Festive table in Novruz – should be beautiful, rich, cheerful, hilarious and generous. Because, according to beliefs, a rich table guarantees the well–being of the family in the new year, and a cheerful one guarantees happiness. The table symbols of Novruz didn’t change so much from antique times: there is a seed on the tray – a sprouted wheat, as well as a mirror, lit candles of different colors (according to the number of family members, and they cannot be blown out – they must go out themselves) and painted eggs – a symbol of eternal life. Like hundreds of years ago, people in Azerbaijan are preparing for Novruz a month before the start of the holiday, carefully, tastefully and in accordance with all the rules – after all, there are six whole days to be celebrated! Since February, housewives replenish stocks of nuts, dried fruits, spices, and make preparations for shekerbura and pakhlava.
Hazelnuts are traditionally used in shekerbura, walnuts or almonds are traditionally used in pakhlava. By the way, pakhlava with hazelnuts are very delicious. The name of this type of sweet comes from its appearance of a rhombus symbol of fire, which is called pakhla in Azerbaijani carpet ornaments. Culinary marathon begins with pakhlava, the most time-consuming dish on the holiday menu. Even later, shekerbura and round qoqal are made from puff pastry.
These sweets have a special meaning: pakhlava symbolizes the stars, shekerbura and badambura the moon, gogal – the sun. A little later, they begin to collect khoncha with nuts and dried fruits. On the days of Novruz, each family receives guests and also visits other as a guest. Children will definitely throw a cap at the front door of the neighbors – the hostess will pour the cap with sweets. Well, in the meantime, we begin to set the table. On this day, there should be flatbread (Azerbaijani feseli) on the table: puff pastry, a lot of butter, spices and a dry frying pan.
Feseli can be made in any size. The main thing is not to forget to coat each layer with butter, then they will turn out rich and crumbly. The main thing is not to forget to coat each layer with butter, then they will turn out rich and crumbly. The decoration of the holiday is, of course, kutum fish. Any Bakuvian will say: – this is the most delicious fish in the world, found only in the Caspian Sea. This fish has become an obligatory dish in Novruz. Kutum is prepared with or without stuffing (lavangi), depending on the region. In our south region, it is stuffed with nut paste, in Baku – with dried fruits, walnuts, spices and fried onions. The fish must be large so that as many fillings as possible can fit in it.
Even on the festive table there must certainly be pilaf. Each Azerbaijani family has its own favorite recipe: someone prefers sabzi-govurma with greens (this pilaf, by the way, symbolizes the arrival of the new year), someone likes to prepare sweet pilaf with dried fruits, someone – fisinjan pilaf with meat in nut sauce, and someone prefers – turshu-govurma pilaf with chestnuts. In Azerbaijan, pilaf is also cooked with chicken and beans. Everyone in Azerbaijan knows about all the culinary intricacies of preparing for Novruz. Because from generation to generation, from the end of February, every house begins to prepare for the Novruz holiday.
