Azerbaijani food: plov, dolma and qutab
Saffron rice, stuffed vine leaves, thin herb-filled flatbread and endless tea — a short guide to eating well in Azerbaijan, and where its food comes from.
Plov and the main dishes
Plov — fragrant rice cooked with saffron, meat, dried fruit and herbs — is the centrepiece of Azerbaijani cooking, with dozens of regional versions. Alongside it you'll find dolma (vine leaves or vegetables stuffed with spiced meat and rice) and kebabs grilled over coals.
Qutab and the small plates
Qutab are thin, folded flatbreads filled with herbs, pumpkin or minced meat and cooked on a griddle — a perfect snack. Fresh herbs arrive by the bunch, and dishes lean on saffron, sumac and pomegranate, reflecting Azerbaijan's Silk Road crossroads.
Tea and sweets
Tea culture is everywhere, poured from a samovar into small pear-shaped armudu glasses, often with jam. Save room for Sheki halva — a layered, syrup-soaked speciality from the northern town of Sheki — and pakhlava. Halal is the norm, so Muslim travellers eat easily.