The Azerbaijani table is commonly adorned with flatbread, yogurt, sumac, and fresh herbs. This is because diners scoop meat dishes up into either lavash or pita bread and then top them with these regional “condiments.”  Although a month late, we’re celebrating the spirit of the Azerbaijani holiday “Novruz” by gardening and spring cleaning before our feast.

Sides & Condiments: Pita Bread, fresh mint and other herbs, sliced red onion, sumac, and yogurt

Rice Pilaf with Potato Kazmag [Recipe]
Basmati rice, steamed over a crispy layer of potato slices, then tossed with saffron butter.

Laura Kelley’s Green Beans with Azeri Tomato Sauce [Recipe]
Laura was kind enough to share this recipe from her cookbook “The Silk Road Gourmet, Volume 1.”
Her book was recently nominated for a “golden ladle” in Le Courdon Bleu’s World Media Food Awards. Congratulations, Laura!
Fresh green beans are cooked with caramelized onion, then tossed with a creamy, tangy tomato sauce.

Spicy Meatballs in Pomegranate Sauce (Fesinjan Kyufta) [Recipe]
Ground lamb and beef is mixed with onion, paprika, breadcrumbs, and mint.
The meatballs are served in tangy pomegranate sauce.

Azerbaijani Grilled, Ground Lamb (Lyulya Kabob) [Recipe]
Spicy ground lamb served on skewers, mixed with cumin, cayenne, Hungarian paprika, garlic, and fresh mint. Delicious!

Sweet Saffron Custard with Rose Water (Zerde) [Recipe]
The haunting flavors of cinnamon, rose-water, and saffron permeate this custard.
Coarsely ground almonds give crunch to an otherwise creamy dessert.