Mixed Vegetable Pickle / Heftebecer Turshusu

AZERBAIJAN FOOD.

We are going to do some canning today. In Azerbaijan, canning is a sort of culinary tradition. Jars with homemade preserves, jams, pickles, relishes, sauces can be found in almost every household. They are usually prepared in summer when fruits and vegetables are in abundance and consumed in winter when they are in high demand:)

Pickles make a perfect accompaniment to meat dishes, to kebabs, and to what we call call “dough dishes”, or pasta. Pickled stuffed eggplant and bell pepper, pickled garlic, green tomato, pickled sour plums, are among the most popular. I remember as a kid I would make my own jar of pickles with purslane (perpetoyun in Azeri). I think I was about 9 0r 10. We used to live in a house with a small front yard, and wild purslane would grow there. I would pick it and pack it in a small jar, fill it up with vinegar and then a week later tell the world about how delicious my pickles were! It was quite an adventure. Now back to reality.

I like this mixed vegetable pickle, called Heftebejer in Azeri. The recipe is easy. The only “difficult” part is chopping the vegetables, but it doesn’t take that long. Store this pickle in an air-seal glass jar, known as fido jar (See picture at the end), for your convenience. Scoop out as much as you want with your food and snap the seal back tightly to keep the pickle fresh until next time. Now, roll up your sleeves, let’s can! And here’s my new abbreviation - YCC which stands for YOU CAN CAN!!:)

MIXED VEGETABLE PICKLE / HEFTEBECER TURSHUSU

Preparation time: 45 minutes
Curing Time: 1 week
Makes: 2-liter jar

INGREDIENTS

2 medium or 1 large eggplant (about 1 pounds / 450g), chopped in cubes
1 medium cabbage, quartered and thinly sliced (about 2 pounds / 900g)
2 bell peppers, chopped (1/2 pounds / 225 g)
1 chili pepper, chopped (optional, for spicier pickles)
4 medium green tomatoes (about 1pound / 450 g), chopped
4 medium carrots (about 1 pound / 450 g), shredded
1 stalk celery, trimmed and chopped
1 bulb garlic, peeled and finely chopped
1 cup fresh chopped mint
1 cup fresh chopped parsley
4 tablespoons salt
1/3 quart (300 ml / 1/3 liter) or more white wine (grape) vinegar

TIP: To save time, prepare the eggplant first. While its bitterness is being removed, chop other vegetables. Eggplant should be ready when you finish chopping the other ingredients.

1. Place the chopped eggplant in a colander and sprinkle with plenty of salt. Put colander in a sink. Place a weight, such a plate or lid, on top, to keep the eggplant lightly pressed down. Leave for about 20 minute, to draw out the bitter dark juices. Rinse the eggplant under cold running water. Drain, and squeeze dry with your hands.

2. In a large mixing bowl, combine vegetables and herbs together. Add salt and mix thoroughly with your hands. Set aside for 20 minutes to allow the juices to extract. You will notice the vegetables shrink in bulk.

3. Sterilize a canning jar in boiling water and dry thoroughly.

4. Squeeze the vegetable mixture with your hands to drain the juices and place it in the jar, pressing with your hands to pack tightly. Pour in the vinegar to cover the vegetables.

5. Seal the jar and store in a cool place for 1 week before serving to allow the flavors to develop.

NUSH OLSUN! ENJOY!

Easy Baklava

AZERBAIJAN FOOD

I’ve been wanting to post the recipe for Azerbaijani baklava for a long time. So, for the first time in my life I dared to make baklava myself, but …. it didn’t turn out the way I wanted. It tasted great (we had guests and they loved it) and it had all the flavors you would find in real Azerbaijani baklava, but I was still not satisfied. And since I do not post a recipe if I haven’t tested it a hundred times and if I didn’t like it, I decided to postpone making the real thing until later.

But there was no stopping me. So, the next day I decided to make baklava again, the easy one. The result is what you see in the picture. If you are pressed for time to spend long hours in the kitchen rolling the many thin baklava layers, roasting the walnuts and preparing the syrup for the most delicious Azerbaijani baklava - this recipe is what you need. My friend Emel helped me work on the recipe, too. Thank you, Emel!

So… it is still a baklava, but a lazy one (or for lazy cooks?). No kidding. The name from Azeri translates as Lazy Baklava (Tenbel Pakhlava). In Azerbaijan, this baklava is also known as Sochinskiy Pirog (Pie a la Sochi). It is comparatively easy to make, is close in taste to the real Azerbaijani baklava and is also delicious in its own special way. So soft, it simply melts in your mouth. Perfect for your Novruz table. Enjoy!

EASY BAKLAVA

Preparation Time: 15 minutes, plus 1-hour refrigeration time
Cooking Time: 35 minutes
Makes about 25 pieces

INGREDIENTS

For the Dough
3 cups flour (15 oz / 465 g)
8 oz / 250 g butter or margarine, cut into small pieces
1 cup (7 oz / 200 g ) sour cream mixed with 1 teaspoon baking soda (bicarbonate of soda)
2 egg yolks

For the Filling
2 cups sugar
2 egg whites
2 ½ cups (10 oz / 300 g) walnuts, finely chopped (they should be somewhat crunchy in the pie, so do not grind finely)

To Brush
1 egg yolk

YOU WILL NEED: 8 x 12-inch (20 x 30 cm) baking pan. If a rectangular pan is not available, use a round or a square pan. Non-stick is preferable.

TIP: If you are counting calories and prefer a less sweeter baklava, reduce the amount of sugar for the filling and increase the amount of walnuts , if desired. Or, you do not have to have more walnuts either, if you prefer less filling in your pastry.

1. Prepare the dough. In a large bowl, combine flour and butter. Using a fork, or a knife (or pastry blender, if available), cut in the butter until the mixture forms large crumbs the size of large peas.

2. Add sour cream/baking soda mixture and egg yolks and continue tossing until the dough comes together in a mass (See the picture below). It should be gentle to touch.

3. Divide the dough into 3 equal parts, forming each one into disks. Wrap each disk in a plastic wrap and chill in refrigerator for 1 hour.

4. In the meantime, prepare the filling. In a mixing bowl, combine sugar and egg whites. Using a balloon whisk or electric mixer, whip vigorously until well blended. Add chopped walnuts and mix well with a spoon.

5. Lightly grease the baking pan with oil or butter. Preheat the oven to 350F (180C).

6. Remove the dough from the refrigerator. Lightly dust your work surface with flour. Using a rolling pin (I used ball-bearing rolling pin, and it was great!), press firmly to roll the dough from the center in all directions until you obtain a rectangular (or round, if you are going to use a round baking pan) about 8 inches (20 cm) in width and about 1/8 inch (3 mm) thick, or just the size to fit your pan. I found this pastry dough very easy to handle - it rolled in no time for me.

7. Carefully transfer the round into the pan, pressing it against the bottom and the sides. Baklava releases juices when baking, so slightly stretching the dough to the sides and sealing them tightly will keep the juices inside. If there is any tear in the dough, repair by pressing a small piece of dough over it.

8. Spread half the filling over the layer.

9. Roll the second disk in the same way and place it in the pan on top of the walnut filling. Spread the remaining filling over the second layer.

10. Roll the third dough disk and place it on top of the walnut filling. Brush this layer with egg yolk. Using a sharp knife or a pizza cutter (it worked wonders for me!), carefully cut the baklava in cross-hatching diagonals to make diamond shapes, cutting through the filling all the way to the bottom. Place a whole or half a walnut in the middle of each baklava piece.

11. Bake in the oven for about 35 minutes or until golden on top. Times may vary, so take extra care not to overbake - baklava will harden and will not be that juicy if baked for too long. Remove the pan from the oven. When cool enough to handle, remove the baklava diamonds from the pan and serve with tea or coffee. Baklava gets even softer when stored in a covered container.

YOU CAN USE ALMOND ON TOP AND INSIDE IT TOO EXCEPT WALNUT.

Enjoy!

Shekerbura - Making a Novruz Dessert Step by Step

AZERBAIJAN FOOD

If Samani is a green symbol of Novruz, two desserts, Pakhlava (baklava) and Shekerbura, are the spring holiday’s sweet symbols. No Novruz table is complete without these delicious nut filled delights.

I have posted the recipe for Easy Baklava before and time has come to pair it up with Shekerbura to complete a Novruz table.

Shekerbura is a sweet pastry filled with ground nuts and sugar. In Azerbaijan, making shekerbura usually involves a team-work. Relatives and neighbors get together at somebody’s house and all contribute to the making of this and other Novruz treats. Baked shekerbura is put on the table on a khoncha, a special holiday tray, filled with Novruz desserts, nuts, dried fruits and colored eggs.

Making shekerbura is not as difficult as it may seem or sound. I have never baked shekerbura in Baku, but have done here in the US, all by myself, without any team to help me out:) So, if I could do it, you can do too.

Let’s begin, shall we?

Shekerbura consists of 3 major elements: the dough, the filling and the pattern, and I’ll discuss each element in details.

THE DOUGH

The dough for shekebura can be prepared in several ways: with yeast that makes the dough rise, without yeast, with whole eggs or with egg yolks only, with milk or with water added and so on. In Azerbaijan, every family has its own special recipe. The recipe below is my favorite, courtesy of my cousin in Baku whose shekerbura is simply the best in the family. It yields the softest shekerbura that almost melts in your mouth. Plus, the recipe doesn’t require waiting for the dough to rise (a small amount of yeast is added for softness), or refrigerating it overnight.

