Levengi
 Stuffed fish (Azerbaijani: balıq ləvəngisi) | |
| Type | side |
|---|---|
| Course | main |
| Place of origin | Azerbaijan |
| Region or state | Lenkeran, Talysh |
| Serving temperature | hot |
| Main ingredients | walnut, onions, dried fruit |
| Variations | poultry, fish |
Levengi, levangi, lavengi or lavangi (Azerbaijani: ləvəngi; Talysh: ləvəngin) is a stuffing, typically for baked fish or poultry, in Azerbaijani cuisine. Typical ingredients include onions, walnuts, and dried fruit stuffed into poultry or fish.[1][2][3][4]
It is often served on special occasions such as holidays or at weddings.[3] It is a traditional dish of Azerbaijan[4] and the Talysh people.[3][5] The dish is common in the Lenkeran, Shrivan and Sheki-Zagatala regions.[4][2]
Stuffed fish (balıq ləvəngisi)
[edit]
Stuffed fish, also called "Balıq ləvəngisi", is usually prepared for Nowruz; The preferred fish is the Caspian kutum, asp or carp of the Caspian Sea, but white fish-beluga can also be suitable.[1]
The ingredients for stuffing include peeled walnuts, chopped and well-fried onions, sour prune or sour cherry or a pomegranate juice syrup called narsharab ("nar" is the local name of pomegranate in Azerbaijan), dried cherry-plums, raisins and vegetable oil. They are mixed with a cup of water, and salt and pepper are also added to taste,[1][6] if the fish has caviar, it is also used in the filling.[citation needed]
The fish is skinned and washed, and then filled with stuffing after it dries. The belly of the fish is sewed (in order to make the stuffing stay in) and then outside of the fish is rubbed with narsharab or cherry-plum sauce. The fish is baked in the oven until the top of it fries.[1][7] It is typically served with pieces of lemon, bread and narsharab.[8][9]
Stuffed chicken (toyuq ləvəngisi)
[edit]
The stuffing is prepared by mincing the onions, squeezing them into a cloth to remove the left over juice and mixing all ingredients (crushed walnuts, onions, raisins, narsharab).[1]The chicken is rubbed with salt and pepper, stuffed with the levengi, and sewed shut. The exterior is rubbed with vegetable oil and cherry-plum paste before baking.[1][10]
It is often served with lemon pieces and simple rice-pilaf.[11]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]
- ^ a b c d e f Ministry of Culture and Tourism Republic of Azerbaijan (2013). Kerimli T; Kerimov E; Ramazanova A (eds.). Azerbaijani Cuisine (A Collection of Recipes of Azerbaijani Meals, Snacks and Drinks) (PDF). Baku: «INDIGO» print house. pp. 47–48. ISBN 978-9952-486-00-1. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2017-10-09. Retrieved 2019-01-10.
- ^ a b "Levengi - Such Stuffing as Dreams are Made On". Visions of Azerbaijan Magazine. Retrieved 2019-01-10.
- ^ a b c "Stuffed Chicken - Lavangi". Azerbaijan International. Autumn 2000 (8.3).
- ^ a b c "Levengi | Traditional Side Dish from Lankaran Region | TasteAtlas".
- ^ "A tasty journey through Azerbaijan: Shamakhi, Gusar and Masalli cuisine". azertag.az. Archived from the original on 2019-01-10. Retrieved 2019-01-10.
- ^ Lois Sinaiko Webb, Lindsay Grace Cardella (2011). Holidays of the World Cookbook for Students, 2nd Edition: Updated and Revised. ABC-CLIO. pp. 266–267. ISBN 9780313383946.
- ^ Ahmedov, Ahmed-Jabir (1986). Azərbaycan kulinariyası, Азербайджанская кулинария, Azerbaijan Cookery - cookbook, in Azeri, Russian & English. Baku: Ishig.
- ^ The most common dish of Lankaran:Stuffed fish (Balıq Ləvəngisi) Archived 2018-10-13 at the Wayback Machine news.milli.az
- ^ Stuffed fish Archived 2018-10-12 at the Wayback Machine evcookfafa.wordpress.com
- ^ Olia Hercules (2015). Mamushka: Recipes from Ukraine and Eastern Europe. Weldon Owen. ISBN 9781681880747.
- ^ Azerbaijani cuisine:Lavangi[permanent dead link] www.tasty.az