Potato cake

Called Labda in Georgian, this is my adaptation of a Passover recipe. Combine mashed potatoes + chopped walnuts with salt and pepper and 2 eggs + cooked spinach, chopped and squeezed + purple (dark opal) basil + parsley.

Some of the ingredients are pictured.

Forming the cakes like a traditional hamburger and frying or roasting is the best option.

Shopping list:

• kartof (əzilmiş) = potatoes (mashed)


• qoz = walnuts


• duz = salt


• istiot = pepper


• iki yumurta = 2 eggs


• ispanaq = spinach


• qara reyhan = purple basil


• cəfəri = parsley

Lula Kebab

Called lüləkabab in Azeri, these delicious rolls or "tubes" of lamb are the best kofta-type dish I have ever eaten. Mix together and then roast in the oven: ground lamb (ask the butcher to grind it fresh for you) + egg + chopped onions + salt + pepper + chopped fresh parsley + other spices you like.

There is a great Azeri restaurant at the top of Sheikh Shamil Street that serves wonderful lula. Just past the hammam.

Served with French fries (qızardılmış kartof) and tomato (pomidor) here.

Shopping list:

• quzu əti / qoyun əti, çəkilmiş = lamb / mutton, ground [butcher may call it fars]


• bir yumurta = 1 egg


• soğan = onions


• duz = salt


• istiot = black pepper


• cəfəri = parsley

Eggplant salad

Like the Lebanese moutabel, but with a Georgian twist. Contains roasted eggplants (skinned and chopped) + 2 mediums onions and 4 green peppers, sauted + walnuts ground with garlic, salt and olive oil + fresh chopped parsley and purple basil + a bit of ground Kashmiri chili (and other Indian spices if you like) + grape vinegar.

Georgians add ground marigold (from dried petals) to this. If you know a source in Baku, please post this.

Ingredients are pictured (with a few tomatoes who slipped into the shot.)

Shopping list:

• badımcan = eggplant (aubergine)
• soğan = onion
• bibər = Azeri green pepper
• qoz = walnuts
• sarımsaq = garlic
• duz = salt
• zeytun yağı
• cəfəri = parsley
• qara reyhan = purple (dark opal) basil
• üzüm sirkəsi = grape vinegar

Roasted beet spread

Beets are available year-round in Baku. This spread contains 2 oven-roasted beets + walnuts ground with garlic and salt + lots of fresh, finely chopped parsley + fresh chopped coriander + fresh-ground pepper + grape vinegar.

Shopping list:

• iki çuğundur = two beets
• qoz = walnuts
• sarımsaq = garlic
• duz = salt
• cəfəri = parsley
• kişniş = fresh coriander
• istiot = black pepper
• üzüm sikəsi = grape vinegar