THE FILLING

Shekerbura filling is made by mixing ground nuts (hazelnuts, or almonds, or walnuts) with granulated sugar and powdered cardamom. Hazelnuts and almonds are preferred over walnuts for their light color and subtle taste. I personally prefer walnuts for their rich taste. Nuts must be skinned before they are mixed with sugar and cardamom. In the US, you can buy skinned nuts sold in packages. In Azerbaijan, women skin raw nuts themselves using the techniques described in the recipe below.

THE PATTERN

What makes shekerbura really special is the patter that is made on them with a special type of decoration tweezers, called maggash (see picture below). Mine came all the way from Baku. The most traditional decoration called chanaghi (I learned this from Gullu who runs a great web site on Azerbaijani food) is what you will see in the pictures below. However, simple patterns, such as trees, flowers, and even names and initials can be made with these tweezers too. If you don’t have a maggash, leave the top of your pastries plain - once they are baked, coat them with powdered sugar.

This is how a maggash looks.





SHEKERBURA

Makes 36 shekerbura pastries

For the Dough:

1 kg / 2.2 pounds first grade wheat flour (white only) + 1 tablespoon (for step 3)
400 g / 14 oz unsalted butter, cut into large chunks
5 egg yolks
250 g / 9 oz sour cream
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla powder (optional)
1/2 teaspoon dry yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 cup / 125 ml lukewarm milk

For the Filling:
700 g / 1.5 pounds skinned hazelnuts, or almonds or walnuts (See recipe for how to skin if readily skinned nuts are not available)
700 g / 1.5 pounds granulated sugar
2 teaspoon, or to taste, ground cardamom

You’ll also need: mixing bowls, baking sheets, and a maggash (tweezers)

1. Prepare the dough. Put the flour and the butter in a large mixing bowl. Using your hands, rub them together until you obtain fine crumbs. Make sure there are no large crumbs left.

2. In a small bowl, using a spoon, mix the eggs yolks, sour cream, salt and vanilla powder.

3. In another small bowl, put the yeast, 1 tablespoon flour, 1 tablespoon sugar. Fill it with 1/4 cup of lukewarm milk. Let stand for about 2 minutes.

4. Add the egg-sour cream mixture (#2), the yeast mixture (#3), to the flour-butter mixture (#1).

5. Using your hands, mix the ingredients until fully incorporated and a rough and inconsistent dough is obtained. Transfer the dough to your work surface. Put the remaining 1/4 cup of lukewarm milk in a separate bowl. Constantly wetting your hands with milk, knead the dough for a few minutes to make it smooth.

6. Shape the dough into a ball. Put it back in the bowl, cover with plastic wrap and leave aside to rest for about 30 minutes.

7. In the meantime, prepare the filling. If you are using already skinned nuts, grind them finely in a food processor. In a mixing bowl, combing the ground nuts with sugar. Add the ground cardamom and vanilla powder. Mix until fully incorporated.

To skin hazelnuts and walnuts at home: Place raw hazelnuts in a large frying pan, and roast over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the skins crack and begin to flake off, about 10 minutes. Take care not to burn the nuts. Working with small batches of nuts at a time, place them them on a kitchen cloth and rub with it to remove the skins. Most of the skins will come off although some will still cling to the nut (especially on walnuts). Do not worry, a little skin will not be that visible in the filling.

To skin almonds at home: Put the almonds in a pot and pour boiling water over them to barely cover their tops. Let the almonds sit in the water for about 2 minutes (do not keep them there for too long, or they will lose their crispiness and will be too soft). Drain off the water, pat dry the nuts and slip the skins off by squeezing the almonds between your thumb and fingers.

8. Divide the dough into 36 balls, each weighing 50 g.

9. Work with one ball at a time, and cover the rest. Roll each ball into a 4 inch (10 cm) circle.

10. Place the circle in the palm of your hand, slightly folded, and put 2 tablespoons of the filling in the center.

11. Starting at one end, begin sealing the left and right edges towards the center to obtain a half-moon shape. Sealed shekerbura must be somewhat chubby from the filling and never flat.

12. Using your thumb and index finger, start pinching and twisting the dough along the seal to decorate the edges.

13. Arrange the pastry on a baking sheet, lined with parchment (baking) paper. Continue working with the rest of the dough balls, arranging them on the baking sheet as you are finished decorating their edges.

14. Now decorate the tops. Holding a pastry in one hand, and a maggash (tweezers) in the other, pinch the dough with the maggash at an angle and slightly lift it upward (see the picture below). Continue until you obtain a row of pattern. Create similar rows, each at an angle to the next one, until the entire surface is decorated.

You finished pattern should look like in the photo below.

If maggash is not available, leave the top of shekerbura plain, without any patterns.

This is how shekerbura pastries look before they go in the oven.

15. Bake on the middle rack of the oven preheated to 150C (300F) for about 20 minutes, or until the edges just begin to change their color and the bottom is light brown. Take care not to overbake the pastries - their tops should be light color when baked. If you did not decorate your pastries with the tweezers, coat them with powdered sugar once they cool off.

NUSH OLSUN! ENJOY!

Potato or Meat Pies a.k.a PIROJKI

AZERBAIJAN FOOD

This is a hands down winner in our family. Pirojki. They are believed to have originated from Russia, but have well blended into the cuisine of Azerbaijan and are popular both among the grownups and children alike. These dough pockets, stuffed with savory fillings such as cabbage, mashed green peas, potato or meat, can be either deep fried or baked in the oven. Usually deep fried “pirojki” is sold as fast food in bakeries, cafeterias and by street vendors.

I am posting the recipe for the baked pirojki with 2 fillings to choose from - one is a vegetarian delight and the other is sure to satisfy meat lovers. Follow this recipe to make potato OR meat pockets, and enjoy them with a cup of hot sweet tea or just plain! I know one thing for sure, once ready, these golden delights go fast! So… don’t miss your share!

PIROJKI

Preparation time: 30 minutes, plus 1 ½ hours dough rising time
Cooking time: 25 minutes
Makes 22-25 pies

For the Dough
½ cup (4fl oz / 125ml) lukewarm water
1 package active dry yeast (1/4 oz / 7g)
3 cups (15oz / 470g) all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoon sugar
½ cup (4fl oz / 125ml) milk
1 egg + 1 egg white (reserve the yolk for glazing)
½ cup oil (4fl oz / 125ml)

For the Filling

Potato filling:
3 tablespoons oil
1 small onion, chopped
4 medium potatoes, boiled and peeled
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro (coriander), or parsley or dill
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste

Meat filling:
3 tablespoons oil
1 small onion, chopped
13 oz (375g) ground beef
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste

For Glazing
1 egg yolk

VARIATION: Another delicious variation would be to stuff the pockets with crumbled white cheese, such as feta, mixed with chopped fresh parsley.

COOK’S TIP: For the yeast to work best, all ingredients should be at room temperature. Remove the eggs from refrigerator about 30 minutes prior to adding them to the dough.

COOK’S TIP: If you used up all of the filling and still have some dough left, you can make small dinner rolls. Brush the remaining dough ball with egg yolk, sprinkle with some poppy, nigella or sesame seeds and bake in the oven for about 25 minutes or until golden.

1. Prepare the dough. Dissolve the yeast in lukewarm water and let stand for about 5 minutes. In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, salt, sugar, and mix. Add the yeast mixture, milk, eggs and oil and stir using your hands until a rough ball forms. Scrape the dough onto a lightly floured surface, and knead until smooth and elastic, about 5-6 minutes. Put the dough into a large bowl, cover with a kitchen towel or a plastic wrap and leave to rise in a warm place for about 1 ½ hours, or until doubled in bulk. The dough should look puffy and be soft when poked with a finger.

2. In the meantime, prepare the filling. To prepare the potato filling, in a medium non-stick frying pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté for about 7 minutes, or until lightly brown. In a mixing bowl, mash the boiled potatoes (I like to leave it slightly coarse). Add the fried onion, fresh herbs, season with salt and pepper, and mix well.

To prepare the meat filling, in a medium non-stick frying pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté for about 5 minutes or until translucent. Add the meat and stir-fry together for about 10 minutes, or until the meat is brown. Season with salt and pepper to taste. If you prefer a smoother filling, grind the mixture in a food processor until you obtain a desired consistency. (That’s what I usually do and I love the result).

3. Gentry press down on the dough to release the gases that have built up during the rising. The dough should not be sticky. Divide the dough into small balls about 1 ½ inches (3.8 cm) in diameter You should be able to make 22-25 balls.

4. At this stage you can use either method to shape your pirojki- whichever you are comfortable with. Method A: Using a wooden rolling pin, roll out each ball into a circle about 4 inches (10cm) in diameter. Place a tablespoonful of filling on the circle, lift the edges towards the center and press to seal. Gently pat the pocket to flatten it slightly. Continue with the rest of the dough. Method B: Since the dough is very elastic, it is easy to handle with hands. You can flatten, stretch, fill and seal the dough, holding it in your palm and using your other hand. Just like in the pictures below. I use this method. It’s quick and easy.

5. Place the dough pockets on a baking sheet seam side down, about 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart, and allow to rest for about 15 minutes.

