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When travelling to a new country, one of the most important things to do is to try the local food, and Azerbaijan is a country that offers a lot of different dishes to choose from.
You just cannot leave the nation without trying some of the local cuisine, which ranges from fresh salads to kebabs and drinks.
1. Fresh vegetables and salads
There is always a plate of fresh vegetables and herbs on the table, and people can take as much as they want. Our tour guide was very proud to tell us, “Azerbaijan has the best tomatoes in the world, and they are all organic.”
The unique microclimate and fertile soil of Azerbaijan make its pomegranate one of the best in the world. In Azerbaijan, it is known as the “king of fruits.” People usually think of fruits as desserts, but pomegranate salad is often served as an appetizer. It is made with beetroot, carrots, and mayonnaise, among other things.
The mimosa is another salad that makes your mouth water. It has boiled potatoes, mayonnaise, chicken, and cheese on top.
2. Starters
Along with the vegetables and salads, there are many other options for starters. Azerbaijani flatbreads called Qutab or Gutab can be filled with meat, usually lamb, or a mixture of herbs like coriander, dill, and chenopodium. Depending on what’s inside, they have a different topping, like sumac for the meat ones or sour cream and yoghurt for the herb ones.
Dolma, which are vine leaves filled with meat, rice, and spices, are also on the menu, but they are smaller and rounder than the ones in Turkey.
3. The rice king
The national dish of Azerbaijan is shakh plov, which means “the king of rice.” Even from the outside, it’s a work of art, but once you cut it open, you can see why it’s called the King.
Before adding saffron, lamb meat, chestnuts, and dried fruits like sultanas, apricots, and prunes, the rice is only partially boiled. It is then put in a pot lined with buttered lavash, a thin flatbread, and baked until the lavash is golden and crispy and all the flavours inside are mixed together.
4. Meat
Meat is always on the menu, usually lamb, served as kebabs or tasty ribs with pomegranate sauce, along with baked potatoes, grilled vegetables, and a big plate of pickles with everything from cucumbers and cabbage to golden cherry plums and cranberries.
5. Tea and dessert
Tea is served with different jams and preserves, most often sour cherry jam, after almost every meal. The tea can be plain or have thyme added to it. It is usually served with a slice of lemon, which is thought to absorb bad energy and should be left in the teacup. You put a teaspoon of jam in between sips of tea to counteract the bitterness of the tea. It’s a match made in heaven.
I devoured each and every mouthful of each and every dish with great pleasure.
The friendly people, the substantial food, and the attractive setting all contributed to the creation of a really warm environment in which I frequently experienced a sense of being at home.
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