🇦🇿 Azerbaijani Cuisine

Baliq Lavangi

Stuffed Fish with Walnut Filling

Prep Time 35 min

Servings 4

Difficulty Hard

Calories 413 kcal

A whole Caspian fish stuffed with ground walnuts, caramelized onions, and tart plum paste, then baked until the skin is crisp. The southern Azerbaijani coastal specialty showcases the bounty of the Caspian Sea.

Ingredients

1 whole white fish (about 1.2kg), cleaned
200g walnuts, ground
3 large onions, finely diced and caramelized
2 tablespoons narshara or pomegranate molasses
1 teaspoon turmeric
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Instructions

1 Preheat oven to 190°C.
2 Caramelize onions in oil until deep golden.
3 Mix ground walnuts, caramelized onions, narshara, turmeric, salt, and pepper.
4 Score the fish on both sides and season with salt.
5 Stuff the fish cavity with the walnut mixture.
6 Place on an oiled baking tray and bake for 45-50 minutes until skin is crisp.
7 Serve whole on a platter, slicing at the table.

Did You Know?

Fishermen along the Caspian coast traditionally make this dish with kutum fish, which is considered the king of Caspian white fish and is so prized that it appears on Azerbaijani postage stamps.