Next week, we take you on an extraordinary culinary journey! 🌍 This is a completely unique, plant-based version of the Azerbaijani Plov with Qazmaq, ash-gara, and levengi, featuring two distinct, handmade components rarely seen together in or outside of Azerbaijan, and never before veganized in this way. 🌱

We begin with the Plov, which is perfectly fluffy, saffron-infused Basmati rice 🍚 with the crown jewel of the dish called "qazmaq", a crispy golden crust, made from rice, flour, "egg" substitute and saffron that forms at the bottom of the pot, delivering an irresistible crunch! 💥

The rice is crowned with two contrasting, rich, and deeply savory preparations: Ash-gara, the Sweet-Savory Topping 🧅, a slow-cooked mixture of caramelized onions, rich vegan butter, earthy chestnuts, and hearty tempeh, beautifully sweetened by plump dried fruits (apricots, prunes, and raisins). 🍑🍇

Levengi 🌰, which is the Signature Talysh cuisine and a distinct and intensely flavorful paste from Azerbaijan’s coastal regions, made with finely grated onion, rich ground walnuts, and sharp-sweet punch of Pomegranate Molasses (Narsharab). 🔴