During Pre-Service Training in October 2011, our Language and Cultural Facilitator ("LCF") combined language and cultural education by teaching us how to make qutab (a flatbread that can be filled with meat or vegetables) and düşbərə (a dumpling soup). And by "taught" I mean that she made everything herself and barely let us help because: (a) we would have done it wrong; and (b) we would still be waiting to eat.
Qutab can often be bought fresh from street stands. In Baku, they go for about 30 qəpik each (which is just under 40 cents), but I have to get three to six of them to make a meal of it.
Actually, I exaggerated slightly before: The reason there are no pictures of making the dumplings is because I was helping with that part (at about half the speed of our LCF, of course).
Düşbərə dumplings are quite small (about an inch or less in diameter) and served in a light, water-based broth with a vinegar and garlic sauce, which I've heard can either be poured into the broth or kept in a small dish on the side to be added to taste.
Interestingly, the traditional Azerbaijani cooking I've seen rarely uses garlic and vinegar, even less. Meanwhile, this bears some strong similarities to the way Chinese dumplings are eaten. Garlic? Check. Vinegar? Check. This differences are that Chinese dumplings are generally larger, and you also add soy sauce. If anyone knows whether this influence traveled from East Asia to Central Asia along the Silk Road, I'd be interested to hear about it.
Interestingly, the traditional Azerbaijani cooking I've seen rarely uses garlic and vinegar, even less. Meanwhile, this bears some strong similarities to the way Chinese dumplings are eaten. Garlic? Check. Vinegar? Check. This differences are that Chinese dumplings are generally larger, and you also add soy sauce. If anyone knows whether this influence traveled from East Asia to Central Asia along the Silk Road, I'd be interested to hear about it.
