Most Popular Azerbaijan Dishes

Azerbaijan Dishes

Azerbaijanis like cooking with a variety of delicious herbs and spices while using fresh products. This results in some foods with incredibly distinctive flavours and aromas.Together, let's explore this intriguing cuisine and learn about 17 must-try traditional Azerbaijani dishes with the guidance of a native writer.

Plov:Traditional Rice and Meat

Plov is one of the most well-known foods in Azerbaijan. Depending on the major materials utilised, it may go by many names.

Plov is essentially a dish made with rice. It goes well with a variety of delectable dishes and pairings,dried fruit plov, mutton plov with onion, chilov plov (bean plov with fish), chicken plov, and shirin plov are examples of traditional plovs (sweet plov).

Only two of the numerous popular plovs in Azerbaijan are govourma plov (fried plov) and sebzi govourma plov (sebzi is cooked meatballs or chunks with greens and onions),long grain rice is steamed frequently in Azerbaijan with saffron to give it a deliciously aromatic flavour.

The rice is then finished with a bottom layer of golden crust known as gazmag,the ingredients for gazmag include yoghurt, eggs, butter, and flour. If such components are not available, peeled and sliced potatoes or rice on lavash (flat bread) can work nicely.

Piti:Lamb and Chickpea Soup

A liquid sauce consisting of lamb and chickpeas is known as piti. It has been prepared for generations using a slow and distinctive cooking technique.

The soup has an odd, unique flavour. The basic and essential components of piti are lamb, chickpeas, and baked chestnuts. For flavour, you can also include quince, plum, or vegetables.

For the most intense flavour, piti is usually slow-cooked for 5–6 hours in a ceramic pot.

Piti can be consumed with a variety of foods. Many Azerbaijanis enjoy eating this soup with thick slices of bread because it is a soup.

Piti can, however, be made with a variety of extra ingredients. This recipe pairs beautifully with mashed chickpeas, tender meats, plums, and chestnuts.

Lavangi – Baked Stuffed Meat Dish

A fish, duck, or chicken dish called lavangi is baked in the oven after being packed with walnuts, onions, and various seasonings.

Fresh and delectable kutum, asp, or carp from the Caspian Sea are used in fish-based lavangi. Additionally, white fish can be used, and caviar is a preferred filling.Other stuffings include oil, raisins, sour prunes, dried cherry-plums, and "narsharab" (a syrup made from pomegranate juice).

Lavangi is a delectable dish from Azerbaijan that is bursting with flavour from various fruits and spices. A must-try in Baku, without a doubt.

Gutabs – Stuffed Meat or Vegetable Pies

Azerbaijani patty pies are called gutabs. A variety of greens, veggies, meat, or cheese are used to stuff them.

Traditionally, gutab is made in the shape of a crescent (semi-circle). Typically, this delectable dish is prepared on a sizable circular metal griddle known as a "saj."Yogurt and sumac are served with gutabs. Gutabs can be made using a variety of meats, including camel, in Azerbaijan.

Due to their historic use as fast food, locals refer to gutabs as "Azerbaijani fast food."
Gutabs are available for purchase and consumption anywhere throughout Baku and its surroundings. They are offered as appetisers in chic restaurants, as well as supermarkets, street vendors, and cafes.

Pakhlava – Azerbaijani Baklava

A well-known dessert from Azerbaijan is sheki pakhlavasy. The people of Sheki, an area of Azerbaijan, still prepare this delectable dessert using the same techniques they have done for decades.

This variety of pakhlava is loaded with nuts and prepared from rice flour. To make the dough, use a copper frying pan.Once heated, the dough starts to dribble. This trickling produces a web effect known as "rishtya" among the natives.

Also included in the mixture are cardamom and coriander. After being put together, the pakhlava is drenched in sugar syrup, giving it a sweet flavour and seductive coating.A decadent dessert known as pahklava has been made for generations. It's a dessert from Azerbaijan that has a rich history, personality, and flavour.

Bozbash – National Soup of Azerbaijan 

Kufta bozbash is one of the well-known national soups of Azerbaijan. It's a meaty, thick soup with a lot of heat.

Large meatballs are cooked till tender in a wonderful broth made from peas, potatoes, and mutton bones to produce kufta bozbash.The meatballs frequently have dried or fresh cherries added to them.Different sorts of ingredients and spices may be used in this recipe depending on the region.

For instance, in the Baku region, bozbash is frequently made with peas, meatballs, and potatoes that have been simmered in a broth flavoured with saffron and turmeric.