Taste of Azerbaijan: Rich flavours, heritage await COP29 visitors

Nuru Rzazadeh, a chef at Baku-based restaurant "Veten", is hard at work fulfilling orders of some of his country's most famous dishes.

With 10 years of experience working in Azerbaijani cuisine, Rzazadeh is now thinking of new ways they could be reinvented for the guests of the COP29 conference in November 2024.

Syrdag is one of his favourites. It's a white fish bedded on a vegetable pillow.

Veten showcases staples of Azeri cuisine and aims to celebrate the culture of the various regions they come from.

Overall, 12 climate zones of the small South Caucasus country create a collection of varying tastes and flavours.

"In the southern region, we have our famous lavangi, which is well-known, among the dishes almost everyone is familiar with. The Ganja region is known for its kufta-bozbash, Shirvan has its own qovurma, and Karabakh is famous for its dolma. In fact, there are many dishes we can list, but we don't have enough time for that," Rzazadeh says.

A prominent feature of Azerbaijani cuisine is meat, usually lamb and veal and commonly accompanied with rice and vegetables.

Ingredients can be baked, boiled, fried or dried, but have to be generously spiced.

"Azerbaijani cuisine is distinguished by its climate and agriculture. We have different climates, which is why we use a variety of ingredients and vegetables in our dishes, leading to variations in taste. Additionally, we have a range of spices, which gives our meals a unique flavour."

Azerbaijani cuisine consists of around 5,000 dishes, from fatty meat kebabs to soups, from stuffed fish to exotic fruits.

"We are so diverse and so rich in flavours that it is impossible to say which dish is the royal dish of Azerbaijan. Out of 5,000 dishes, it's just not possible. And what makes a dish royal is the professional chef. If there's a professional chef anywhere, they will make every dish a royal one," says Tahir Amiraslanov, a culinary expert from Baku.

Azerbaijani cuisine is often compared to that of neighbouring Turkey.

However, Amiraslanov argues the former was created at the junction of East and West's culinary traditions and is, therefore, more diverse.

In true Azerbaijani style, eating your meal is only part of the event. Serving it is just as important.

A table is usually generously loaded, first with starters, then main dishes followed by an array of tea and sweets.

With COP29 approaching, Veten, and restaurants like it across the capital, hope to offer a slice of Azerbaijan's rich culture to the world.