- an everyday dish of Tatar cuisine. Usually azu is prepared from meat (lamb, beef, horse meat) with various vegetables and spices. A very tasty lean azu can be prepared from fish. Of course, a lot depends on what kind of fish we choose.

It is better to choose fish with the fewest bones. Pike perch, mullet, mackerel and other types of fish with white flesh are perfect. You can prepare the basics from red fish (in this case we are talking about salmon, trout, pink salmon and some other species).

To prepare fish basics, we use fillet (that is, we cut the flesh from the bones in two layers and, if possible, remove the bones). The skin can be left on, but, of course, if the fish has scales, they should be removed first.

Fish recipe

Ingredients:

• fish fillet – 600-800 g;
• onions – 1-2 pcs.;
• carrots – 1 pc.;
• potatoes – 3-4 pcs. medium size;
• ripe red dense tomatoes – 2 pcs. (you can replace tomato paste, then 2 tablespoons);
• strong pickled cucumbers – 3-5 pcs. medium size (preferably small);
• garlic – 2-3 cloves;
• various fresh greens (parsley, dill, cilantro, basil, etc.);
• dry ground spices (of your choice, without salt, monosodium glutamate and other unhealthy additives);
• a little vegetable oil.

Preparation

Defrost the fillets or fillet the cleaned and gutted fish yourself. Wash thoroughly. Using a sharp knife, cut the fish into small pieces (approximately 2 by 4 cm in size).

Cut the peeled onion into thin rings (you can use half rings or quarter rings), and the potatoes into small cubes. Blanch the tomatoes (pour boiling water over them) and carefully remove the skin. Chop the tomatoes finely with a knife. Grate the carrots on a coarse grater or chop them with a knife. cut into small short strips or small cubes.

In a preheated frying pan over medium heat, fry the onions and potatoes in vegetable oil. After a little while (when the onion has acquired the shade you want), add the carrots. Fry everything together for 3-5 minutes, stirring with a spatula.

Add pieces of fish and chopped tomatoes (or tomato paste slightly diluted with water) and spices. Mix carefully. Cover the frying pan with a lid, reduce the heat and simmer for 8 minutes (usually during this time the fish is almost ready). If necessary, you can add a little water. Lastly, add pickled cucumbers (as you understand, salting the dish is no longer required). Let the dish rest under the lid for 8-15 minutes.

Serve to the table, sprinkled with chopped herbs and garlic.

Azu is a Tatar dish consisting of stewed meat with tomatoes, carrots and onions, spiced up with slices of pickled cucumber and hot sauce. In ancient Persian, azu meant small pieces of fried meat with gravy, and only later they began to be mixed with vegetables. In the 18th century, potatoes began to be added to the dish, although they are absent from classical recipes. Today, every housewife can cook; this does not require any special products or culinary techniques, but you will still have to get acquainted with some secrets.

How to cook basics at home

To prepare the basics, they usually take beef, lamb or young horse meat, although there are recipes with chicken, turkey, rabbit and even pork. If you don't have time, you can take beef stew. The meat is first cut into pieces and fried, then stewed with tomatoes, thinly sliced ​​carrots, onions, bell peppers and potatoes. Sometimes potatoes are replaced with rice or buckwheat. By the way, all vegetables, except potatoes, are first fried, together or separately, but tomatoes are sometimes replaced with tomato paste. For the basics, only chilled meat is taken, tomatoes are peeled, and pickles are chosen that are strong, hard and crispy, so that they do not turn into porridge during stewing.

In some modern versions of azu, even offal, fish or squid are used as the main ingredient, and together with vegetables, mushrooms and various spices are sometimes added to the dish, in addition to the traditional garlic, pepper and bay leaf. If you use tomato paste instead of tomatoes, you can sweeten it slightly with sugar. By the way, it is best to use a cauldron to prepare this dish.

Classic basics: recipe for cooking at home

Tatar style is a holiday for a true gourmet, and this dish is also very simple to prepare. Take 0.7 kg of beef, 8-10 medium-sized potatoes, 3 pickled cucumbers, 3 onions, 3-4 cloves of garlic, 3 tbsp. l. tomato paste, several bay leaves, black pepper, salt and vegetable oil - by eye and to taste. So let's get started!

Cooking method:

1. Cut the meat into small pieces.

2. Heat vegetable oil in a cauldron and fry the beef until golden brown.

3. Chop the onion into thin half rings.

4. Fry the onion in a frying pan until golden brown.

5. Add tomato sauce to the onion and simmer for another 3 minutes, stirring constantly.

6. Cut the potatoes into cubes.

7. Add the potatoes to the meat, add a little broth or water and simmer until the potatoes are ready.

8. While the potatoes are frying, cut the pickles into strips.

9. Fry the cucumbers separately in a frying pan in vegetable oil.

10. Once the potatoes are ready, add cucumbers, fried onions, chopped garlic and bay leaves to the pan.

11. Salt and pepper the azu, then let it simmer over low heat for 15 minutes.

12. Serve the dish with fragrant herbs and rich sour cream!

Azu with mackerel

Fish basics are unconventional, but incredibly tasty! Cook a broth from 3 chopped mackerel with the addition of carrots, onions and various aromatic seasonings. To prepare fish broth, 20 minutes is enough. While the mackerel is cooking, cut 3 potatoes into cubes, an onion into half rings, and then simmer the vegetables in a small amount of water for 15 minutes. 3 minutes before readiness, add 1 large carrot, grated on a coarse grater, to the potatoes and onions. Pour boiling water over 2 tomatoes, peel them and cut them into small cubes.