6. In the meantime, preheat the oven to 350F (180C).7. Brush the pockets with egg yolk and bake for about 25 minutes or until golden.

NUSH OLSUN! ENJOY!

Tandir (Tandoori) Bread / Tendir Choreyi

AZERBAIJAN FOOD

Nothing wrong about it but … honestly, I do crave Tandir Bread sometimes. Tandor or Tandoori as it is better known in the US. Nothing comes close to the taste of fresh bread baked in clay ovens. In Azerbaijan bread is eaten almost with any food, it is always there on the table. I love hot Tandir Bread with white cheese. Try it with fresh herbs on the side. Yum!

On the side note, bread is considered a sacred food in Azerbaijan. It is a symbol of abundance, prosperity. We don’t throw it in a trash can. If you see a piece of bread on the street, you would pick it up and put it aside, somewhere where nobody would step on it. Some people would even kiss it and touch the forehead with it. It’s the sign of respect to bread that feeds us.

Back to Tandir bread now. Although there are many varieties of bread sold in Azerbaijani bakeries, tandir bread is usually preferred over others on special occasions, such as weddings, birthday parties and holiday celebrations. Typically, warm slices of tandir bread are placed next to individual serving plates. Although nothing can replace the flavor of a real tandir bread I ate in Azerbaijan, here in the United States I use the following recipe to bake my favorite bread in my own kitchen. Are you ready to try it too? Here we go. And on’t forget to have fun too!

TANDIR (TANDOORI) BREAD / TENDIR CHOREYI

Preparation time: 2 hours
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Makes 1 medium bread

INGREDIENTS
1 package (1/4 oz / 7g) dry yeast
1 ½ cups (12 fl oz/375 ml) warm water
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups bread flour, plus extra for kneading
1 egg yolk, for brushing
1 teaspoon poppy or sesame seeds (black or white)

1. In a small bowl, mix yeast with water until the yeast is dissolved.

2. Sift flour into a large bowl. Add salt and mix well. Gradually add the yeast-water mixture and stir in using your hand until a rough ball forms.

3. Scrape the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Press any loose dough pieces into the ball and knead the dough, punching it down with your fists, folding it over and turning. Knead for about 8-10 minutes, or until smooth and elastic.

4. Shape the dough into a ball and put it back into the large bowl. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel or a plastic wrap.

5. Leave the dough to rise in a warm spot for about 1 ½ hours, or until doubled in bulk. The dough should look puffy and be soft when poked with a finger.

6. Punch down the dough, then transfer it onto a lightly floured surface.

7. Shape the dough into a ball, and with your hands flatten slightly and stretch it lengthwise. Using a rolling pin, start rolling the dough beginning at one end until you obtain a long flat bread about ½ inch thick (1.27cm), 14 inches long (35cm) and 8 inches (20cm) wide.

8. Carefully transfer the bread onto a non-stick baking sheet, fixing the shape as necessary. Leave the dough to rest on the sheet for another 15 minutes before baking.

9. Preheat the oven to 400?F (200?C).

10. Using a knife, make shallow crosshatching slashes on the bread, 4 from right to left and 4 the opposite way, each at a slight angle. Brush the bread evenly with the egg yolk and sprinkle with seeds.


11. Place the baking sheet on the middle rack of the oven and bake the bread for 20-25 minutes, or until it is golden on top and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.

NUSH OLSUN! ENJOY!

Spinach With Eggs / Ispanaq Chighirtmasi

AZERBAIJAN FOOD

Spinach is good for you. It’s healthy. I always knew it was good but if you asked me the specifics of its benefits, I would be clueless as to what to say. But after reading a bunch of “spinach”-related articles over the Internet (it saves, doesn’t it), I learned one thing for sure - Need more Iron? Go for spinach! I can’t say I am in love with spinach, but I buy it more often now (yeah, after I discovered the iron thing:) Good advice to those of you who like me don’t like the long picking over, washing and draining part - Buy packaged spinach, already cut and washed (I prefer triple washed!, thank you for doing that) and voila! you saved your valuable time!

Today on the menu is Spinach with Eggs. This colorful and flavorful dish is great when served as a light lunch or dinner meal. Although traditionally the eggs are poured over the spinach, I also like to make wells in several places in spinach mixture and beat the eggs into each. If opting for this version, cover the pan and cook for about 5 minutes, or until the eggs are set. Top your masterpiece with garlic and yogurt sauce, and you have that authentic touch! Enjoy!

SPINACH WITH EGGS / Ispanaq Chighirtmasi

Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Serves 4

INGREDIENTS
2 pounds fresh spinach, thoroughly washed and drained
5 tablespoons butter or oil (olive, vegetable, corn)
1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped
½ teaspoon salt, or more to taste
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
4 eggs, lightly beaten

Yogurt-garlic sauce
1 cup plain yogurt, mixed with 2-3 gloves peeled and crushed garlic

1. Fill a large pan with water and bring to a boil. Toss in spinach and blanch for about 3 minutes, or until just wilted.

2. Remove from heat, and drain well in a colander, pressing with a slotted spoon to squeeze it as dry as possible (or wait until it cools off and squeeze dry with your hands). Place the cooked spinach on a cutting board and chop coarsely.

3. In a medium non-stick frying pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add onion and sauté for about 5 minutes, or until soft and lightly brown. Toss in the spinach, mix well and stir-fry for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Pour the eggs evenly over the spinach. Tilt the pan to distribute the eggs evenly. Cover and cook for about 7-10 minutes, or until the eggs are well set.

5. Serve immediately with bread and topped with yogurt-garlic sauce.

NUSH OLSUN! ENJOY!

Layered Rice Pilaff With Dried Fruits and Chestnuts / Parcha-dosheme Plov

AZERBAIJAN FOOD

Eziz Qonaqlar, Meclisimize Ash Gelir! Ok, no panicking, it’s in Azeri, I’ll translate, word by word: Dear Guests, Pilaff is Entering Our Ceremony! This is how the Tamada, a Toastmaster always announces the appearance of a festive Pilaff at the Azerbaijani wedding ceremony. Royal treatment, you would say? Now, listen to this. Beautifully presented and mouth-watering pilaff is literally escorted to the reception area with one person at the head (a dancer in a national costume or a waiter) carrying the pilaff plate and others following with torches in their hands. This plate is placed on the bride and groom’s table. And of course, all this is accompanied by beautiful music and a happy cheering of the guests. Now, this is royal!

Yes, Rice Pilaff is the king (or the queen:) of all foods in Azerbaijan. It is not prepared on a daily basis, but there is hardly any celebration, ceremony that would not have pilaff on the menu.

Azerbaijani cuisine boasts countless versions of it, with every region having its own special recipe. Typically, long grain rice is steamed with saffron on top and a layer of golden crust called Gazmag (in Azeri: qazmaq) on the bottom. Traditionally, a crust is prepared from eggs, flours, butter and yogurt. Or, if you are pressed with time, simply lay peeled sliced potatoes or flat bread - lavash on the bottom, then scoop the rice on top and steam it.

Usually this type of Pilaff is served with additions, known as ashgara (ashqara) or khurush, prepared separately from the rice. Meat, dried fruits, fresh herbs, fish, vegetables and aromatic spices are cooked in many different ways to make the addition, which, when ready, is piled on top of the cooked saffron rice on individual serving plates.

Some recipes call for the addition to be cooked with the rice, inside the same pot. Like the one I am posting today. It is a simplified version of a layered rice pilaff called Parcha-dosheme Plov in Azeri. The origianal recipe requires a crust on the bottom before other ingredients are layered on top. In our family the following simplified version of it is cooked more often. No crust, but still delicious! Make it a part of your Novruz table!

LAYERED RICE PILAFF WITH DRIED FRUITS & CHESTNUTS
Parcha-Dosheme Plov

Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour
Servings: 4 to 6

INGREDIENTS
3 cups long-grain white Basmati rice (you can also use long-grain American rice)
4 tablespoons butter, melted
1 cup peeled chestnuts*
½ cup pitted dried apricots (you can half them, too, if they are too big)
1 cup dried sour plums, pitted
½ cup pitted dates
½ cup golden raisins
1 ½ (700g) pounds skinless, boneless chicken cut into 2-inch (5cm) cubes
1 medium onion, peeled, cut in half lengthways, then thinly sliced in half-circles
1/3 teaspoon ground saffron threads*, dissolved in 3 tablespoons hot water
salt
ground black pepper

VARIATION 1: You can also use lamb in this recipe instead of chicken. Boil the lamb it in a pan with water for about 5 minutes, skimming the froth with a slotted spoon, then drain and use as directed in the recipe. This is done to remove the unpleasant smell and to get rid of the excessive froth lamb releases.

VARIATION 2: You can substitute dried sour plums with dried barberries (in Azeri: zirinc) or dried pitted sour cherries.

1. Pick over the rice carefully, removing any stones or other extraneous particles. Place the rice on a fine-mesh strainer or colander and wash thoroughly under lukewarm water until the water runs clear (as close to clear as possible). The rinsing process removes the starch so that the rice grains will remain separate after cooking.

2. Soak the rice in a large container filled with lukewarm water mixed with 1 tablespoon of salt.

3. While the rice is soaking, prepare fruits and chestnuts. In a medium frying pan, heat 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add peeled chestnuts and stir-fry for about 3 minutes. Add dried apricots, plums and dates and stir-fry for another 3 minutes. Add raisins (add them last because they brown fast and can be easily burned) and stir-fry for 1 more minute. Remove from heat.

