👉 Khinkali are Georgia’s famous soup dumplings: a thin, pleated dough purse filled with spiced meat and its own hot broth. You hold one by the twisted top, bite a small hole, sip the juice, then eat the rest – the top knot (kudi) traditionally stays on the plate. The…
👉 Shah plov (“the king’s pilaf”) is the festive centrepiece of Azerbaijani cuisine: fragrant saffron rice, tender lamb, dried apricots, raisins and chestnuts, all baked inside a golden crust of buttered lavash. It’s turned out whole and cut open at the table. It takes some time, but every step is…
👉 Kashke bademjan is one of the most loved Persian starters: soft, smoky fried eggplant mashed with golden onions and garlic, finished with tangy kashk (whey), mint oil and walnuts. Scoop it up with warm flatbread. It’s vegetarian, full of flavour and surprisingly easy to make at home. How to…
👉 Green borscht (zelenyi borshch) is Ukraine’s spring soup: no beets at all, but lots of tangy sorrel, potatoes, fresh herbs and boiled egg, finished with a spoon of sour cream. It’s bright, sour, comforting and ready in under an hour. In Ukraine it appears as soon as the first…
👉 Chebureki (çiberek) are large, thin half-moon pastries filled with juicy spiced meat and fried until bubbly and crisp. They come from Crimean Tatar cuisine and became a favourite street food across Ukraine, Turkey, the Caucasus and Central Asia. The secret is a very thin dough and a filling with…
👉 Lahmacun (pronounced lah-mah-joon) is a paper-thin Turkish flatbread spread with a spiced mixture of minced lamb, peppers, tomato and herbs, baked in a very hot oven. It’s often called “Turkish pizza”, but it’s lighter, crispier and meant to be rolled up with fresh parsley, onion and lemon. It’s one…
👉 Kuku sabzi is a Persian herb frittata that’s more herbs than egg: a huge pile of parsley, cilantro, dill and green onions, held together with eggs and studded with walnuts and tart barberries. Bright green inside and crispy outside, it’s one of the classic dishes of the Iranian New…
👉 Gözleme is Turkey’s favourite street food: thin, hand-rolled dough folded around a savoury filling and cooked on a hot griddle until crisp and golden. Village women roll it out on big wooden boards at markets across Anatolia. This version uses the most popular filling – spinach and feta –…
👉 Syrniki are soft, golden cottage cheese pancakes from Ukraine – crispy on the outside, creamy and slightly tangy inside. They’re the classic weekend breakfast across Eastern Europe, served with a spoon of sour cream and jam. You need just a few ingredients and 30 minutes. The key is using…
👉 Kutab (also spelled qutab or gutab) is one of the most loved dishes in Azerbaijan: paper-thin dough folded around a filling of fresh green herbs, cooked on a dry griddle and brushed with butter. It’s simple, healthy and addictive – perfect as a snack, breakfast or part of a…
👉 Menemen is the star of the Turkish breakfast table: eggs gently cooked in a thick sauce of tomatoes and green peppers, eaten straight from the pan with fresh bread. It takes 20 minutes and one pan. Like shakshuka, but softer and creamier – and every Turkish family has its…
👉 Satsivi is the star of the Georgian New Year table: tender chicken served cold in a thick, aromatic walnut sauce flavored with garlic, fenugreek, marigold and a hint of cinnamon. Its name means “something cold”. 🇬🇪 What Is Satsivi? Satsivi (საცივი) is one of Georgia’s most festive dishes, traditionally…
