Ovdukh is a refreshing summer soup of yoghurt, cucumber and herbs. It can also contain minced meat and hard-boiled eggs, but is most popular in its vegetarian form. Unlike in dovga, the yoghurt is not heated in ovdukh. A good ovdukh requires the right sort of yoghurt. Much of the …

Dumplings in various shapes and sizes are popular across the Caucasus and Russia. Georgia has its khingali, Russia its pelmeni and Azerbaijan its gurza and dushbara. Gurza are larger than dushbara and not usually served in bouillon. Cinnamon can be added to the minced lamb stuffing of gurza or sprinkled …

Pan kebab is tasty way of cooking lamb without any need for a barbecue. It could equally well be called oven kebab, as first the meat is fried in a pan, and then baked in the oven. Preparation time: 20-25 min Cooking time: 35-40 min Serves: 2-3

The term dolma covers a variety of stuffed vegetable dishes, widespread in the Middle East and Mediterranean area. Onion dolma are a tasty winter alternative to stuffed aubergines, tomatoes and peppers. Preparation time: 50 min Cooking time: 30-40 min Serves: 3 to 4

Quymaq is a rich Azerbaijani dessert, high in calories, made from the simplest of ingredients – flour, clarified butter and water. It is traditionally given to mothers who have just given birth and to patients after surgery to keep their strength up. Cinnamon adds a pleasant flavour to quymag and …

Shor gogal is a popular savoury pastry, made from layers of pastry flavoured with turmeric and fennel seeds. Shor gogal, sheker bura and bakhlava are all eaten at the Novruz spring holiday. According to one tradition, the round, yellow gogal represents the sun, while the crescent shaped sheker bura is …

Shekerbura (şəkərbura) are a popular Azerbaijani sweet pastry, filled with ground almonds, hazelnuts or walnuts. Shekerbura, shor gogal and bakhlava are all eaten in Baku at the Novruz spring holiday. According to one tradition, the slightly crescent shaped shekerbura represent the moon while the round, yellow gogal is the sun. …

Jiz-biz is a traditional Azerbaijani dish of fried sheep’s kidneys, liver, heart and lung. Don’t be put off by the thought of offal. This is a tasty and nutritious meal! Potatoes are an optional extra in jiz-biz and a relatively recent addition to the dish. Tomatoes can also be added …

The town of Sheki in northwest Azerbaijan is famed for its piti – a lamb stew with chickpeas – and for its sweets. One of the best known Sheki sweets is girmabadam, which is made from almonds or hazelnuts and coriander seeds. Preparation time: 60 min Cooking time: 25-30 min …

Bamiya are tasty fingers of deep-fried dough, dripping in sticky syrup. Bamya is the Azerbaijani (and also Turkish, Arabic and Persian) name for okra or lady’s finger. These doughnuts got their name from their long, ridged shape, similar to okra seed pods. Preparation time: 40 min Cooking time: 20 min …