as for regular noodles.
This dish is even served in an unusual way: the finished rice is sprinkled with pomegranate seeds and covered with triangular pieces of kazmag, and the garu is served in a separate container. This pilaf is consumed with the national drink – sherbet.
National dishes include shah-pilaf, which is prepared according to a special recipe. Pilaf is prepared in a special container designed specifically for it. Most often, a metal cauldron plays this role. An important feature of this pilaf is careful adherence to the sequence of laying out the ingredients. First, lavash or kazmag is laid out, then the filling is placed inside, and the lavash is covered on top. Everything is baked together in the oven until golden brown, essentially creating a pie with rice and meat filling.
Azerbaijani-style pilaf is prepared from a variety of products. A lot of herbs, dried fruits, and nuts are added to the filling. Thus, the result is a recipe for Baku pilaf made from chicken meat, vegetables and a mixture of dried fruits, which give the dish a special aroma and sweetness.
Dyushbara
Dushbara is a dish of Azerbaijani cuisine, which is a rich broth with small dumplings richly flavored with spices and herbs. To prepare it, of course, you will have to tinker and spend a lot of time, but it is worth it.
This dish is very similar to Russian dumplings. To prepare it, minced lamb is mixed with traditional herbs and spices. The dough for “dumplings” is kneaded stiff with the addition of a small amount of salt.
A distinctive feature of this dish is that when cooking, the resulting preparations are not thrown into boiling water, but into a broth made from lamb bones. Dushbara is served hot along with broth, to which butter is added, and generously sprinkled with herbs.
All products that are used in dushbara soup are considered dietary. The calorie content of such a dish is much less than the same volume of dumplings without broth, and they are digested much faster. Fatty sauces are not served with the first course, and fluid in the body is replenished with broth. As you can see, “dyushbara” is not only a tasty dish, but also beneficial for health and figure.
Dolma
This traditional dish is somewhat similar to Russian cabbage rolls, but has a number of significant differences. Firstly, instead of cabbage leaves in which the filling is wrapped, grape or quince leaves are used. Secondly, the filling for Azerbaijani dolma is prepared from completely different products.
The traditional dolma recipe uses minced lamb with the addition of clear, fluffy rice and herbs. In this case, the ingredients should not exceed the volume of minced meat. As a rule, use 1 part rice with herbs to 3 parts minced lamb.
Dolma can be safely called a “culinary monument” of common Turkic ethnic cuisine. It has become so firmly embedded in the ethnic culture of different peoples of the world that it has become a “national dish”. Only in Azerbaijani cuisine there are 381 varieties of dolma.
The Azerbaijani verb “dolamag”, meaning to wrap or wrap, is directly related to the dolma of leaves in which meat is wrapped. A synonym for this verb is the word “sarymag”, therefore, depending on the region, dolma is sometimes called “sarma”. Translated from Turkic languages, “dolma” also means “filled”, and “sarma” means “wrapped”.
In Azerbaijan, dolma is mainly prepared from grape leaves. But leaves of some herbs, vegetables and fruits are used. Tomatoes, eggplants, zucchini, bell peppers, cucumbers, onions, and apples can be used as filling vegetables. Leaves of grapes, quince, hornbeam and linden trees, white and red cabbage are used. In different regions, herbs, tomatoes, dry mint, nuts, raisins, lemon juice, and various seasonings are added to the filling. The book “Karname” by Shah Ismail Khatai’s personal chef, published in 1521, describes a recipe for an unusual dolma – shish kebab made from grape leaves.
At the end of last year, the Intergovernmental Committee for the Protection of Intangible Cultural Heritage included the Azerbaijani dolma in the prestigious list of the world heritage of mankind.
Dovga
You can’t go past such a dish as dovga – a light summer soup. It is called the pearl of Azerbaijani cuisine. Although different regions of the country prepare it in their own way, the basis remains unchanged: katyk with rice, sometimes peas and a lot of greens are added. Pieces of meat or pre-boiled meatballs are added to it, then boiled. It is prepared within 20 minutes, and it is considered a special art if the base of the fermented milk product does not curl. The unique delicate taste of this soup will not leave even demanding gourmets indifferent. It is so delicious that it is even served at weddings.
Some drink dovga from large cups, others drink it from plates. Some people like this dish hot, but traditionally it is served cold. On holidays or on everyday occasions, this dish is always a welcome guest on the table.