4. In a large non-stick saucepan, combine 10 cups of water and 2 tablespoons salt. Bring to a boil. Drain the soaked rice (do not rinse) and add it, in batches, to the pot. Boil for about 7 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, to prevent rice grains from sticking to the bottom. Watch the rice closely so as not to overcook. The rice is ready once it surfaces to the top. Try one grain to see if it’s ready - it must be barely done - not fully cooked and not too soft (VERY IMPORTANT). Drain the rice in a large fine-mesh strainer or colander. Set aside.

5. Rinse the pot you boiled the rice in. Melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat. Tilt the pan to distribute it evenly. Arrange meat in one l layer at the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle with ½ teaspoon salt and pepper, to taste. Follow with the layer of sliced onions. Simmer over medium heat uncovered, without stirring, for about 3 minutes to let the flavors develop.

6. Place half of the rice in the pot over the onion. Arrange the dried fruits and chestnuts in one layer on top of the rice. Pile the rest of the rice on top of the fruits, mounding the rice nicely in the shape of a pyramid. Pour 1 tablespoon melted butter over rice.

7. Place a clean dishtowel or 2 layers of paper towel over the pot and cover firmly with a lid to absorb the steam. Lift the corners of the towel over the lid as shown in the picture below.




8. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 30 minutes. Then open the lid and sprinkle the saffron water on top of the rice.


9. Cover again and simmer for another 30 minutes. When ready, meat should be cooked and lightly golden on the bottom. The onion will almost melt into the meat and will not be that visible. Rice grains should be separate and fluffy, and not sticky.

10. When ready to serve, gently take 1 spatula full of rice, fruits and meat at a time, placing it on the large serving platter. This Pilaff is delicious served with pickles, vegetable salad or fresh herbs. Nush Olsun! Enjoy!

Baked Fish Stuffed with Walnuts / Balig Levengi

AZERBAIJAN FOOD

This is my first recipe in the Fish category. And I started with the king of Azerbaijani fish recipes - fish stuffed with walnuts. On joyful occasions such as the celebration of Spring Holiday - Novruz, the Azerbaijani table overflows with food. But there is always room for fish stuffed with Levengi, a traditional walnut filling originating from the beautiful city of Lenkeran in the southeast of the country.

The best fish to stuff is KUTUM, also known as Caspian White Fish or Caspian Roach. Yes, finding kutum in Azerbaijan is not a problem. How about elsewhere, where there is no Caspian sea:) I was wondering too, until I discovered white fish in a nearby Persian grocery store. I don’t know where the raise this fish here but boy, is the taste delicious! It’s almost the same as Kutum we eat in Azerbaijan. I checked some Russian food stores and it sells there too. Check your area for this type ethnic or fish markets that may carry them as well.

If you can’t find white fish, you can substitute it with sea bass, red snapper, or red mullet, or any fish that looks like the one in the pictures below.

Typically, broiled, baked, or fried fish is served with thick pomegranate paste called Narsharab, which is actually pomegranate juice simmered on slow heat until it is thick and dark (sold in bottles). Fish flakes are dipped into this tart syrup. In U.S. Narsharab is usually available in Persian/Middle Eastern grocery stores. If you can’t find it, no worries, freshly squeezed lemon juice over your fish would do just as well.

Levengi filling calls for three main ingredients: Walnuts, Onion and Sour Paste. Sour paste is a sort of chutney-like puree made of sour plums. I will post the recipe later once the plum season comes. In the meantime, you can use dried sour plums or fresh pomegranate seeds instead of the sour paste to add some tartness to the filling. I didn’t have sour paste. I used both dried sour plums and pomegranates. Using either or a combination of both is good. Some people add raisins to the filling, too, but I never do because walnuts are rich and sweet enough for me. It’s up to you. Enjoy!

Baked Fish Stuffed with Walnuts / Baliq Levengi

Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 45 minutes
Serves 6-8

Ingredients

1 large white fish (3-5 pounds), scaled and cleaned (keep the head on)

For the Stuffing
1 large onion, finely grated or ground
1 ½ cups walnuts, ground
1 tablespoon sour paste* or 5-6 large dried sour plums, pitted and chopped, or 1/3 cup fresh pomegranate seeds
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground pepper

To Rub and Baste
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground pepper
fresh juice of ½ lemon (2-3 tablespoons)

VARIATION: You can substitute white fish with sea bass, red snapper, or red mullet.

VARIATION: If the fish has a roe (in Azeri - kuru, in Russian - ikra), do not discard it when cleaning the fish. Add it raw to the walnut mixture, reducing the amount of walnuts accordingly. Stuffing with fish roe is very delicious. I have never found a fish with roe in Long Beach markets, but in Azerbaijan, you luck out finding a fish with roe quite often.

1. Rinse the fish under cold water and pat dry with paper towel. Rub inside and out with salt and pepper.

2. Prepare the filling. Place the onion on a fine sieve and press to remove the juices. In a mixing bowl, combine onion, walnuts, sour paste or dried sour plums, or pomegranate seeds, and salt and pepper. Mix well. Adjust seasoning to taste.

3. Preheat the oven to 350F (180C).

4. Using a spoon, fill the cavity of the fish with the walnut stuffing. Make sure you pack the mixture tightly inside.

5. Pin the cavity shut with wooden barbecue skewers or cocktail sticks. Or, if available, sew it up tightly with kitchen twine. Place the fish on a baking sheet and pour the lemon juice over it. If you sewed the cavity, place the fish on a baking sheet in an upright position, seam side down. It looks beautiful when you remove it from the oven and place it on a platter in that position. If you used skewers like me just lay the fish on one side. Bake in the oven for about 45 minutes, or until the fish is browned and flakes easily with a fork.

6. Arrange the fish on a serving platter and discard the pins or twine. Garnish with lemon slices, pomegranate seeds and serve with rice pilaff or bread and pomegranate paste (Narsharab) on the side. When serving, slice the fish into pieces making sure each one has some filling inside.

Nush Olsun! Enjoy!

Baked Honey Chicken WingsBaked Honey Chicken Wings

AZERBAIJAN FOOD

They Are good - pleasantly crispy on the outside, surprisingly succulent inside, and utterly delicious.

How do you make chicken wings taste so good? Simple. You marinate them in nothing more than honey-ketchup-mayonnaise mixture, dredge them in bread crumbs, then bake in the oven until golden all over. Simple and delicious. Try and see for yourself. And it’s ok if you become a glutton too:)

BAKED HONEY CHICKEN WINGS
From “Anne, Ben Aciktim” by Sahrap Soysal

16 chicken wings
2 tablespoons ketchup
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons honey
salt, to taste
ground black pepper, to taste
bread crumbs (I used panko)

1. Cut off and discard the wing tips. In a mixing bowl, combine the chicken wings, ketchup, mayonnaise, honey, salt and pepper. Toss to coal the wings well with the marinade. Leave in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight.

2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Put the bread crumbs on a flat plate.

3. Remove the wings from the marinade. Dredge them in the bread crumps all over, then transfer onto the baking sheet.

4. Bake in the 400F (180C) oven for about 40 minutes, or until the wings are cooked (juices should run clean) and are golden brown. Nush Olsun! Enjoy!

Georgian Chicken with Herbs (Chakhokhbili)

AZERBAIJAN FOOD

Tell me the truth now. When you read GEORGIAN, did you really think the state of Georgia?:) If so, I got you:) Because this post is about the country of Georgia, Azerbaijan’s immediate neighbor. Azerbaijani town of Balaken borders a town of Lagodekhi in Georgia. When I was a kid, my relatives who live in Balaken and I took a few trips down to Lagodekhi. My recollection of the town and of its food in particular, is very limited as it was long ago but I remember the town itself as beautiful, green, clean and warm and I would love to visit there again, this time with the goal to go beyond Lagodekhi and see as much of Georgia as possible.

Georgian food is delicious. I know. I have sampled some of the country’s traditional dishes in Georgian restaurants in Baku. Plus, Azerbaijanis know and love Georgian cheese bread called khachapuri which is one of the most popular snacks sold on Baku streets and in many pastry shops throughout the city. Although Georgian food is distinct in many ways (think lots of cheese and lots of walnuts), it shares similarities with Azerbaijani food and that’s how I know it’s delicious:). Georgian cooking incorporates the use of fresh ingredients in every dish, just like Azerbaijani cooking, where the concept of freezing something else besides the meat is almost non-existent. The ingredients must be fresh so I’d say frequent runs to markets are inevitable.

In the following recipe for chakhokhbili, a traditional Georgian dish, for example, the key is to use the freshest ingredients available. In this dish, chicken is simmered down with the freshest ripe tomatoes (don’t be tempted to use canned tomatoes if you want to make this dish truly Georgian) and plentiful of fresh herbs, to result in the most flavorful and delicious meal. This Georgian dish is a staple in my kitchen as I make it pretty often. You will love it too, I am sure. Enjoy!

Georgian Chicken with Herbs
recipe from The Georgian Feast by Darra Goldstein

Serves 6 to 8

2 tablespoons butter
one 3-pound chicken, cut into 10 pieces
4 medium onions, peeled and chopped
8 medium tomatoes, peeled and coarsely chopped
3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
generous 1/2 cup chopped mixed fresh herbs (parsley, cilantro, tarragon, basil, dill)
1/8 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes
salt
freshly ground black pepper

Melt the butter in a large skillet and brown the chicken pieces on all sides. Stir in the chopped onions and cook for 10 minutes, continuing to stir occasionally.

