Azerbaijanis, like representatives of other Caucasian peoples, can boast truly amazing national cuisine, many of whose dishes have become popular all over the world. They mainly consist of beef, lamb and poultry. It seems that hot southerners have the ability to cook it especially well in their blood. After all, if the cafe is a cook from the Caucasus, then the authentic aroma and taste of the served dishes are guaranteed.
Perhaps the main thing is the Azerbaijani kebab, which is not only prepared using a special technology, but also differs in the way it is served. It is made from mutton meat, primarily due to the fact that the majority of the local population are Muslims, which means that they do not eat pork. For a change, the kebab is also made from beef, poultry, fish, liver, hearts, and they came up with its variety, known to us as kebab, which is made from minced meat.
If you ask at a national cafe a barbecue in Azerbaijani style from pork, be prepared for a sideways glance. Although many Russified isers do not disdain to cook such a dish for guests, realizing that in our country this type of meat is very common.
Meat selection
Before proceeding with the preparation of Azerbaijani barbecue, you need to choose the most suitable meat for this. Traditionally, these are young lamb and lambs, which are slaughtered until they reach six months from birth. Most often they go to slaughter at the age of three to four months. Buying such meat is quite difficult. To do this, you need to agree with someone in the market, and then you will be killed a lamb or lamb to order. Note that its price will be much higher. But we assure you, it's worth it.
This is not someone's whim, it happened historically. Just such meat is incredibly tender, it has an amazing taste that can not be compared with ordinary lamb, for example. Moreover, it is much more fat, but less harmful - there is very little cholesterol, but it is full of protein, minerals and amino acids.
Pickling method
Another feature of Azerbaijani kebab is its pickling. It is fundamentally different from the usual marinades in which, for example, the pork neck is soaked. We believe that the more spices and additives, the better. In the original Caucasian recipe, everything is exactly the opposite.
In Azerbaijan, young sheep or sheep meat is soaked in mineral water, where salt, pepper and some wine vinegar are added. There are very few spices in the marinade so that they do not interrupt the delicate taste of barbecue. Therefore, they put a little bit of parsley, tarragon, cilantro, zira and basil. Herbs should only emphasize the properties of meat. Soaking should not be too long, just a couple of hours, and then only for harsh meat. When it is unreal tender, it is prepared without prior pickling.
Innings
Azerbaijani barbecue is not only cooked in a special way, constantly turning meat, but also served in a special way. As a rule, the finished meat remains on a skewer, skewer or a sprig of dogwood, on which it was baked. It is greased with fatty fat before stringing or with butter to make the meat even juicier.
They also put onions pre-marinated according to a special recipe, still hot cakes and various sauces with the addition of aromatic herbs.
Azerbaijani kebab recipe
Usually the most tender meat does not marinate at all. It is cut into long sticks, rubbed with salt and stringed on a skew, pre-greased. During cooking, the meat is sprayed with wine vinegar or mineral water. At the same time, the skewer is rotated almost non-stop. Such meat is cooked in just five minutes and only on charcoal - no open fire.
If the meat needs to be made softer, then it is soaked for a short time according to the above technology - mineral water, herbs, salt, pepper and wine vinegar. Sometimes pomegranate juice is added, but this is not for everyone.
Sauces
Not a single kebab meal is complete without an abundance of various sauces on the table. For meat, they always put the traditional Azerbaijani sauce for narsharab kebab, which is obtained by condensing pomegranate juice. It is squeezed out and left to evaporate. When a quarter of the juice has gone from the container into the air, basil, cinnamon, sugar, coriander, bay leaf, pepper are added to it. He insists, it becomes quite thick and sweet and sour in taste.
Georgian tkemali is also always on the table. Made from cherry plum, garlic and herbs, the sauce is ideal for meat and fish dishes. Azerbaijani tomato sauce for barbecue prepared from tomatoes, garlic, hot pepper and cilantro. All ingredients are passed through a meat grinder and boiled in a cauldron.
Pickled onion
The onion cooked according to a special recipe goes well with meat and fish on charcoal.
For pickling take small onions, which after cleaning are kept for two days in cold salt water (50 grams of salt per liter of water). Then, at the bottom of the can, spread cloves, bay leaf, black allspice peas. And only then they cut onions and put them in a container. Thorn is placed on top, the whole thing is poured with wine vinegar.
The jar is sealed and stored in a cool dark place. In order for the onion to absorb all the necessary aromas, it is desirable that at least a week has passed, and after that it can be served in a mutton shashlik in Azerbaijani style.
Kebab
This dish has become a real hit of any barbecue in Russia. Tender mutton meat is ground into minced meat with garlic, cilantro and fat tail fat. Coriander, zira, salt and pepper are added there and beaten so that the minced meat becomes uniformly dense. To do this, they beat him on the table so that the meat grasps. Before baking, they put it in the refrigerator for half an hour and only then string it onto a skewer, wrapping it with meat in the form of sausages without gaps. Formed sausages are fried for just five minutes, constantly turning over and sprinkling with lemon juice. Lula kebab is a very delicate and piquant dish, it is served on a flat pita bread and sprinkled with plenty of pickled onions, sliced in rings. Pomegranate seeds are used for decoration.
Kebab of fish
Azerbaijan loves to cook not only meat on coals, but also bake trout, both lake and river, and, of course, Caspian sturgeon. Moreover, the fish is cooked completely, for this they take not very large tails. Big fish is cut into portions and strung on skewers. Or cooked on the grill.
The fish is thoroughly cleaned of bones and marinated during the day in an unusual composition from beaten raw eggs and white bread soaked in milk. Before baking, the carcass is well rubbed with salt, pepper and a small amount of spices. As you already understood, this is done in order not to interrupt the true taste of herbs.
Fish is cooked in just a couple of minutes, also on charcoal. In the process, it is sprayed with wine vinegar or homemade wine.