Oval Useful news from Azerbaijan and Caucasus

  Nuts and dried fruit are an ingredient in many different Azerbaijani cakes and pastries. Almond rolls are delicious pastries derived from Azerbaijan cuisine. Azerbaijan cuisine is rich with sweets and pastries. Preparation time: 50 min Cooking time: 35-40 min Serves: 6-7 Ingredients

In Azerbaijan cuisine there are several types of salads which have marvelous taste. Salad a la Sheky is one of them. Salads are great for any type of meal, whether a light lunch or as a filling main course at dinner. They can even be one of the courses in …

An Azerbaijani sherbet (şərbət) is a refreshing, cooling drink made from fruit, sugar and water. The word sherbet comes from the Persian sharbat, itself an adaptation of the Arabic for drink, sharab. Sherbet entered the English language as sorbet, which is now more of an iced dessert or palate cleanser …

Cornelian cherries, or cornels, are widespread across the Caucasus and southern Russia. They add a fruity tang to this simple soup. Rice soup with Cornelian cherries (zoğallı düyü şorbası) can be made with meat or vegetable stock. Chickpeas can be added to make a more filling soup. Preparation time: 30 …

This simple soup is a tasty way of using the runner beans that grow in abundance in Azerbaijan in summer. If meat stock is not used, green bean soup is suitable for vegetarians. Preparation time: 30 mins Cooking time: 30 min Serves: 4-6

Chestnuts, saffron and dried plums lend this unusual soup a distinctly Azerbaijani flavour. Traditionally, onion bozbash was made with chickpeas, but potatoes are now popular in many Azerbaijani soups and stews. Preparation time: 30 min Cooking time: 30 min Serves: 4-5

These biscuits (cookies) of roasted wheat with walnuts are served on special occasions, especially at the Novruz spring holiday. Rosewater, cinnamon, saffron and coriander seeds give these biscuits a distinctive Azerbaijani flavour. Preparation time: 50 min Cooking time: 15 mins Serves: 5-6