Add the prepared tomatoes and cook, covered, for 30 minutes, or until the chicken is done.

Stir in the garlic, herbs, hot pepper, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook, covered, 5 minutes longer.

Let stand 5 minutes, covered, before serving.

Chicken With Eggs - Toyug Chighirtmasi

AZERBAIJAN FOOD

It’s been a while since I’ve posted a chicken recipe, hasn’t it? Considering that chicken is a widely used type of poultry in Azerbaijan and that there are countless recipes with it, I have no excuse not to post them on my blog from time to time. So, yesterday I decided to roll up my sleeves, get into kitchen and cook a classic Azerbaijani dish - Chicken With Eggs called Toyug Chighirtmasi in Azeri. The word Chighirtma is a general name given to dishes in which eggs are added at the very end and cooked until set, like in the recipe for Ispanag Chighirtmasi (Spinach with Eggs) I posted a while ago. Or, in Badimjan Chighirtmasi (Eggplant with Eggs), Kartof Chighirtmasi (Potatoes with Eggs), Pomidor Chighirtmasi (Tomatoes with Eggs), you name it. There is this entirely separate category with egg dishes in Azerbaijani cuisine.

Toyug Chighirtmasi is a very popular dish in Azerbaijan. The recipe varies slightly from region to region and even from family to family. Some people like to add squeezed lemon juice to the chicken for that nice tanginess. Or, in some cases, the chicken is boiled before it is fried.

The recipe I am posting is how I make chicken with eggs. What I like about this particular recipe is that the eggs do not overpower the overall flavor of the dish; I don’t add too many of them to it. The eggs blend in with other ingredients so well that you almost do not taste them in the cooked dish. Also, during the simmering process, the onions and tomatoes melt down to the consistency of almost a pasta sauce - so delicious. We enjoyed Toyug Chighitmasi at dinner yesterday, hope you do too when you cook it.

CHICKEN WITH EGGS / TOYUG CHIGHIRTMASI

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients

3 spoons vegetable oil
2 spoons butter
1 large onion, peeled and thinly sliced
2 pounds / 900g boneless or bone-in chicken parts, cut into about 10 serving pieces (I use boneless chicken thighs)
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon, or more, to taste, ground black pepper
4 medium ripe tomatoes, finely chopped, with their juices
3 eggs, lightly beaten
chopped cilantro (coriander) or parsley, to garnish

NOTE 1: If your tomatoes are not ripe and juicy, dissolve 1 tablespoon tomato paste in 1/2 cup hot water and add it to the chicken along with chopped tomatoes.

NOTE 2: You can also bake this dish in the oven at the last stage. Transfer the chicken to a baking dish then pour the eggs over it. Bake in the 400F (200C) degree oven until the eggs are set. It makes for a beuatiful presentation if you serve this dish straight from your baking dish.

1. In a medium frying pan, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium heat. Add the onion and saute, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes, or until it is light brown. Transfer the onion to a bowl and put aside.

2. Add the remaining oil and the butter to the same frying pan and heat over medium heat (Note: butter alone tends to brown when you melt it. Adding some fluid oil to the pan along with butter will prevent that). Add the chicken pieces and fry for about 20 minutes, or until they are brown, turning them once to cook on both sides.

3. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Add the cooked onions and chopped tomatoes with juices to the pan. Cover and turning only occasionally, simmer over medium heat for about 25 minutes, or until the chicken is tender.

4. Pour the beaten eggs over the chicken, slightly tilting the pan to distribute the eggs evenly. Cover the pan and let cook for about 5-7 minutes (do not stir!) or until the eggs are set. Serve immediatley, garnished with fresh chopped cilantro or parsley. Chicken with Eggs is delicious with bread or rice. NUSH OLSUN! ENJOY!

Saffron Infused Chicken With Quince / Zeferanli ve Heyvali Toyug

AZERBAIJAN FOOD

I wrote earlier that I am addicted to cardamom, right? Well, I have another sinful confession to make - I am addicted to saffron too. My nose is quite adept at recognizing its aroma at such a distance you may think I have serious issues here:)

Saffron is quite an expensive treat, I should say. I used to buy it from a Persian grocery store about a 30 minute drive from where we live but I recently discovered Spanish saffron at a nearby Trader Joe’s and it made my life easier. Every time I go there I make sure I buy a small jar so that I have enough supply to satisfy my saffron cravings.

In Azerbaijan saffron is the king of spices. Saffron is used widely but at the same time sparingly in rice pilaffs, in soups and stews, desserts, sweets and syrups and many other dishes to add a nice touch of flavor and/or beautiful color.

My friend Maryam once made this chicken stew with quince infused with saffron. After having at least 3 servings (yes, I am a glutton) of it, I was ready to write the recipe down and whip up this glorious dish next time my addiction kicked in. This stew is pretty easy to make and it is delicious too. The flavors of quince, saffron and chicken go great together in the dish. Maryam and I share the same ethnic background but we grew up in different countries, she in Iran and I in Azerbaijan. I see this dish as a fusion of Persian and Azerbaijani cuisines that have a lot in common, and where both quince and saffron are widely used in cooking.

A word on quinces. If you ever travel to Azerbaijan, make sure you stop at a local farmer’s market to buy fresh quince. Don’t be tempted to rush to the first stand with quinces you see in the large market hall. Listen carefully and if you hear a seller proudly shouting “Ordubad Heyvasi!” or “Ordubad Heyvasi burda” meaning “Quince from Ordubad” and “Quince from Ordubad is here” don’t wait, head straight over in that direction and fill your bag with this exotic fruit. The city of Ordubad boasts the best quince in the country. It is so tender and sweet inside. Go ahead and eat them raw, just like you would eat an apple. In Azerbaijan we also make delicious quince preserve, we stuff the quince with meat and call if Quince Dolma. The exotic fruit can also turn into a nice refreshing syrup we call sherbet - perfect to finish a hearty meals with.

Ok, I’m being carried away here. I’ll stop. Without much ado, here’s the recipe. Thank you, Maryam!

SAFFRON INFUSED CHICKEN WITH QUINCE / Heyvali ve Zeferanli Toyuq

Serves 6

Ingredients

4 medium quinces (about 2 pounds / 1 kg)
6 tablespoons vegetable or corn oil
1 teaspoon powdered saffron threads (using a mortar and pestle powder 2 teaspoons saffron threads) dissolved in 1 tablespoon hot water
3 pounds (about 1.5 kg) boneless chicken parts, cut into serving size pieces (I used thighs)
1 medium onion, chopped
2 tablespoons tomato paste dissolved in 1/2 cup water
about 10 dried sour plums, pitted and halved (if it is difficult to remove the pit, simply cut the flesh into strips to use and discard the stone) - substitute with 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
salt, to taste
ground black pepper, to taste

1. Do not peel the quinces. Quarter them and remove core with a knife. Cut into wedges not too thin and not too thick.

2. In a large frying pan, heat 3 tablespoons oil over medium heat. Add the quince and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add saffron powder and cook together, for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to coat the quince with the saffron. Remove from heat.

3. In a large deep frying pan, heat the remaining 3 tablespoons of oil over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes.

4. Add the onion and cook together for another 6-7 minutes. When the chicken starts to release the juices, add tomato paste dissolved in water. Cook together for another 10-15 minutes, or until the juices have slightly thickened. The chicken will be almost but not completely cooked at this point.

5. Add the quince and dried sour plums to the chicken and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Reduce the heat to medium to low, and simmer, covered, for about 30 minutes, or until the chicken and quince are tender (quince should not be mushy). Note that cooking times may vary depending on the chicken and how hard the fresh quinces were.

Nush Olsun! Enjoy!

Lamb Patties from Lenkeran (Shami)

AZERBAIJAN FOOD

I disappeared again. You must be used to this terrible behavior of mine. Please forgive me. I was around fighting this crazy cold I got from who knows where which I finally defeated. Thank you for all your emails asking me about my whereabouts. I really appreciate it. You guys are great!

I can’t wait to share one special recipe with you today. Shami is the name of the great dish and it hails from one of the best culinary destinations in Azerbaijan, the region of Lenkeran in the southeast. Lenkeran is home to the best chay (black tea) that comes from vast tea plantations tucked along the region, exotic delicacies loved in every corner of Azerbaijan, hospitable and friendly people, and many more. The recipe was given to me by my buddy Sevda, one of the sweetest Lenkeranis I’ve met.

So, what is shami and what is so special about it. Shami is a lamb patty. But not your regular lamb patty made of ground raw meat. Shami is a patty made of cooked ground lamb and this is how the process goes. First, the lamb is boiled in water along with whole onions until tender. Then the meat is ground together with the onions, the eggs is added, the ingredients are blended together and the mixture is shaped into patties. The patties are then fried on both sides until golden. Boiling the lamb in the first stage removes its heavy taste and smell as well as mellows its taste. Precooking the lamb also allows for short frying times in the second stage and the patties do not absorb as much oil as their counterparts made of raw meat. Shami has a beautiful golden crust on the outside and is super soft and flavorful inside. It is absolutely delicious. Next time, I am going to try making shami with beef. If you try it before me, please let me know how it turns out. Nush Olsun!