Petey
Another original soup, which is the hallmark of Azerbaijani cuisine. It is prepared in clay pots using a unique technology. The soup is made from lamb with chickpeas, chestnuts, cherry plum and saffron. The preparation process takes a long period of time and takes place in several stages. First, vegetables are prepared: onions, peppers, eggplants, carrots, they are fried in fat tail fat, and then placed in a clay pot. Vegetables and meat are poured with liquid and cooked in the oven. At the same time, the heating of the dishes occurs evenly, which allows the soup not to boil, but to simmer slowly. Then the onions and tomatoes are fried separately. Before serving, add fried vegetables and saffron to the pots. Decorate the piti with coriander.
The soup is usually prepared in several pots in portions, but in some regions of Azerbaijan piti is prepared family style, in one pot. This dish can be found in different Caucasian cuisines, so it is not surprising that it has several types of recipes. In Soviet times, this soup was served in many famous restaurants, but chickpeas were replaced by ordinary peas, and chestnuts by potatoes, and it was in this form that several generations of Russians knew it.
Piti is prepared on holidays for guests or on weekends when the whole family gathers around the table. The process of eating piti is a whole ritual that takes place in two stages. They eat it slowly, enjoying the process and taste, so you should be patient not only while preparing the soup, but also when eating. First, the dried pita bread is placed in a bowl and poured with broth and spices. After the broth is eaten, take out the lamb and chestnuts, sprinkle them with spices and knead them so that all the aromas and tastes combine with each other.
Bozbash
Eating in the Caucasus is a real ritual, which is not only a way to satiate the body. For example, a traditional Azerbaijani lunch lasts 3 hours. It starts with a variety of appetizers, then moves on to fresh vegetables, and only at the end is served hot soup.
Bozbash is one of the traditional first courses of Azerbaijani cuisine. Most soups of this cuisine differ from ordinary Russian recipes for hot dishes. In Azerbaijani soups, more filling is added and a little broth is added. Thanks to this composition, the dishes are rich, satisfying and high-calorie.
Bozbash is a fairly fatty soup with many ingredients. Vegetables are used as a base: tomatoes, sweet peppers, potatoes or chestnuts, zucchini, eggplant and chickpeas. It must be said that in the traditional recipe, mint is used as a seasoning, and a sweet apple is also added to the soup, which gives the dish a special, piquant taste.
In world cuisine, soups, including bozbash, occupy a special place. The preparation of such dishes is treated with special respect and attention. Having made a choice in favor of this dish, you can be sure that it will not disappoint you.
Khinkal
In traditional Caucasian cuisine there are two dishes with similar names, Khinkali and Khinkal. They sound the same, but the taste and cooking method are different. Khinkali is a national Georgian dish, similar to Russian dumplings or Asian manti. Khinkal is a traditional dish of the peoples of the Middle and Northern Caucasus. Essentially these are small square pieces of dough that are boiled in a rich rich broth. Place them on a wide dish with melted butter or gatig sauce with crushed garlic. Place prepared minced meat on top of the dough, fried with tomatoes and herbs. Sometimes grape vinegar is added for spiciness, but this is up to taste.
The preparation of Azerbaijani khinkal begins with dough. It is kneaded from flour, eggs and salt, and warm water is added. The dough should be elastic and not stick to your hands. This unleavened dough is perfect for preparing other Caucasian dishes: manti, kurznish and others.
Juicy minced meat is prepared next. To do this, take lamb and beef in equal proportions, add onions and grind them in a meat grinder. Spices and herbs are added to the resulting mixture. Next, the minced meat is stewed in a frying pan along with tomatoes.
Khinkal is served in a wide, deep dish. The minced meat is topped with cinnamon and grated cheese, which gives the dish a light sour taste. Like any Azerbaijani dish, it is generously sprinkled with fresh herbs. This dish is served with sour cream or fermented milk drink in a separate plate.
Lula kebab
Many culinary specialists consider Azerbaijani cuisine to be one of the most ancient in the world. It is distinguished by its variety, large amount of herbs, vegetables and spices used. This specificity is determined by the location of a given country.
It is impossible to imagine Azerbaijani cuisine without the dish “Lula-kebab”. It is a meat cutlet made from minced lamb, cooked over an open fire. A distinctive feature from traditional Russian cutlets is that eggs and onions are not added to the minced meat, only spices. The meat is carefully beaten, finely chopped, shaped into small cutlets and placed on a thin skewer.
Lula kebab is considered a difficult dish, and not everyone can cook it correctly on the grill. To prepare it, use a wider skewer, which is preheated in order to better bake the lula kebab from the inside. Fry it on the grill for about 5-7 minutes, constantly turning it over.
There are many recipes for making lula kebab. In essence, this is a barbecue made on coals. The composition of the minced meat can be absolutely anything, depending on the preferences of the owners. It can be made from fish, meat or vegetables. But in any case, lula kebab is served the same way: laid out on a thin homemade flatbread and generously sprinkled with herbs. You can complement the dish with fresh or grilled vegetables.
