A glossary of Azerbaijani dishes: what each one is, its origin, ingredients, and where to try it in Baku.
Buğlama — gentle steam-cooked lamb
Buğlama is a classic Azerbaijani dish — whole chunks of lamb or fish steam-cooked in their own juices under a tight lid with mini…
Dolma — an ancient gem of Azerbaijani cuisine
Dolma is a classic Azerbaijani dish: grape leaves, eggplants, peppers, or tomatoes stuffed with a mixture of meat, rice, and spic…
Dovga — summer's cooling yogurt soup
Dovga is a classic Azerbaijani soup of yogurt, rice, herbs, and sometimes chickpeas, served hot or cold.
Dushbere — Azerbaijan's tiny test of patience
Dushbere is a classic Azerbaijani soup of tiny (1 cm) meat-filled dumplings cooked in meat broth.
Qutab — Azerbaijan's paper-thin stuffed flatbread
Qutab is a classic Azerbaijani dish — semi-circular flatbreads of paper-thin dough, stuffed with meat, herbs, or pumpkin, and sea…
Lyulya kebab — Azerbaijani classic over open coals
Lyulya kebab is a classic Azerbaijani skewer: spiced lamb mince formed onto a skewer and grilled over coals.
Paxlava — Novruz's golden diamond
Paxlava is a classic Azerbaijani sweet — thin dough layers with a walnut or almond filling, glazed with syrup. The symbol of Novr…
Piti — the clay-pot classic from Sheki
Piti is a lamb, chickpea, and dried-plum soup cooked in small individual clay pots. The signature dish of Sheki.
Plov — the king of the Azerbaijani table
Plov is a classic Azerbaijani dish — rice, meat, onion, spices, and add-ins prepared layer by layer. Azerbaijan has 40+ varieties.
Shah plov — the golden crown of the Azerbaijani feast
Shah plov is the Azerbaijani wedding plov: baked inside thin dough at the pot bottom and served as a whole golden crown.
Şəkərbura — sweet herald of spring
Şəkərbura is an Azerbaijani Novruz sweet: dough crescents filled with walnut or hazelnut, sugar, and cardamom, with a golden orna…
Tike kebab — pure affirmation of meat
Tike kebab is an Azerbaijani skewer: whole pieces of lamb, marinated and grilled over coals.