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A variety of breads
is prepared in Azerbaijan, ranging from the paper-thin sheets
of "lavash" to the dark, round, whole-wheat Russian-style
loaves - karpij chorak (brick bread), agh chorak (white bread)
and gara chorak (black bread). You can also find damiryol chorayi
(railroad bread) and bulka (a slightly sweet bread roll). Fresh
bread is bought daily from the local bakery or at distribution
points nearby.
The bread pictured here is called "tandir chorayi"
(oven-bread). Bread is a "must" with every meal and
serves as one of the main sources of carbohydrates in the Azerbaijani
diet. Bread is usually sliced and set beside each individual
plate. Generally, for guests, tandir chorayi is preferred.
During Soviet times, bread was made in state-owned factories.
It was a substantial, round loaf weighing more than a pound.
Since independence, more and more private bakeries have opened
up. Loaves are becoming smaller now that people are more conscious
of their weight. One popular type is a Turkish-style white bread
(turk chorayi), similar to a French baguette.
Certain breads disappeared from Azerbaijan following the Soviet
takeover in 1920, including sangak, which is a flatbread (usually
about 20 x 40 inches long) made from whole wheat sourdough and
baked in a tandir oven. (See photo essay, page 45, where the
sangak is hung up on display.) Because sangak is made by hand,
the Soviets opted for mass production of loaves, and sangak soon
passed into oblivion. Fortunately, sangak is still widely available
in Iran (South Azerbaijan). |
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From Azerbaijan International (8.3) Autumn 2000.
© Azerbaijan International 2000. All rights reserved.
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