Lamb Patties from Lenkeran (Shami)
Makes 18-20 patties

2 pounds (1 kg) boneless lamb with no fat, cut into medium size pieces
2 medium onions, peeled
2 eggs
salt, to taste
ground black pepper, to taste
1/3 cup vegetable oil, for frying

Put the meat and peeled whole onions in a medium saucepan. Fill the pan with enough water to cover the ingredients completely. Add a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil and cook, maintaining a gentle boil, for about 30 minutes, or until the meat is cooked. It should be tender and should not be pink inside). Strain on a fine-mesh sieve (reserve the strained broth for other uses, such as for dushbere).

Pass the meat and the onions together through a meat grinder (the traditional way). Or, grind in a food processor. Put the mixture in a mixing bowl. Add the eggs. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Knead thoroughly with your hand until well blended.

Shape the mixture into 18-20 oval or round patties (I made round), about 3/8-inch (0.9 cm) thick (you can make them thicker if you want to. They should be somewhat “chubby” and not too thin).

Heat the oil over medium heat in a medium frying pan. Brown the patties on one side, for 3-5 minutes, then turn to cook the other side. Do not turn until one side is ready. These patties are fragile and may easily break if you keep turning them. Remove from the heat and serve immediately with rice pilaf or bread (traditionally shami is served as an accompaniment to rice, but I like it with bread too).

Braised Lamb with Pomegranates and Chestnuts

AZERBAIJAN FOOD

Nar, nar, more nar! This is what the family has been saying the most ever since nars
(pomegranates) hit the Long Beach markets stalls about a month ago. We buy loads of nar. And we have nar eating sessions every day. Even our dog is addicted. He eagerly joins our sessions, and we all munch on the the crunchy juicy seeds, the dog shamelessly sending the juices to the floor while we the humans, to our faces. When I want the floor and our faces clean, I cook with pomegranates. Like I did yesterday, when I made this classic Azerbaijani dish called Nar Govurmasi.

The dish hails from the region of Goychay in Azerbaijan, the pomegranate capital of Azerbaijan. There dozens of pomegranate varieties grow in each and every front and back yard and vast orchards across the region. Juicy pomegranates with flavors that run from tart and tangy to sweet, with seeds that are burgundy, red and even white, with skins that can be red, pink, or white - Goychay is a blissful paradise for pomegranate enthusiasts.

Because of the fruit’s abundance, cooking with pomegranates is a common practice in the region and numerous dishes, both sweet and savory, are prepared with their ruby seeds. Nar Govurmasi is one such dish. In this dish, the meat (traditionally, lamb is used, but veal is a great substitute) is first fried with the onions, then chestnuts are added to it. A little broth on top and a dash of saffron, and the dish is simmered until the meat is fully cooked. Pomegranates are added at the very last stage and a great care is taken not to overcook them - they should remain fresh and never lose their crunchiness. Sometimes, the pomegranates seeds are not cooked at all: instead, they are added to individual serving plates, to taste.

This is an unusual dish worth trying now that pomegranates and chestnuts are at their peak. You’ll be intrigued by its taste.



BRAISED LAMB with POMEGRANATES and CHESTNUTS
Nar Govurmasi

Note: Typically, saffron infusion is added to jazz up the flavor of the dish, but if not available, use a generous pinch of turmeric powder instead (no need to dissolve in water).

Serves 4

2 pounds (900g) boneless or bone-in lamb (such as breast, shoulder or leg), cut into medium size serving pieces (substitute with veal)
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large onion, peeled, cut into half lengthwise, then thinly sliced crosswise
4 cups blanched and shelled chestnuts
salt, to taste
ground black pepper, to taste
1/8 teaspoon saffron threads
2 tablespoons water
2 cups pomegranate seeds (preferably a tangy variety)

Put the meat in a medium saucepan and fill it with water, enough to just cover the meat. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium and cook until the meat is no more pink inside, about 20 minutes. During that time, with a slotted spoon, skim off the froth that may surface to top. Strain the meat through a fine-mesh strainer, reserving the broth (you will need some of it later). Put the meat on a separate plate.

Meanwhile, heat the butter in a medium saute pan over medium heat. Add the onions and saute until light golden, about 10 minutes. Add the meat to the onion and cook together, stirring frequently, about 20 minutes (the onions will almost melt down).

Add the chestnuts to the meat. Using a mortar and pestle, powder saffron threads (you should obtain about a pinch of powder), then dissolve the powder in 2 tablespoons hot water. Add the saffron-water along with 1 cup reserved broth to the pan with the meat. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Cover and cook stirring occasionally (too much stirring may break the chestnuts) for about 30 minutes, or until the meat is fully cooked and the chestnuts are tender (they must hold their shape). If you are going to serve immediately, add the pomegranate seeds, cover and simmer over for 5 more minutes. If you are going to serve later, add the pomegranates just before serving and cook briefly. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve with bread or as a topping to rice pilaf. Nush Olsun! Enjoy!

Stuffed Eggplants, Peppers and Tomatoes / Badimjan, Biber ve Pomidor Dolmasi

AZERBAIJAN FOOD

This is probably the most popular dish prepared in Azerbaijan in summer. When vegetables and fruits are in abundance, Azerbaijani women like to stuff them:) They stuff eggplants, peppers, tomatoes, potatoes, onions, quince and even apples! The general name for all the stuffed yummies is Dolma, which means stuffed in Azeri. Dolma of eggplants, peppers and tomatoes is everybody’s favorite and I don’t know anyone in Azerbaijan who doesn’t like it!

Usually the three vegetables are cooked at the same time in the same pan. The stuffing is delicious on its own and I’ll admit I usually make extra and secretly eat it with a chunk of fresh bread and let the rest stuff the vegetables:) In my family we sometimes add split peas to the filling and I like it a lot, but it is only a matter of taste and is therefore optional. Also, eggplant shells are prepared in various ways before they are stuffed. Some blanch them in boiling water, some fry, some make a slit alongside the vegetable, some simply cut off the hat, scoop out the flesh and fill up the cavity with the stuffing.

Without much ado, here’s the recipe, step by step. It was part of my summer menu published in the Arab Times last week. Enjoy!

Stuffed Eggplants, Peppers and Tomatoes (Badimjan, Biber ve Pomidor Dolmasi)

Serves 4 to 6

INGREDIENTS
1-2 tablespoons vegetable oil or clarified butter

For the Shells
6 small black skinned eggplants (about 12 cm long and 4 cm in diameter)
6 medium green bell peppers
6 large firm tomatoes
salt
ground black pepper

For the Stuffing
4 tablespoons vegetable oil or clarified butter
1 1/2 pounds (700 g) ground beef or lamb
2 medium onions, peeled and finely chopped
1 medium green pepper (pointed or bell), finely chopped
chopped tomato pulp* (see the recipe)
1 cup chopped fresh basil
½ cup cooked yellow split peas (1/4 cup dried, boiled in slightly salted water and drained), optional
salt, to taste
ground black pepper, to taste

Method:

1. Prepare the shells.

Eggplants: There are two ways to prepare the eggplant shells. Choose one you like better.

Method 1: This is the easier method and takes less time than the second. Cut off the stalk end of the eggplants. Make a lengthways slit in each taking care not to cut right through. Fill a pan with water and bring to a boil. Gently drop the eggplants into the boiling water, and simmer for about 2 minutes, using a slotted spoon to keep them submerged. Remove and set aside. When cool enough to handle, remove the seeds from the eggplants with a spoon or by rubbing the eggplants gently between the palms of your hands to let the seeds fall out. Set aside.

Method 2: My favorite method, although requires more time and effort to prepare. Here instead of blanching the eggplants fry them before stuffing. Using a vegetable peeler or knife, remove about 3-4 lengthwise strips of skin from the eggplant to create a striped effect. Make a lengthways slit in each eggplant taking care not to cut too deep through. Soak the eggplants in a large bowl full of cold water with 2 tablespoons salt for 20 minutes to remove any bitterness. Drain, and gently pat dry. Fry the eggplants in 4 tablespoons oil or butter (add more if necessary) on all sides for about 10 minutes, or until evenly brown. Remove, drain on a paper-towel lined plate.

Peppers: Start cutting tops off the green peppers about 1/2 inches (4 cm) from the stems and stop when you obtain lids attached to the peppers. Remove the seeds and ribs and set aside.

Tomatoes: Remove the stems. Start cutting tops off the tomatoes about 1/2 inches (4 cm) from the stems and stop when you obtain lids attached to the tomatoes. Scoop out the pulp, finely chop it and reserve for the stuffing*.

2. Make the stuffing. In a frying pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the ground meat and cook for about 3 minutes or until it is no longer pink. Add the onions and cook for 15 more minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is golden brown. Add the chopped pepper and tomato pulp and cook for another 5 minutes. Remove the pan from heat. Add the fresh herbs, and if using, cooked yellow split peas. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and mix well.

3. Sprinkle inside of the shells with some salt and black pepper and fill them with the stuffing. Cover the top of the peppers and tomatoes with their lids. Place the vegetables side by site in a deep frying pan. Pour 2 tablespoons vegetable oil or clarified over the top. Cover and simmer over low to medium heat for about 40 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender (but not mushy!) and the liquid has reduced to the syrupy consistency.

Nush Olsun! Enjoy!

