Azerbaijan is one of the most ancient countries in the Orient. The culture of the Azerbaijan people deeply rooted into the ancient past. “Father of History” Herodotus (5 th cent. B.C.) reported that on the land of Azerbaijan in olden times had been already created remarkable monuments of culture. On-rocks carvings in Gobustan, Nakhichevan, Apsheron as well as archaeological findings in the Azykh cave-one of the earliest human settlements on the territory of the USSR testify to aesthetic tastes and world outlook of the ancient Azerbaijanians.
Hugged by mountains and breezed by the Caspian Sea Azerbaijan represents an original geographic model of our planet. Due to relief diversity and sea factor, nine of eleven climatic zones are represented here. In Azerbaijan one can see simultaneously all four seasons. The luxuriant flora of humid subtropics neighbours to the zone of eternal snow and glaciers of Shakhdag and Murovdag mountains; forests of Ismailly, Lachin and Kelbadjary suffused with spring fragrance transfer to hot steppes of Mil, Mugan and Shirvan; fog and rain over fertile valleys, tea and sweet-scented citric plants at Talysh foothills alternate with warm breeze and gusty north wind of Apsheron.
Natural contrasts, richness of resources, sophisticated conditions of historical development giving to Azerbaijan unique geographic originality, promoted the formation of the powerful independent state having played a great part in the further development of this area.
Azerbaijan is distinguished by its long-lived people. Actually there are a lot of people here who are over hundred years old. Scientists explain this phenomenon by many factors such as favorable climate, mode of life, healthy food and regular nourishment which positively effect on workability and life activity and durability of a man.
The art of cookery in Azerbaijan has a long history since the past. In many places archaeologists found primitive implements made in Stone Age. Stone axes, hammers, utensil and other house implements found in ancient camps testify to the origin of primitive cattlebreeding and agriculture. All these ancient implements as well as on-rock carvings in Gobustan represent an original ethnographic encyclopaedia of the people.
Even in Neolith the population of Azerbaijan grew wheat and barley which were main ingredients along with meat to cook meal. In Bronze Age with cattle-breeding development people started to use milk products in their food. Azerbaijanians used clay churns even from time of immemorial.
In process of evolution the culture of nourishment cookery ability of the Azerbaijan people have been improved.
The Azerbaijan cuisine belongs to one of the most interesting in our country. It is widely known among other oriental cuisines and some of its dishes were included in the menu of All-Union and international cuisines. It has a lot if historically stipulated expedient corresponding to the national style, taste and mode of life. Dishes of the Azerbaijan cuisine are mentioned in ancient manuscripts, notes of travelers and researchers.
Any experienced gourmand visiting our republic would be amazed by fine taste and delicate flavour of the Azerbaijan cuisine. Dishes of Azerbaijan cookery are unique and original. They can not be confused with dishes of other national cuisines.
The Azerbaijan cookery has preserved old cooking methods although has modified them taking into account up-to-date techniques.
The Azerbaijan national dishes have been cooked in the copper utensil since olden days.
The majority of national dishes are mutton, beef, poultry and minced meat.
The republic is rich in various fish sources especially sevruga (starred sturgeon) and sturgeon. The sturgeon and scale types of fish are mainly used in Azerbaijan.
The Azerbaijan cuisine is famous for its vegetables, firstly vegetable green, eggplants, tomatoes, paprica (byber), spinach, sorrel, red beet, garden radish, onion, cucumbers, green haricot and others. The fariety of national dishes include many items such as rice, flour, vegetables and vegetables green.
The Azerbaijan cuisine is inclined to use such spices as safron, caraway-seeds, fennel, anise, capsicum, laurel, coriander and spicetaste leaf vegetables as mint, dill, parsley, celery, tarragon, basil, savory, thyme etc.
Such seasoning as lemon, olives, milk, cream, food acids, abgora, azgilsharab, narsharab, cherry plums, elbukhara, gora, kizil-akhta, kuraga (dried apricots) lavashana, sumac and others are widely used to improve the food taste and smell.
A special place in the Azerbaijan cuisine belongs to salads prepared from fresh vegetables. Salads are served together with main course.
Salads “Khazar”, “Azerbaijan”, “Bakhar”, red caviar salad, salad a la Sheky, kuku of greens, kuku of kutum (kind of fish), kuku with nuts, fisinjan of beans, red beet etc; are the most spread salads and cold dishes in the Azerbaijan cookery. Pickled garlic, capsicum, eggplants, khyafta-bedjar, onion, pickled onion with sloe, pickled grapes, tomatoes are served separately accompaning different soups and meat courses.
The Azerbaijan national cuisine includes more than 30 kinds of soups. There are various meat courses as pyty, kufta-bozbash, shorba, or dishes prepared from sour milk and greens such as dovga, ovdukh, dogramach, bolva etc.
There are a lot of different first flour courses as sulu-khingal, khamrashi, umach, kurza, dushbara etc.
Main courses are mostly prepared of mutton and also of poultry, game birds, vegetables and rice.
The most popular main course in Azerbaijan is pilaff. There are about 40 recipes for preparing this dish. Depending on the type of additions pilaffs are named as kaurma-pilaff (with stew mutton), sabza kaurma (with stew mutton and greens), toyug-pilaff (with chicken), shirin-pilaff (with sweet dried fruit), sudlu pilaff (rice cooked in milk) etc.
Among main courses SHASHLIKS should be distinguished by following types: SHASHLIK – basturma, fillet SHASHLIK, choice SHASHLIK, liver and kidney SHASHLIK, SHASHLIK a la Kars which are prepared from natural meat; lulya-kebab, tava-kebab, sham-kebeb and others are prepared from mince meat.
Of popularity are the second flour courses such as khashil, khingal with meat, suzma khingal, yarpag khingal, kutaby (with meat, pumpkin, greens), chudu etc.
Many second courses are prepared of fish. Sturgeon shashlik, kutum a laa Azerbaijan, kuku of kutum, balyg chygyrtma, stuffed fish, boiled, fried and stew fish, fish-pilaff, starred sturgeon pilaff, balyg mutyanjan are the most popular fish dishes.
Sweet dishes include firni, sudzhug, tarakh and kuimag.
The Azerbaijan national confectionary is divided into three groups: flour, caramel and sweet type articles.
The flour articles are: shaker-bura, pakhlava, shaker-churek, curabje a la Baku, nan a la Azerbaijan, roll a la Ordubad, kyata a la Karabakh, tykhma a la Kuba, kulcha a la Lenkoran, mutaky a la Shemakha, pakhlava a la Nakchivan etc.
Caramel type sweets include shaker-pendir, parvarda, kozinaks of nuts, nogul of coriander, goz-khalva.
Sweet type articles include rahat lacoum (with different additives), nogul bitmish, jellied fig, solid sherbet, feshmek etc.
The most popular soft drinks in Azerbaijan are sherbets. They are made of sugar, lemon, saffron, seeds of mint and basil and other fruit.
From the time of immemorial there is a tradition in Azerbaijan: when guests come tea is served first. Tea in Azerbaijan is a symbol of warm hospitality. Tea is accompanied with various jams as quince, fig, water melon peels, apricot, white cherry, cherry, peach, plum, Cornelian berry, walnut, strawberry, blackberry, grapes, mulberry. Sometimes when making tea dried leaves or flowers of savory, clove, cardamom and other spices are added to give a special flavour.
Special tea is also made of cinnamon (darchin) and ginger. Sometimes rose water is added to tea.
The Azerbaijan cookery has been being formed and developed from generation to generation. Dishes of high nutritious qualities, sharp tastes and nice appearances have become typical for the national cuisine.