Let's briefly know Azerbaijani cuisine

The cuisine of Azerbaijan reflects centuries of various political and economic influences in the country – Iranian, Turkish, Central Asian and Soviet – which shaped the unique flavor of the local dishes. The particular topography and climate of Azerbaijan, with 9 out of 11 climate zones from subtropical to mountainous tundra, has also a major effect on the diversity and abundance of fruit, vegetables, pulses, herbs and spices the Azerbaijani cuisine is so rich in. Below you will find some information about the most popular Azeri dishes, but this is only a drop in the ocean of flavors and aromas in the country – for more, you will have to visit!

Pilaf, or plov as it is called in Azerbaijan, is a dish of the country’s Persian past. Although there are over 40 types of plov in Azerbaijan, it usually consists of three main ingredients: rice, gara (fried meat, dried fruit, fish or egg) and aromatic herbs including saffron. During Russian times, the rice cultivation in Azerbaijan disappeared and the dish started to be served only on special occasions. Today however, with the import of rice and reestablishment of rice paddies in the sub-tropical south of the country, plov has made a comeback on Azeri tables.

Dolma is another of Azeri staple foods. There are four main types of dolma served in Azerbaijan – badimgan dolmasi (stuffed aubergine), bibar dolmasi (stuffed pepper), tomato dolma, and yarpag dolmasi (stuffed vine leaves). Interestingly, in some regions there is also quince dolma. The main ingredients are usually mutton, veal or beef, white onion, rice and herbs such as coriander, rice, mint and dill. Once the vegetables are stuffed they are left to simmer for a few hours. The tomato, pepper and aubergine dolma are usually served together.  The meal is always accompanied by cold qatiq (yogurt) and minced garlic.

Thanks to the Caspian Sea and abundance of lakes and rivers Azerbaijani cuisine is also rich in fish dishes, of which the most popular is Baliq Levengi – baked fish with traditional walnut filling, often served on special occasions such as Novruz, the Persian New Year celebrations in March. The filling is made of walnuts, onions, and paste from sour plums (sometimes replaced with fresh pomegranate seeds). Another way of cooking fish is by frying and serving it with narsharab, a thick, brown, slightly acidic pomegranate sauce.

A tour of Azerbaijan’s cuisine couldn’t be completed without a kebab. The streets are full of Turkish doner kiosks but for the real thing you need to go to a good local restaurant. Shashliks are prepared from ground lamb, beef, chicken, vegetables or sturgeon. Meat kebabs are always sprinkled with thinly sliced raw onions and sumac, a traditional Azeri spice of reddish-purple color and lemony taste, and wrapped in paper-thin flatbread, lavash.


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