Middle Eastern Food Traditions In Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan food traditions, throughout the centuries, has been influenced by the cuisines of different countries and cultures. That was because of political and historical processes in Azerbaijan. Nevertheless, today's Azerbaijan cuisine is of unique character. A multitude of foods that are indigenous to Azerbaijan can now be seen in the cuisines of other countries. For the Azerbaijan people, food is an important part of culture and is deeply rooted in the Azerbaijan history, people’s traditions and other features of the nation.</p>

<p>In Azerbaijan there are more than 300 kinds of dishes. The main components of food are determined by natural conditions of the country: mountain terrain and subtropical climate caused wide spread in Azerbaijan cuisine lamb, as well as fruits and vegetables (mainly aerial). Widespread herbs, spices and seasonings: cinnamon, cloves, parsley, dill, bitter and sweet pepper, cumin, coriander, mint, saffron, sumac, and so on. </p>

<p>One of the most famous dishes of Azerbaijan cuisine is a pilaf. Unlike other cuisines, in Azerbaijan parts for a pilaf are prepared separately and individually, combining all in one dish only when serving.</p>

<p>There are also various types of dolma, made from eggplants, tomatoes and pepper. Widespread in the Azerbaijan cuisine have barbecues and meals in tandire. There are various drinks and desserts. Distinctive feature of Azerbaijan cuisine is the use of lamb to cook different dishes. Another feature of the Azerbaijan cuisine — spicy flavor and unique aroma that give all sorts of dishes spices and fresh herbs: bitter and sweet pepper, basil, cinnamon, cloves, fennel, parsley, coriander, mint, thyme, saffron and sumac (barberry powder). Saffron is an essential component for the preparation of numerous Azerbaijan pilaf. Sumac, usually served with various meat dishes.</p>

Azerbaijan Baklava Recipe

It is hard to say for sure, what nation is actually invented baklava, because every ethnic group whose ancestry goes back to the Middle East has a claim of their own on this famous dish. That’s why we know different tipes and names for baklava: greek baklava, turkish baklava, pistachio baklava, chocolate baklava etc.

Now we will offer you easy Azerbaijan baklava recipe.

Baklava Ingredients:

Ingredients	Volume
Phyllo dough	500g
Melted butter (unsalted)	300g
Chopped walnuts or pistachio nuts	2 cups

<i>Syrup for baklava:</i>

Ingredients	Volume
Sugar	500g
Honey	Ѕ cup
Water	Ѕ litre
Lemon juice	Ѕ tablespoon

Baklava Preparation:

First of all, make the syrup. For this, put the syrup ingredients, listed above, in a saucepan. Boil at a medium heat. During boiling process constantly stirring. Allow it to simmer for 15 min.

Then:

1. Preheat the owen up to 175є C (350є F) and brush a baking dish 25x30cm.
2. Use melted butter to grease the dish.
3. Put a sheet of phyllo dough to the bottom of dish and then grease with butter (melted).
4. Put next phyllo dough sheet and grease the top with butter (melted).

5. Continue putting the sheets one by one until only a half of the phyllo dough will remain.

6. Use chopped walnuts or pistachio nuts and sprinkle over the top.
7. Put remained phyllo dough sheets. Grease each with butter (melted).
8. Grease the top with butter. Cut the whole dish into parts shaped like diamonds.

9. Bake it until its color will turn to golden.

10. Cool baklava.

11. Take the hot syrup and pour it over the dish.

12. Allow to cool further. Wait until syrup will be absorbed.

Azerbaijan Dolma Recipe

Dolma it is a dish which is stuffed vegetables or leaves (usually wine). The stuffing for dolma is usually prepared from rice, may also contain boiled meat (especially lamb), minced meat, but can also be vegetarian. Dolma is widely distributed in the cuisines of the former Ottoman Empire and surrounding areas, including Turkey, Azerbaijan, Algeria, Egypt, the Balkans, Greece, Armenia, Albania, Lebanon, Syria, Palestine, Iraq, Iran, Jordan, Sudan, North, Central and South Asia.

