ON THE TRADITIONAL FOODS OF THE AZERBAIJANI PEOPLE

Abstract

The article discusses the rich national cuisine of the Azerbaijani people and its traditional food culture. Modern folk cuisine can be seen as a culmination of millennia of practical culinary experi-ence.
Azerbaijani national dishes are categorized according to the type of food products: plant-based dishes, various types of bread, fruit and vegetable products, as well as meat and dairy dishes. Archae-ological excavations, which have uncovered cooking tools and utensils, support this classification.
Information about the daily and ceremonial meals of the Azerbaijani people is found in the epic Kitabi Dede Gorgud, in Nizami Ganjavi’s Khamsa, and in the accounts of travelers who visited Azer-baijan, such as the German traveler A. Oleari, the Turkish traveler E. Chelebi in Seyahetname, the English traveler A. Jenkinson, the Italian traveler A. Contari, and others. Research and ethnographic materials collected from the local population indicate that Azerbaijani cuisine includes up to 200 dishes, more than 30 types of stuffed dishes, over 20 varieties of kebabs, and nearly 400 dishes made from greens, meat, and flour.
The diversity of Azerbaijani cuisine depends on the climate, geographical location, lifestyle, and seasons. Different meals are prepared for specific contexts: meals on horseback during migration, countryside meals, dietary meals, meals for new mothers, meals for newlyweds, meals for the elderly, and meals for children and youth. Popular meat dishes include bozbash, meatballs, govurma, kalafur, jiz-biz, various kebabs, as well as stuffed leaves and cabbage, pilafs, and flour-based dishes. As the weather warms, dishes made from various wild and cultivated plants, vegetables, and greens are pre-ferred. From wild plants, dishes such as keta, suyug, dovga, and goy govurma are prepared. Azerbai-jani families also produce yogurt, cream, butter, shor, suzma, cheese, cottage cheese, atlama, ovdukh, ayran, and other dairy products from cow, buffalo, sheep, or goat milk. Ceremonial dishes hold a special place in Azerbaijani cuisine. During celebrations such as Ramadan, Qurban, Khidir Nabi, Novruz (the spring holiday), weddings, mourning ceremonies, Black Eid, Name Day, and other events, traditional dishes—including pilaf, meat dishes, and sweets—are carefully prepared and served.