Today we’re heading to Azerbaijan—a country where cooking is an art passed down from generation to generation. We’re making two iconic dishes that reveal the soul of Caucasian cuisine.
🍲 Piti
A traditional Azerbaijani soup, cooked and served in individual clay pots. Thick, hearty broth with tender lamb, chickpeas, and chestnuts creates an incredibly rich flavor with a subtle tang.
Ingredients:
• Lamb (shoulder or breast) — 600 g
• Chickpeas — 200 g
• Potatoes — 3 medium
• Onion — 2
• Tomatoes — 2 large
• Tail fat (or butter) — 50 g
• Dried cherry plums (or prunes) — 8-10
• Saffron — a pinch
• Turmeric — 1 tsp
• Salt — to taste
• Black peppercorns — 5-6
• Bay leaves — 2
• Fresh herbs (cilantro, dill) — a bunch
• Water — 2 L
Instructions:
Soak the chickpeas in cold water for at least 8 hours (overnight is best). The water should be three times the volume of the chickpeas. In the morning, drain the water and rinse the chickpeas under running water until clear—the grains should double in size and feel softer to the touch.
Cut the lamb into large pieces (80-100 g each, about 4×4 cm), leaving the bone and fat layers—they’ll give the broth its richness. Dice the tail fat into 1×1 cm cubes. In a thick-walled pot or cauldron, heat the fat over medium heat until it starts to sizzle lightly, then add the lamb and sear for 7-8 minutes, turning every 2 minutes. The meat should develop a golden crust but not dry out.
Slice the onion into 3-4 mm half-rings, add to the meat, and sauté for another 5 minutes until soft and translucent. Blanch the tomatoes in boiling water, peel, dice into 1.5×1.5 cm cubes, and add to the pot. Simmer for 3-4 minutes until the tomatoes release their juice and turn into a thick mass.
Add the rinsed chickpeas, turmeric, peppercorns, and bay leaves. Pour in boiling water until it covers the contents by 3-4 cm. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to low, cover, and simmer for 1.5 hours. The broth should gently bubble, not boil—the chickpeas should soften but hold their shape.
Peel and dice the potatoes into 3×3 cm cubes. Rinse the cherry plums. After 1.5 hours, add the potatoes and cherry plums to the pot, salt to taste (about 1.5 tsp). Cook for another 25-30 minutes until the potatoes are fully tender—they should pierce easily with a fork but not fall apart.
Crush the saffron in a mortar, pour in 2 tbsp of hot broth from the pot, and let steep for 5 minutes—the liquid will turn a bright yellow. Stir the saffron infusion into the soup. Remove from heat and let steep, covered, for 10 minutes.
Serve the piti in deep bowls or traditional clay pots. First, ladle the broth, then add the meat, chickpeas, potatoes, and cherry plums. Generously sprinkle with chopped herbs. Serve with lavash or thin bread, pickled onions, and sumac. Traditionally, the broth is eaten first with bread, then the contents are mashed with a fork and eaten as a second course.
💡 Fact: In Azerbaijan, piti is cooked in special clay pots called pitishnitsa, which are placed in a tandyr. Every region has its own version—Sheki, Baku, Ganja—each differing in spice blends and ingredient proportions.
🥘 Kükü
An Azerbaijani omelet-casserole packed with fresh greens and aromatic herbs. It turns out fluffy, fragrant, with a tender texture and vibrant green color—perfect for breakfast or a light dinner.
Ingredients:
• Eggs — 6
• Fresh spinach — 200 g
• Dill — a large bunch (50 g)
• Cilantro — a large bunch (50 g)
• Green onions — a bunch (30 g)
• Parsley — a bunch (30 g)
• Walnuts — 50 g
• Dried barberries — 2 tbsp
• Flour — 2 tbsp
• Butter — 50 g
• Salt — 1 tsp
• Black pepper — 0.5 tsp
• Turmeric — 0.5 tsp
• Sumac — a pinch for serving
Instructions:
Thoroughly rinse all the greens in cold water 2-3 times to remove sand and dirt. Lay them on a clean kitchen towel to dry—the greens should be completely dry, or the kükü will turn out watery. Remove thick stems and finely chop the herbs with a knife (don’t use a blender!)—the pieces should be 2-3 mm. Slice the spinach slightly larger, into 5-7 mm strips.
Lightly toast the walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2-3 minutes until fragrant, then roughly chop into 3-4 mm pieces. Rinse the barberries, soak in warm water for 10 minutes to soften, then drain in a sieve.
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs until smooth and slightly frothy (about 1 minute). Add salt, black pepper, turmeric, and whisk for another 30 seconds. Sprinkle in the flour and mix thoroughly until no lumps remain—the mixture should be smooth and even.
Add all the chopped greens, walnuts, and barberries to the egg mixture. Gently fold with a silicone spatula from the bottom up so the greens distribute evenly. The mass should be thick, vibrant green, with visible nut pieces.
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Grease a 24-26 cm round baking dish (or a 20×25 cm rectangular one) with half the butter. Pour in the egg-and-greens mixture and smooth the surface with a spatula. Thinly slice the remaining butter and arrange the pieces on top.
Place the dish in the preheated oven on the middle rack. Bake for 25-30 minutes without opening the door. The kükü is ready when the top turns golden and springs back when lightly pressed. Test with a toothpick—it should come out dry.
Remove the dish from the oven and let the kükü cool in the pan for 5-7 minutes—this helps it hold its shape when sliced. Cut into portions (squares or diamonds). Serve warm or at room temperature, sprinkled with sumac. Traditionally, kükü is served with matsoni (or plain yogurt), fresh tomatoes, and thin lavash.
💡 Fact: Kükü is one of the oldest dishes in Azerbaijani cuisine, mentioned in 10th-century manuscripts. There are over 20 regional variations—with fish, pumpkin, or beans. In spring, Azerbaijanis make a special Novruz kükü with young nettles and sorrel—a symbol of nature’s renewal.