GASTRONOMIC EXCURSION

THINNESSES OF THE AZERBAIJAN CUISINE

  We will go on an unforgettable gastronomic tour of local restaurants, where you will appreciate the originality of Azerbaijani cuisine. A rich and distinctive Azerbaijani cuisine can be considered a pearl of world cuisine. The favorable geographical position of the country, its natural resources and the fact that it is at the junction of the East and West, contributed to the diversity of national cuisine. Throughout the centuries, travelers, merchants, thinkers who visited Azerbaijan, talked about the diversity of Azerbaijani national cuisine, enjoying it. The abundance of vegetables, fruits, fragrant greens and spices inspired the Azerbaijani chefs to prepare a variety of new dishes which can not be confused with dishes of other nations. Even the most famous gourmets who come to Azerbaijan from all over the world appreciate the delicate taste and exquisite aroma of the dishes cooked here. Traditional food in Azerbaijan begins with a plate of fragrant green leaves, called goy, it is served with a lot of chorek (bread), salad (from tomatoes and cucumbers), and sometimes Katyk (yogurt) and pandyr (cheese). Traditional seasonings: Duz (salt), Truth (pepper) and sumac (sweet, dark red spice with a floral aroma). The main national dishes can include the following:
Balyk is a fish, most often sturgeon, usually strung on a skewer and fried like a shish kebab, which is served with a tart sauce from sour plums.
Dograma is a cold soup with sour milk, potatoes, onions and cucumbers, very similar to Russian okroshka.
Dolma is a traditional recipe of chopped lamb meat mixed with rice, with mint, fennel and cinnamon added, wrapped in grape leaves ( yarpaq dolmasy) or cabbage (kalam dolmasy), but most restaurants offering dolma tend to serve stuffed tomatoes, sweet pepper and aubergines.
Dovga is a hot soup made of yoghurt, rice, spinach and fennel.
Dushbara – small dumplings stuffed with chopped lamb meat and herbs served in broth.
Lavangui is a delicious dish of chicken stuffed with walnuts and herbs. This is probably the signature dish of the Talysh region of southern Azerbaijan.
Lulya-kebab – a mixture of chopped lamb meat, herbs and spices, fried on a spit on an open fire. Often served with lavash.
Piti – soup with mutton, fat, chickpeas and saffron, cooked and served in separate pots.
Plov is a classic dish of rice, lamb, onion and prunes, with saffron and cinnamon added.
Kutabs are a kind of wrapped pancakes stuffed with chopped lamb meat, cheese or spinach.
Tike Kabab – pieces of lamb, marinated in a mixture of onion, vinegar and pomegranate juice, strung on a large spit and fried over an open fire.

  The traditions of Azerbaijani cuisine are considered to be the most ancient and diverse in the world. Modern cooking of Azerbaijan has kept all its traditions, adapting them to new requirements and technologies of cooking.