Kufta Bozbash

Kufta bozbash is a hearty meatball and chickpea soup that holds an honored place in the kitchens of Azerbaijan, Iran, and parts of the South Caucasus. The kufta in question are large, lemon-shaped meatballs of ground lamb or beef mixed with soaked rice, grated onion, and warming spices, which are then gently lowered into a long-simmered broth of lamb shoulder, chickpeas, and tomato. The finished soup is deeply savory, slightly tangy, and the meatballs are tender but still hold their shape when cut.

Traditionally the meatballs are formed around a single blanched almond or a small piece of dried plum in the center, which stays hidden until the diner cuts into the kufta and finds the surprise inside. This garnish is not essential to the dish but is a hallmark of an attentive home cook. Some cooks finish the soup with a swirl of saffron-infused water and a scattering of fresh mint or dill, while others prefer a spoon of plain yogurt on the side. The soup is ladled into deep plates over torn flatbread so the bread can soak up the broth.

Kufta bozbash is a fixture of family tables in Baku, Sheki, and the rural regions of Quba and Lankaran, and it is also the soup most often set out for guests at a Sofra. It is served year-round but is especially associated with the colder months and with Novruz, the spring equinox festival, when the chickpeas are fresh and the lamb is at its best. Look for it at restoran and aşxana around Baku's Old City, in the bazaar districts of Ganja and Sheki, and at home-style lunch spots along the Caspian coast.