Cabbage Rolls Stuffed with Meat, Rice, and Fresh Herbs (Kelem Dolmasi)

AZERBAIJAN FOOD

Hi there. I am back (did I sound like I just awoke from a winter sleep or what?). I hope you all had a great time during the holidays. Happy New Year to you and your loved ones once again.

I was planning to begin the new year with a sweet recipe, but changed my mind because I’ve been wanting to post this savory recipe for so long and now that I found a Perfect Cabbage (more on this later), I have no reason or excuse to postpone it any more.

It is the recipe for kelem dolmasi, stuffed cabbage leaves (kelem means “cabbage” in Azeri, and dolma, comes from “dolmag” a Turkic word that means “to be stuffed”), a popular dish, loved by Azerbaijanis of all ages. In this dish, the cabbage leaves are stuffed with ground meat, rice, and fresh herbs. Let me mention that this is one way to make kelem dolmasi. In Azerbaijan, there is also a variation in which the cabbage leaves are stuffed with chestnuts, quince along with the meat, and the rolls are simmered down in sweet and sour sauce, made of vinegar and sugar (the latter will appear in my cookbook, so stay tuned).

I love kelem dolmasi but up until recently I’d made it occasionally only because I couldn’t find the right cabbage. You see, for this particular dolma, you need a cabbage that is not very tight, with leaves easy to pull off. Sadly, the cabbages I bought before were for the most part fist-tight heads from which I barely managed to pull off a few descent leaves and ended up with piles of damaged, torn, thick, bitter leaves that stared back at me. So for the longest time, I’d been on the lookout for the perfect cabbage that would spare me the loud squeals of frustration and the subsequent headaches.

I kept on looking. But desperate search continued, until my Chinese friend Xumei (ju-mei), took me on a gastronomic excursion to the Asian supermarket where she usually shops. And it was there that I found THE perfect cabbage! I eyed it suspiciously first, fearing a possible case of hallucination, when Xumei said excitedly, as if reading my mind, “It is Chinese cabbage and it is really really good.” It was a round Chinese cabbage, not a green-leafed bok choy. This one looked just like a regular green cabbage, except it was perfect, with leaves that only asked for a gentle pull with the hand to be removed.

As I stood in line to buy the many exotic Asian ingredients and a few Perfect Cabbage heads I stacked into my overflowing shopping cart, I was picturing myself devouring my favorite childhood dish - kelem dolmasi - soaking its juices with fresh crusty bread. Soon after I had arrived home, the dish was simmering in the pot. It didn’t take me long to have it ready on the table, all because the cabbage was perfect, just perfect. No leaf was damaged, no ear-tearing squeal was released, and no headache followed… Oh, well, before I get very emotional about the Perfect Cabbage… Here’s the recipe. As we say in Azerbaijan, Nush Olsun! Enjoy!

Cabbage Rolls Stuffed with Meat, Rice, and Fresh Herbs (Kelem Dolmasi)

Serves 4-5

Note: Pick cabbage that is not too hard and is softer to touch, with leaves not too tight together. They will be easier to pull off.

For the Stuffing:
1 pound (450g) ground beef or lamb (or combination), preferably not very lean
1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped (2 cups)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
½ cup medium grain rice, thoroughly washed and drained
½ cup chopped fresh cilantro (coriander)
½ cup chopped fresh dill
2-3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper

1 large green cabbage (about 3 pounds /1kg 400 g)
2 tablespoons tomato paste (when in season, you can use 1 medium ripe tomatoe, peeled and grated, with juices and 1 tablespoon tomato paste)
1 ½ cup hot water
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

First, prepare the stuffing. In a mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients for the filling. With your hand, knead thoroughly until well blended. Set aside.

Meanwhile, prepare the cabbage leaves. Fill a large saucepan with water, add a generous pinch of salt and bring to a boil. With a sharp knife, cut out the core of the cabbage and carefully pull off the leaves, keeping them whole and undamaged. Plunge the leaves into the boiling water in batches of 2-3, and blanch them for 5 minutes, until they have softened a little and are pliable. Remove the leaves with a slotted spoon and drain in a colander. Repeat with the remaining leaves.

Keep a medium saucepan at hand. When the leaves are cool enough to handle, place them onto a cutting board, and using a sharp knife, cut out the rough center vein in teh shape of a V from the leaves so they will be easier to roll up. You will need the cutouts veins later, so do not discard. If the leaves are too big, cut them in two along the center vein.

Place about 2 heaped tablespoons of the stuffing in the middle of each leaf and shape the filling slightly like a log. Fold in the sides, then roll tightly. Arrange the reserved cut out veins on the bottom of the saucepan (you can also arrange the damaged and torn leaves, or unused leaves on the bottom too), then place cabbage rolls on top, close together and seam side down, making several layers. If using fresh tomatoes along with tomato paste, toss a little in-between the layers.

Dissolve the tomato paste in 1 ½ cup hot water and pour over the top of the rolls. The water should come to a little less than half of the rolls, but not more as the rolls will release their own juice, too. If not enough, add more. Dot the top layer with butter. Place a small lid or a small ovenproof plate on top to keep the rolls tight and to prevent them from opening. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium to low and simmer for about 1 hour, or until the cabbage leaves are tender, the filling is cooked, and the liquid has somewhat reduced.

Place dolma on a serving platter and spoon some of the cooking liquid on top. Serve with bread on the side.

Stuffed Grape Leaves / Yarpag Dolmasi

AZERBAIJAN FOOD

No Azerbaijani table is complete without DOLMA, the all-time favorite, and my favorite too as a matter of fact. The word DOLMA means “stuffed” in Azeri. Variations of this dish are present in cuisines of several other countries, including Middle Eastern, Persian, Turkish and Greek. I’ve tried different versions but still there is something special about Azerbaijani dolma. There is this irresistible flavor of aromatic fresh herbs mixed with that of meat and rice. Also, it is smaller and rounder (or squarer) in shape than its foreign counterparts that usually have longer tube-like shapes. I like my dolma to be of a bite-size, neither too small nor too big. Try it with a scoop of creamy garlic-yogurt sauce on top and you will promise to yourself to make this dish again as soon as possible! Warning but a harmless one. Rolling the leaves may require a bit of effort and time - but hey the result is WORTH it, I PROMISE!! Note: You can find canned grape leaves in gourmet food stores and in most Middle Eastern/Persian stores. Are you ready to cook? Let’s roll!. I mean, let’s roll the leaves:)

GRAPE LEAVES STUFFED WITH MEAT AND RICE / YARPAQ DOLMASI

Preparation time: 1 hour
Cooking time: 1 ½
Serves 4 to 6

INGREDIENTS
1 pound (450g) ground lamb or beef
1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped
½ cup short or medium grain rice, washed and drained
½ cup chopped fresh cilantro (coriander)
½ cup chopped fresh dill
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper to taste
80 small or 40 medium size fresh grape leaves or canned leaves (about ¾ of 16oz can)
3 tablespoons butter, melted
½ cup water

Yogurt-garlic sauce
1 cup plain yogurt, mixed with 2-3 gloves peeled and crushed garlic

1. To prepare the filling, in a mixing bowl combine meat, onion, rice, fresh herbs, salt (add less if you are going to use salted canned leaves) and pepper and knead thoroughly.

2. If using fresh grape leaves, blanch them in small batches (about 10 at a time) in a pot with boiling water for 2 minutes. This will soften the leaves and make it easer to roll them and faster to cook. Remove the leaves with a slotted spoon and drain. Cut off the stems or any hard veins.

If using canned leaves, put them in batches in colander and place the colander under a sink, then rinse the leaves under cold water and drain. Cut off the stems. If using medium or large leaves, cut them in half. If there are any torn or damaged leaves, do not discard - use them to patch holes in other leaves. NOTE: If canned leaves are too thick, blanch them in boiling water for about a minute, then drain and proceed as directed in the recipe.

3. Hold a grape leaf shiny side down on the palm of your left hand, and place 1 or 2 teaspoons of the filling at the stalk end of the leaf. With your right hand, fold top, then the sides over the filling and roll up tightly.

4. Arrange the stuffed grape leaves close together seam side down in a medium non-stick pan, making several layers. If using fresh grape leaves, sprinkle a little salt in between each layer.

5. Pour butter over the grape leaves and add water. Place a small lid or a small ovenproof plate on top to keep dolmas tight and to prevent them from opening. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium to low and simmer for 1 hour 30 minutes, or until the leaves are tender and the filling is cooked. There should be little liquid left, reduced to the oily consistency.

6. Serve hot with garlic-yogurt sauce scooped on top, fresh salad or pickles and bread!

NUSH OLSUN!

Tomato-Thyme Soup with Cheese and Croutons

AZERBAIJAN FOOD

In a creative frenzy recently, I’ve been cooking a lot with tomatoes. Why tomatoes? Because we have tons of them. Plus they are free and I can experiment with them without having the fear of going bankrupt at failed recipes.

The thing is we have tomato crop this year. We planted 4 tiny tomato bushes in our backyard around May, and patiently waited for them to show any sign of life, but in vain, as they simply refused to grow. We were ready give up on them but decided to give them another chance and planted them in our front yard. So, next thing we see is our tomatoes grow by day, no, actually by hour, and the roses that have been there long enough to claim it their own territory, are now totally buried underneath the overflowing tomato plants. So, now we are officially the only house in the neighborhood that grows tomatoes and not flowers in its front yard. But we are not complaining, neither do our neighbors and friends who have been enjoying our organic tomatoes and telling us how lucky we are to be enjoying the fruit of our labor. I couldn’t have agreed more, considering that we really didn’t’ put that much labor into the whole thing. It is the mother Soil and its sister Sun that do the job.

