Murabba

Murabba is an Arabic term for "Jam". Murabba is a big part of Azerbaijan Cuisine. Azerbaijan could easily be called "The Land of Jams". Azerbaijanis make jam from almost anything - walnuts, watermelon and even rose petals. Jam varies from region to region according to the availability of fruits. Each summer, Azerbaijani women buy large amounts of fruit and sugar in order to make a large supply of preserves to last throughout the winter. The most popular jams are made from plums, raspberries, mulberries, pears, peaches, melons, figs, strawberries and cherries. Though, perhaps, regional, jams can be made from grapes, quince , pumpkin and pomegranates. Preserved apricots stuffed with almonds are also found in the country. Even eggplants can be used as a base for jam. Another type of jam is made from "Paradise Apple", called "Jannat Almasi" in Azeri. This small fruit tastes like a cherry and has a stem, but it is actually a tiny apple. In any Azerbaijani home, homemade jam or jams are served along with black tea. When tea is served, it is rare that it is accompanied by sugar, instead jams are more likely offered or served with the black tea. Azerbaijanis put a small spoonful of jam in their mouth and sip the tea through the jam. Just for this practice of drinking tea with a jam in Azerbaijan, maybe I would ask my godson to invite us to his house, he is married to an Azerbaijani. I would be very happy to be served Murabba with black tea. I would love to taste their quince jam and the eggplant jam.