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National Food of My Country

National Food of My Country Azerbaijan's cuisine is influenced by Turkic, Iranian, and Eastern European traditions and makes use of the country's diverse produce. Saffron-infused plov (pilaf) is the national dish, often accompanied by kebabs, dolma, salads, wine, or sherbet. Meals traditionally begin and end with black tea and lemon. Regional specialties include dushbara dumplings from Baku, piti soup simmered for hours in earthenware pots in Sheki, and preserved govurma meat from Nakhchivan eaten year-round. Azerbaijan's varied landscape and history have contributed to a rich food culture showcased in

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44 views8 pages

National Food of My Country

National Food of My Country Azerbaijan's cuisine is influenced by Turkic, Iranian, and Eastern European traditions and makes use of the country's diverse produce. Saffron-infused plov (pilaf) is the national dish, often accompanied by kebabs, dolma, salads, wine, or sherbet. Meals traditionally begin and end with black tea and lemon. Regional specialties include dushbara dumplings from Baku, piti soup simmered for hours in earthenware pots in Sheki, and preserved govurma meat from Nakhchivan eaten year-round. Azerbaijan's varied landscape and history have contributed to a rich food culture showcased in

Uploaded by

zuleykhamemmedova32
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Presented by Rushan Gurbanov

National Food of
My country
The Azerbaijani table is a colourful amalgamation of dishes and
ingredients — some fiercely local, some influenced by years of
Turkic, Anadolu, Iranian and Eastern European influence.

The country’s nine climactic zones gift the people with a bounty
of fresh produce — including peaches, pomegranates, apples,
figs, saffron and sweet peppers. While sheep and cattle raised on
the steppe contribute meat and dairy, a variety of fresh seafood is
drawn from the Caspian Sea, and vast grasslands and a rice belt
furnish the country with its grains.
Saffron-infused plov (pilaf), the king of Azerbaijani
cuisine, is always centre-stage, its courtiers a cast
of grilled kebabs, skewered meats, dolma and cold
salads. These are often accompanied by a glass of
Azerbaijani wine or sherbet, a refreshing soft drink
made with lemon, sugar, saffron and fresh fruit.
Meals are traditionally bookended with black tea
served in rosebud-shaped armudu glasses, which
locals drink with a slice of lemon.
The country’s food traditions coalesce in
its capital, Baku, where restored
caravanserais (roadside inns along the
historic Silk Road trade route) house
trendy restaurants. Meanwhile, a journey to
the regions reveals a landscape of dishes
served the old-fashioned way in bowls of
copper and clay: from cured meats in the
mountains to seafood on the coast.
Dushbara — Azerbaijani dumplings — have Turkic
origins and are similar to tortellini. They’re devoured
all over the country but are particularly popular in,
and hail from, the capital Baku.
Pinching the miniscule dumplings into shape is an art
that can take a lifetime to perfect — cooks are
judged on the size of their dushbara, with decorum
dictating that a dozen tiny dumplings should fit onto
a single soup spoon.
Azerbaijan has more than 30 regional soups to its name, each
served in a distinct vessel. Piti takes its name from the glazed
earthenware pot it’s cooked and served in. Slow food at its
finest, it’s traditionally simmered for at least nine hours. The
main ingredients are mutton, chickpeas, potatoes and
tomatoes, while the mellow flavour profile comes from
saffron-infused water and dried cherry plum. The not-so-
secret ingredient is a lump of salted fat, which renders down
to give the soup a rich texture. Once at the table, piti is eaten
in two parts. First, one must place pieces of torn bread in a
bowl, dust them with sumac and, using the back of a spoon as
a strainer, pour over the soup from the piti pot. What’s left is
eaten as a second course. The best place to try piti is in the
region of Sheki, the spiritual home of the dish, where
chestnuts are used in place of potatoes.
Fertile Nakhchivan has long been associated with bountiful herb
gardens and fruit orchards. Below the surface, natural mineral
springs and underground salt deposits have inspired a culture of
self-sufficiency and resourcefulness based on food
preservation. Govurma is made during spring and summer to see
families through the long winter. Large chunks of veal or lamb
are strung up and dried for 24 hours, salted, stewed, then fried
off in oil. The meat is then transferred into ceramic jars and
covered in either melted butter or mutton fat. After four to eight
weeks, it’s ready to eat. Many local dishes use govurma,
including govurma shorbasi (lamb stew), where the aged meat is
combined with fresh beans and potatoes, and bezirgani, a winter
soup with tomatoes, onions and egg.
Thank you
very much!
BY Rushan Gurbanov

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