Hubby was smart enough to plant several varieties to save me a trip to a grocery store to buy a particular variety for a particular recipe. We have steak tomatoes that are huge. We also have cherry tomatoes, Roma tomatoes and salad tomatoes. I think I’ve picked at least 30 pounds of tomato so far and there is as much coming.

Ok, enough bragging. Here’s the recipe I whipped up the other day using our garden tomatoes. I used thyme to flavor the soup and it did enhance its taste nicely. I topped the soup with shredded mozzarella cheese and homemade croutons. We enjoyed the soup thinking how fun it woul be if those plants could hang in there throughout the winter and provide us with their juiciest fruit (yes, scientifically speaking, tomato is a fruit and not vegetable), but I think that roses will eventually regain their territory before we and tomatoes know it.

TOMATO-THYME SOUP

Serves 4 to 6

2 tablespoons unsalted butter or vegetable oil
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons tomato paste
4 medium juicy tomatoes, peeled and pureed in a food processor
5 cups chicken broth or water (or combination)
1 tablespoon dried thyme (decrease to taste)
1/2 cup milk
salt, to taste
black pepper, to taste

To garnish:
shredded mozzarella cheese
croutons (recipe follows)

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly for 1 minute. Add the tomato paste and stir-fry for a minute. Add the pureed fresh tomatoes. Cook for 3 minutes longer. Add the chicken broth or water, and thyme. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes.

Gradually pour in the milk, stirring constantly. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cook for another 2 minutes, then remove from heat. Ladle into bowls, garnish with shredded mozzarella and croutons (recipe follows).

CROUTONS
Remove crust from bread slices. Cut into cubes. Brush the cubes with some olive oil (or melted butter). Sprinkle with salt. Bake on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350F (170C) until browned, about 10 minutes.

ENJOY!

Red as Red Can Be - Borsch

AZERBAIJAN FOOD

Borsch is one of the most popular soups across the vast region of Eastern Europe. It traveled to Azerbaijan from Russia during the Soviet reign and has been ever since wholeheartedly embraced by Azerbaijanis. I haven’t had a chance to sample different versions of borsch but I know that Russian and Ukrainian variations are the closest to what we make in Azerbaijan.

Borsch is a vegetable soup. It includes beets, cabbage, carrots and potatoes. It is, however, not vegetarian as the vegetables are cooked in beef stock. Typically, beef stock is prepared from large bony chunks of beef, but here in California I resort to boneless beef pre-cut into stew size pieces.

Borsch is a red soup with the color coming from beets, which thanks to their natural coloring ability turn the soup into one bright feast to the eyes. Those who don’t like the taste of beets much reduce its amount, but not me. I like my borsch as red as it can be.

If you have time, let your cooked borsch rest for a few hours before serving it. This will give the ingredients a chance to blend and will allow the flavors to develop better. When ready to serve, heat the soup up, ladle it into bowls and serve with a dollop of plain yogurt on top, the way it is typically served in Azerbaijan.

BORSCH

Serves 6

1 pound boneless beef, cut into serving size pieces (if you can find large bone-in chunks of beef, even better)
5 tablespoons butter or vegetable oil
1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 medium beet (about 1/2 pound / 300 g) , peeled and grated on a coarse side of a box grater
2 medium carrots (1/2 pound / 300 g), peeled and grated on a coarse side of a box grater
2 tablespoons tomato paste
3-4 dried bay leaves
4 cups shredded cabbage (1 1/2 pound cabbage / 700 g)
3 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into wedges or cubes
2 cups chopped fresh parsley (make it more or less, to taste)
salt, to taste
ground black pepper, to taste

1. Make a stock by boiling beef in a large saucepan filled with about 20 cups water. Remove any froth that may surface to top. Cook until the meat it tender (depending on your beef, it will take from 20 minutes to 40 minutes). Strain the stock. Rinse out the saucepan and put the stock and the meat back in it.

2. In a medium frying pan, heat the butter or oil over medium heat. Add the onion and saute for about 5 minutes, or until soft.

3. Add the grated beets and carrots and cook, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes, until they are just tender. Add the tomato paste, salt and pepper to taste, then stir to mix and cook for 5 minutes more.

4. Add the cooked vegetables to the stock with meat and toss in the bay leaves. If there is not much stock left, add water to it. There should be about 12 cups of liquid in the pan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium. Add the cabbage, potatoes, and chopped parsley, and cook until the cabbage is soft and the potato is cooked, about 25 minutes. Remove the bay leaves. Adjust seasoning to taste.

5. Ladle into intividual serving plates and top with a dollop of plain yogurt or sour cream. Serve with bread.

Creamy Mushroom Soup with Fresh Herbs

AZERBAIJAN FOOD

love fresh herbs. Given a chance, I’d add them to anything I cook. I especially love stirring them in fresh or sprinkling them over cooked dishes for that nice fresh flavor and color. Just like I did in this creamy mushroom soup with herbs, which is packed with flavor from fresh cilantro. The inspiration for this soup comes from Erin’s delicious Vegetable Cheddar Soup.

In our family we have cilantro versus parsley wars. I love the taste of fresh cilantro. He can’t stand it and loves parsley instead. Kids hate both. So, when I made this soup, I split it in half before adding fresh herbs to it. One half ended up with cilantro for me, the other half with parsley for him. With that, we signed ceasefire for the time being.

This soup is very easy to make. If you prefer a real creamy soup, use heavy cream instead of whole milk. Also, I usually add carrots to the soup but last time I made it, I used corn kernels. The soup turned out great, but I found that carrots make a more delicious addition than corn. Experiment and you’ll find what pleases your palate more.

Nush Olsun! Enjoy!

MUSHROOM SOUP WITH FRESH HERBS

4 tablespoons butter
1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 large carrot, peeled and shredded (substitute with 3/4 cup frozen corn kernels)
2 celery stalks, diced
2 1/2 cups coarsely chopped mushrooms
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups stock (chicken or vegetable) or water
1 1/2 cups whole milk (or heavy cream if you want a creamier soup)
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro or parsley, or a combination of both
salt, to taste
ground black pepper, to taste

1. In a medium pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onions, carrot, celery, and mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally until the vegetables are soft. Do not overcook as we don’t want our vegetables mushy.

2. Add the flour to the pan and stir to coat the vegetables. Gradually stir in the stock and milk. Mix to incorporate all the ingredients together. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, frequently stirring with a wooden spoon. Boil for 1-2 minutes, or until the soup has slightly thickened.

3. Remove from heat. Stir in the chopped fresh herbs. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately garnished with croutons, if desired or chunks of fresh bread on the side.

Dried Bean Stew / Guru Mash Shorbasi

AZERBAIJAN FOOD

The following recipe of a hearty and flavorful stew is one of those dishes. In Ordubad beans, both dried and fresh, are especially popular. Traditionally, beans are slow cooked with “govurma”- lamb fried in its own fat and stored in buckets for winter, then added to the stews and soups. I don’t have a luxury of using “govurma” in my recipes, so mine is a simplified version of the stew. Dried mint leaves and sour prunes we use in the stew add that special flavor to this delicious dish.

I was going to post this recipe later with better pictures, but decided to do it today, in memory of my dear grandma (nene) who passed away 3 days ago. Nobody in the family could compete with her Dried Bean Stew. Hers was just different, aromatic, so flavorful. This is to you, my dear sweet Nene. I will miss you and your “tasty hands” that nobody will ever replace for me.

Dried Bean Stew / Ordubad usulu Mash Shorbasi

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 2 hours
Serves 4 to 6

INGREDIENTS

1 cup (8 oz/230g) dried pinto beans, picked over and soaked in cold water overnight
2 tablespoons (30ml) vegetable oil or butter
1 pound (450g) boneless meat (lamb or beef) cut into 1-inch cubes
1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped
2 tablespoons tomato paste
8 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
4 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into halves
4 dried sour plums (optional), pitted
1 tablespoon dried mint

VARIATION: If sour plums are not available, add a slice of lemon or 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice to the pot in Step 6.

1. Drain the beans, place them in a pot filled with water (about 4 cups). Bring to a boil and boil for 15 minutes. You will notice the water will get darker from the bean. Remove from heat, drain, rinse well and set aside.

2. Heat the oil over medium heat in a medium non-stick saucepan. Add meat and cook for about 15 minutes or until evenly brown. Stir occasionally at first and frequently when the released liquid has reduced to the oily consistency to prevent meat from burning.

3. Add the onions and cook together for 5 minutes longer or until the onion is transculent.

4. Add tomato paste, mix well and stir-fry for another minute. Toss in the beans, season with salt and pepper. Pour water and bring to a boil.

5. Reduce heat to low. Cover the pan and simmer for about 1 hour and 15 minutes or until meat and beans are just tender (beans should not be mushy).

6. Add potatoes, sour prunes, and dried mint and continue to cook covered over medium heat for another 10 minutes or until potatoes are cooked. Adjust seasoning. If the stew is too thick, add more boiling water to loosen it. It should be hearty but still soupy in consistency.

7. Pour the soup into individual serving bowls and serve immediately with bread.