Kurza
The name is very similar to the terrible poisonous snake that is found in the East Asian region. The dish does not contain the snake itself, but received its name for its external similarity. Essentially these are dumplings with patterns. It is these decorations that are similar to the pattern on the scales of a snake.
Kurza dumplings are larger than dushbara. And the main thing that distinguishes them is that they put ready-made minced meat in kurza, and raw minced meat in dushbara. This gives completely different tastes. Minced meat for kurza is stewed in fat tail fat with the addition of spices and tomato paste.
The dough is kneaded from flour, eggs and salt, then rolled out in large circles, as for dushbara. Using a mold, circles are cut into which the minced meat is placed. Then comes the moment of truth when you need to make patterns on the dough. Not every woman can boast of the ability to make designs on curze, and the dish will not be considered ready without these decorations. After sculpting, the forms should lie down for a while.
Kurza is cooked in the same way as regular dumplings. Several pieces are thrown into boiling water; there should not be many of them so as not to stick together. Then they are taken out after a few minutes, put into a large wide plate and served hot. The remaining dumplings are thrown into the boiling broth from the first portion, and so on until the required amount is prepared. They should be eaten immediately, without waiting until all the dumplings are cooked. The rich broth from kurza is an independent dish, which is also loved no less than the dumplings themselves.
In some regions, gatig, a fermented milk drink, is served together with kurza. It helps digestion, but allows the dish to cool quickly, which results in loss of juiciness. This dish is usually served during the cold season, but real Azerbaijanis also eat it in the summer.
Kutaby
The dish is prepared from thin, tender dough in the shape of a crescent; in appearance it is similar to chebureks, but unlike them, kutabs are cooked in a very hot frying pan without oil. And only after cooking they are greased with butter or sauces (spicy, cherry plum, pomegranate). Azerbaijanis say that this is a flatbread with a secret, which is a juicy filling. Fillings are prepared from different products: vegetables, meat, herbs and cheese. The cheese filling is prepared from a mixture of soft and hard varieties mixed with dill. For cottage cheese, take Suluguni cheese, mix it with cottage cheese and a lot of herbs.
If you liked the dish with cheese and curd filling, then try the meat one. It is prepared from different types of meat, mainly lamb, to which spices and herbs add pungency and piquancy. For dessert, you can try kutab stuffed with pumpkin and walnuts. Don’t stop at just one thing. Be sure to try several types of fillings to determine your favorite.
Each region of Azerbaijan prepares its own fillings for kutab. In the Caspian region, Jorati flatbreads stuffed with camel meat, pumpkin and cheese are famous. The pie is made small and fried over an open fire in ovens. By the way the filling is laid out in the flatbread, you can determine the region of the republic where it was prepared.
It’s never too late to eat kutab. It can be consumed for breakfast or eaten in the evening, taken with you on a trip or as a snack during lunch. That is why kutab is so popular among tourists who come to Azerbaijan.
Ajapsandali
This dish is widespread in the cuisines of most Turkic peoples. It is a vegetable stew, the basis of which is: eggplant, tomatoes, sweet peppers, garlic and onions, and vegetable oil is used for dressing.
Translated from the Turkic language, the name sounds like “how beautiful you are.” For Europeans, this dish is more familiar as “vegetable sauté”, but in this form eggplants are not a mandatory ingredient, while in Ajapsandal they are the basis. Sometimes potatoes are added to it, but this is optional. This dish is tasty and healthy, served hot.
There are many varieties of this dish. Vegetables can be stewed, fried in a high-sided frying pan, cooked over coals or baked. The pleasant aroma remains unchanged, which evokes the sensations of mountain rivers, green pastures with a flock of sheep. And this is very correct, because initially this dish was prepared by shepherds who grazed their flocks high in the mountains. Adjapsandal is considered a dietary dish that is perfect for those who are watching their figure. This dish will be appreciated by everyone who tries it at least once.
Jyz byz
Jyz byz is a dish of shepherds. Ease of preparation, fresh ingredients, healthy qualities and extraordinary taste have made this dish very popular not only in Azerbaijan, but also in other Caucasian cuisines.
In Azerbaijan, it is not customary to throw away any parts of lamb meat. Thus, the popular traditional dish jiz-byz is prepared from processed young sheep intestines with fried potatoes; you can also add onions and tomatoes. Lamb kidneys, heart, and liver are also added to the dish. For pre-frying of these products, fat tail fat is necessarily used. The finished dish is served in sumy, generously seasoned with herbs. It is worth warning those who are on a diet that this dish is not for them. Since it is very high in calories, filling and tasty.
