Thursday, August 6, 2015 25

Azerbaijani Cuisine: Varied and Distinctive Pilaf with fragrant saffron, juicy kebab flavoured with sumac, buglama and levengi – fish dishes, shekerbur mince pies for dessert , a table overladen with fresh fruits and vegetables - all these are various and original Azerbaijan delicacies

here is no lack of recipes fruit and berry juices, as well Kutab paradise apples. Do not be sur- and ingredients in the cui- as with tea infused on seeds Another popular dish in prised if tea will be served before sineT of the Azerbaijani peoples: and buds of various plants. their cuisine is kutab, which is lunch – thus the Azerbaijani the country’s mountain and called Azerbaijani fast food – host expresses hospitality and subtropical climate excellently Flavoured kebab a palm-sized, crescent-shaped, cordiality to the guests. provides them with everything thin patty stuffed with meat needed to cook delicious and Another famous dish of filling and fried in hot boiled healthy food – Azerbaijan is Azerbaijani food is juicy and oil. There is also a vegetarian justly considered the country flavoured kebab, cooked of version of this dish - a salmon, of the centenarians. Azerbaijani lamb or sturgeon, seasoned stuffed with spinach, coriander, food is cooked with beef and with sour spice – sumac and fennel, pomegranate seeds and Dolma mutton, poultry and fish, fruit prepared on the grill or in grated feta cheese. greens and pickles as well as square, while in Gabala district and vegetables, with an indis- churek and lavash as bread. it is triangular and called “uch- pensable addition of fresh The Azerbaijanis treat tea gulag”. For tea the Azerbaijanis greens, aromatic herbs and after a hearty meal with special usually serve jam, made from spices. Azerbaijani cuisine is love, so various sweets and jams watermelon, white dogwood, very substantial, nutritious and are very popular there. The young wal- rich in calories, so it is often jok- Azerbaijani sweet pastries nuts, as ingly called “male food”. include more than 30 varieties with Pilaf poppy seeds, walnuts, A special Azerbaijani dish almonds, is pilaf – rice dish flavoured sesame with saffron and enriched seeds, with meat or vegetable stuff- ginger, ing (shirin pilaf). There are Baklava carda- also more unusual recipes of the tandoor. The Azerbaijanis mom, etc. Azerbaijani pilaf – pilaf with also love dolma – a dish also Soups and tea Among the milk, eggs or nuts, as well as traditional for Armenia and most famous Khan Pilaf, baked in dough. Turkey. Dolma usually means The Azerbaijani cuisine is Azerbaijani Azerbaijani pilaf differs with minced meat wrapped in also rich in soups: hot meat sweets are baklava original way of cooking and grape leaves– this classic ver- soup (piti), cold one with yogurt shekerbura, Baku serving: rice and its stuffing sion is called “yarpag”. There (dovga), with flour (umach), kurabie. Every region of are cooked separately and are also other kinds of dolma with ballotines (kyuftabozbash) Azerbaijan has its own special mixed only when serving. when minced meat is stuffed and many other soups. The recipe for baklava, it even has well as Pilaf is usually washed down in tomatoes, eggplant and table is traditionally served with different shape: classic baklava so-called with sorbet – soft drink with peppers. salads with fresh vegetables, is diamond, famous Sheki one – cherry-sized Recipe Pilaf Ingredients medium heat. Add onion; 5. Pour chicken stock mix- 2 tablespoons butter cook and stir until onion ture over rice in the cas- 2 tablespoons olive oil is lightly browned, 7 to serole dish and stir to 1/2 onion, chopped 8 minutes. Remove from combine. Spread mixture 2 cups long-grain white rice heat. evenly along the bottom 3 cups chicken stock 3. Combine rice and onion of the pan. Cover tightly 1 1/2 teaspoons salt mixture in a 9x13-inch with heavy-duty alumin- 1 pinch saffron (optional) casserole dish placed on ium foil. 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper a baking sheet. Stir thor- 6. Bake in the preheated oughly to coat the rice. oven for 35 minutes. Method 4. Combine chicken stock, Remove from oven and salt, saffron, and cayenne allow to rest, covered, 1. Preheat oven to 350 pepper in a saucepan. for 10 minutes. Remove degrees F (175 degrees C). Bring to a boil, reduce foil and fluff with a fork 2. Melt butter and olive oil heat to low, and simmer to separate the grains in a large saucepan over for 5 minutes. of rice.