As the outer shell for dolma can be used leaves or various vegetables (cabbage, peppers, tomatoes, eggplant). For example in the Azerbaijan cuisine there are dolmas prepared from grape leaves, dolma from apples, dolma from tomatoes, dolma from quince, dolma from onion, pepper dolma, dolma from sorrel leaves, dolma from eggplant, cabbage dolma, etc. The shell creates the shape, appearance for dolma and gives it the main flavor.

Wine leaves dolma ingredients

Ingredient	Volume, gramme
Mutton	108
Rice	30
Grape leaves (fresh)	40
Matsoni	20
Butter	10
Onion	20
Mint and coriander leaves, dills	15
Pepper, salt, cinnamon	to taste

Azerbaijan Dolma Preparation

1. Process mutton and onions using a mincer.
2. Steep rice, cutted greens (mint and coriander leaves, dills), pepper, salt in cold water. Optionally, you can add shelled peas.
3. Take grape leaves and parboil them.
4. Mix the ingredients to a smooth filling.

5. Divide the filling into 25g pieces and wrap round in grape leaves.

6. Put the dolma into a thick-bottomed saucepan. To drown it in water for a half. Stew the dolma about 60 minutes until ready for use.
7. Serve matsoni separately.

Azerbaijan Hummus Recipe

Hummus is one of the most popular food products brought to the West from the Middle Eastern region supposedly in 13^th century. USA people know this delicious vegetable dish since 1910, due to emigrants from Europe, who brought there the hummus recipe.

Hummus is an Arabic dip or spread made from cooked, mashed chickpeas, blended with tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and garlic. It is a popular food throughout the Middle East.

How to make hummus? This question is very popular, especially in Western world.

Hummus Ingredients:

Ingredients	Volume
Chickpea or garbanzo beans	1 16 oz
Fluid from can of chickpeas	ј cup
Lemon juice	3-5 tablespoons (to taste)
Tahini	1 Ѕ tablespoons
Garlic, crushed	2 cloves
Salt	Ѕ teaspoon
Olive oil	2 tablespoons

Hummus Preparation:

1. Extract chickpeas from a can and store aside the fluid.
2. Mix ingredients in blender.
3. Add ј of liquid from a cup of chickpeas.
4. Blend for 3-5 min. on low speed and mix to a smooth past.
5. Put in a serving plate.
6. In the center of the hummus make a shallow hole.

7. Add couple tablespoons of olive oil in the central hole.

8. Optionally add a parsley.

Immediately after finishing the preparation, serve hummus with warm, fresh or toasted pita bread. Otherwise you can cover the hummus and put it to a fridge.

Hummus Preparation Time: 10 min.

Hummus can be stored in a refrigerator for up to 3 days. Also you can keep it in a freezer for up to 30 days. If the hummus seems to be too dry, add a small amount of olive oil.

Azerbaijan Halva Recipe

Halva (also known as halawa, ħelwa, halvah, halava, helva, halwa) is an Eastern dessert made from sugar, nuts or seeds. The word halva we use to describe several types of confectionery. One type of halva is based on the crushed seeds of oilseed crops. Another halva type is based on wheat flour or vegetables.

Floss halva is a traditional sweet, prepared in Baku, Azerbaijan, made by flossing thin strands of halva into a light confection. Made primarily of wheat flour and sugar, the strands are continuously wrapped into a ball shape and then compressed. The result is a halva with a light consistency, similar to cotton candy. Floss halva can be found in regular and pistachio flavors.

Peanut halva receipe

To prepare 1 kg of halva you need:

Ingredients	Volume
honey	420g
peanut kernels	600g

Halva preparation

1. Roast lightly the kernels of peanut.
2. Throw them in the heated honey and mix.
3. Spread halva out on a plate or tray.
4. Let halva to cool.
5. Cut halva into pieces, then serve.

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