Khash
In traditional Azerbaijani cuisine, most hot dishes and soups are prepared from lamb meat, and only a few recipes are based on beef or veal broth. Khash is one of these dishes. Despite the fact that this dish is served hot, it is usually eaten for breakfast.
Khash is prepared from a broth made from beef tripe; in some regions of the country, beef heads and tails are added to it. The peculiarity of the soup is that, unlike most Azerbaijani dishes, no spices or herbs are added to it. When serving, herbs and greens are served in a separate container, but only for guests. Locals eat khash without spices.
This dish is mainly eaten in winter to allow the body to get the necessary energy reserves and keep warm. Housewives serve the soup with small pieces of white bread, white radish and hard cheeses. Thin lavash or bread is crumbled into the khash until it completely absorbs the broth. They eat it with a spoon or with their hands. The only alcohol that is served with this dish is vodka, with which they make toasts and good morning wishes.
Khash is not only a satisfying dish, but also very healthy. For example, gelatin and garlic contained in the soup help with diseases of the musculoskeletal system, strengthen the immune system, and preserve the youth and beauty of the skin.
Azerbaijani Saj
Saj is one of the most delicious dishes of Azerbaijani cuisine. The name of the dish comes from the container in which it is prepared. Saj is a large frying pan with a concave bottom, which is designed for cooking over an open fire. In Azerbaijan, it is used on both sides: on the convex side it is convenient to prepare traditional lavash, on the other – meat, fish and vegetables. The saj dish itself is cooked inside a frying pan over an open fire.
What is it like? In general, everything is simple and tasty. Meat and vegetables are cooked in a frying pan. The meat, of course, is lamb, sometimes beef or chicken. For a side dish, take a mixture of vegetables from potatoes, eggplants, sweet peppers, tomatoes and onions, all seasoned with spices and a variety of fresh herbs.
First the meat is cooked. Fry it in oil or fat tail fat, then add vegetables. Vegetables produce juice that mixes with fat and meat. Thus, the products exchange aromas and tastes, and the result is an incredibly tender stew with meat that literally melts in your mouth.
The dish is served directly in the pan in which it was cooked. In this case, they place it not on the table plane, but on a small frying pan, which heats the dish. Saj is best eaten with a large group. It is generally accepted that as long as you communicate with friends, saj will never cool down.
As can be seen and said, Azerbaijani cuisine is distinguished by a wide variety of tasty and healthy dishes. Each of them carries national features and a unique range of tastes of this Caucasian region. Azerbaijanis have managed to preserve many original recipes for dishes that have been passed down for centuries from their great-grandfathers who lived on this land. All this made it possible to preserve and diversify the range of dishes of national cuisine, which convey a unique national flavor. This is what unique Azerbaijani cuisine is like.
Baklava
Baklava has become the number one gastronomic sweet in Azerbaijan. It is always present on the table on the great Muslim holiday of Novruz Bayram. It is also served to guests on holidays. Baklava has been prepared in Azerbaijan since time immemorial. In the beginning, it was served only for the celebration of Novruz. Baklava had a ritual meaning, symbolizing a tongue of flame.
Over the years, many more traditions related to baklava have emerged. For example, elders, going to woo a girl, carried 21 baklava with them to the house of their chosen one along with other delicacies, and for the engagement they increased the number to 101.
Classic Baku baklava is made from 12 layers of thin dough. It is believed that the name of the dish comes from the word “okhlov”, which means rolling pin. The thickness of the dough should not exceed 0.5 cm. The basis for baklava is yeast dough, grated nuts, saffron and sugar. Baklava is a multi-layer pie with a sweet filling. According to culinary history, this dish initially had only three layers, but then their number reached 12.
To prepare this sweetness, roll out a large layer of dough, sprinkle generously with nuts and sugar, then cover this with another thin layer of dough, greased with butter, and so on up to 12 times. The last layer is brushed with yolk for a golden brown crust. After all the steps, the workpiece is sent to the oven for 30 minutes. When the sweet pie has cooled, it is cut into diamond shapes and decorated with a whole nut. The diamond-shaped shape of baklava comes from ancient times, where the diamond symbolizes femininity, kindness, family, and correctness.
Every housewife in Azerbaijan has a family recipe for making baklava. In addition, each region prepares baklava differently; for example, Ganja baklava is baked over coals in a special copper pan. Guba and Sheki are prepared from rice flour. In general, preparing baklava is a long and labor-intensive process, but the delicate sweet taste of this sweetness is worth the effort.