Azerbaijani food: discover traditional cuisine

QUTAB – street food snack: flatbread filled with greens, chives, cheese, minced meat, or pumpkin. Typically served with butter on top, yogurt, sprinkle of cilantro, fennel, or sumac.

PLOV / PILAF – a layered steamed dish of rice, meat, spices (saffron, black pepper, cumin, turmeric, cloves), herbs (dill, mint, parsley).

SHAH PLOV / PILAF – is a dish of luxury – a bed of fragrant basmati rice layered with dried apricots, plums, chestnuts, raisins, lamb, or chicken; all encased in a thin, golden crust. The dish is further elevated by adding saffron, which infuses it with a rich, golden hue.

SURHULLU – small wheat pasta pieces, hand-cut in square shapes, served with a rich topping of shredded, slow-cooked lamb or beef.

DOLMA – is a mix of rice and lamb stuffed into grape leaves (also peppers, eggplants, tomatoes), served with yogurt sauce. Azerbaijani dolmas are smaller and rounder than elongated versions in Turkey and Greece. They often prioritize lamb over other meats and might incorporate beans, lentils, and bulgur. Meatless dolmas are referred to as jalan dolmas.

MANQAL SALATI – is a roasted vegetable salad served cold. Eggplants, tomatoes, onions, bell, and chili peppers are grilled and chopped with garlic, olive oil, cilantro, dill, and basil. It is an accompaniment to meat dishes or cheese.

KEBAB – grilled skewered marinated chunks of lamb, beef, chicken, or liver.

LYULIA KEBAB – minced, marinated, highly seasoned meat, squeezed around a skewer, grilled over charcoal, and served with lavash and veggies.

KHANGAL / XINGAL – is wide noodles with meat and yogurt. It should not be confused with khinkali (dumplings). Khangal is made by rolling and cutting the dough into thin, small squares and then boiling them in a meat broth, served hot and with lamb or chicken, and garlic yougurt sauce.

LAVANGI – chicken (or fish) stuffed with walnuts, raisins, sumac, onions, green cherry plums, and narsharab pomegranate sauce.

PITI / PUTUK – one pot stew from mutton, tomatoes, potatoes, and chickpeas infused with saffron water, all covered by a fat lump and cooked in a sealed crock.

TURSHU GOVURMA / QOVURMA – dried, salted, stewed, and fried meat (usually lamb) preserve or a stew made from it with fried fruits and chestnuts.

SAJ – grilled eggplant, potatoes, beef, chicken, lamb served on a griddle plan.

PARCHA-BOZBASH – soup and stew at the same time. Parcha means a piece of meat on the bone, boz means gray, and bash means head. Made from lamb, beans, green veggies, parsley, mint, fenugreek, onions, leeks, dried limes, salt, pepper, and turmeric – simmered for a few hours over low heat.

KUFTEBOZBASH – jumbo meatballs in a broth with chickpeas and potatoes.

DUSHBARA – dumplings of Turkic origins. Mixture of ground lamb or mutton wrapped in paper thin dough, served in translucent broth with garlic, vinegar and yogurt on side.

FISH LAVANGI – fish stuffed with walnuts, onions, cherries, and grapes and baked in the oven.

STURGEON KEBAB – grilled sturgeon chops and served with lavash, tomatoes, and onions.

DOVGA – yogurt soup with diced cilantro and chickpeas, served both cold and hot.

KUKU – fresh green herbs and eggs omelet (similar to Italian frittata, or French quiche), served hot and cold with bread, yogurt, or salad.

SHEKERBURA – are half-moon–shaped pastries filled with chopped nuts, sugar, and cardamom. The outer layer of the pastry is decorated with unique engravings.

MUTAKI – are sweet yeast bagels with an apricot jam filling; cut into triangles and rolled into tubes – light yellow, soft, and crumbly.

SHIRIN GOGHAL (sweet version) – round-shaped pastry filled with sugar and nuts.

HANJA BAKLAVA—in Baku baklava, pink infusion is added to the dough, and peeled walnuts are used to make the baklava lighter. It is seasoned with saffron and cleaned—therefore white—poppies.

WALNUT JAM – a sweet spread made from young walnuts, sugar, natural spices like cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, and acid.