Add tomatoes and fish fillets to the frying pan, simmer for 10 minutes, add 4 pickled cucumbers cut into cubes into the frying pan, pour in 100 ml of fish broth and simmer again for 5 minutes. After 3-5 minutes, the appetizing and tasty dish is ready - all you have to do is let it brew and garnish with fresh herbs and olives.

Pork azu in pots

Azu in a pot turns out fantastically aromatic, tender and tasty, especially if you cook it from pork. Cut 0.5 kg of meat into cubes and simmer it in a frying pan in vegetable oil along with 1 tbsp. l. khmeli-suneli. The meat will give juice, in which it should be simmered for about 10 minutes, after which place the pork on a plate, and add 5 diced potatoes to the remaining broth. Simmer the potatoes for 10 minutes until the water has completely evaporated, then remove the ceramic pot. Place a bay leaf on the bottom, place a layer of pork, on top - a head of finely chopped onion, a layer of diced salted zucchini, which can be replaced with pickles, and sprinkle 4 cloves of chopped garlic on top.

Mix a glass of hot water, 2 tbsp. l. sour cream and 1 tbsp. l. tomato paste, pour this sauce over the meat and vegetables and place the pot in the oven for 40 minutes. Azu from the pot melts in your mouth and is eaten in one evening!

Azu with mushrooms

Champignons and oyster mushrooms give the basics a subtle aroma that is impossible to remain indifferent to. And in order to truly surprise your loved ones, fry 0.5 kg of mushrooms in vegetable oil for 10 minutes, add 750 g of pickled cucumbers, cut into strips, and fry until the cucumbers become soft. Mix mushrooms and cucumbers with 4 tomatoes, from which you need to first remove the skin, and simmer all the ingredients a little more.

Cut 1 kg of pork into strips and fry it in a cauldron in vegetable oil. When the pieces of meat are fried, add the prepared roast to them and simmer for another 10 minutes. At this time, chop 1 carrot on a coarse grater, chop 2 onions and add the vegetables to the cauldron with the meat. Pour 1.5 liters of strong chicken broth over the pork, mushrooms and vegetables; after boiling, add black pepper, cumin and any mixture of Abkhaz herbs to taste. Reduce heat and cook the basics for about half an hour, until the meat is completely soft. Serve the dish with fresh herbs and sour cream.

Azu is served with dill, parsley, cilantro, pickled mushrooms and fresh vegetables. You can cook rice, buckwheat, pasta and potatoes with it if it is not among the vegetables. You will find many basic recipes with photos for cooking at home on the “Eat at Home” website. Prepare the basics with new ingredients and don’t be afraid of new discoveries, because the combination of meat and vegetables gives a guaranteed tasty result!

Fish azu recipe

To prepare fish basics you will need quite a lot of ingredients. First of all, you need 500 - 700 g of fish fillet without bones, or with a minimum content of them. Choose the type of fish according to your taste and capabilities. From vegetables - a head of onion, a couple of large potatoes, one tomato, three pickles, one carrot, 3 cloves of garlic, 100 ml of broth (can be chicken, or vegetable), a tablespoon of vegetable oil. Take special care with spices. For the basics, bay leaves, ground black pepper, and special seasonings for fish are traditionally needed (mixtures are sold in stores).

Cooking fish basics

Rinse the fish fillet; if it is frozen, defrost it first. Cut into small pieces and set aside for a while.

The next step is working with vegetables.

First of all, peel the onion and cut it into rings. Peel the potatoes and cut them into small cubes. The tomato also needs to be peeled; to do this, pour boiling water over it and after a while remove the skin. Also cut the tomato into cubes. Cucumbers can either be cut or grated on a coarse grater. Don't forget to peel the cucumbers first. Peel the carrots, in turn, and grate them on a coarse grater. Meanwhile, heat a frying pan with vegetable oil, fry the onions and potatoes in it until golden brown. After that, add the carrots and fry for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. At the same time add fish and tomatoes to the vegetables. Simmer all this for 10 minutes over low heat. Pour the broth into the pan, add the cucumbers. We continue to simmer the mixed ingredients, stirring constantly. After 5-7 minutes of stewing fish and vegetables, we begin adding spices. Add salt, pepper, spices and chopped herbs to taste, but everything should be in moderation. Mix everything and keep on fire for another 5 minutes. After your azu has been stewed, let it brew for another 7 minutes. You can serve fish azu as an independent dish, or along with a side dish. A good addition to a fish dish are cereals - buckwheat or rice, as well as lentils. You can eat fish basics both hot and cold. You can also make fish sauce, mixing herbs, crushed garlic and vegetable oil. Mustard-based sauces also go well with basics.

A multicooker not only makes cooking easier, but also allows you to diversify your diet, helping you to express your culinary imagination. The recipe for basics with fish is one of these variations on the theme of fish. It turns out delicious, quick and easy.

Fish azu in a slow cooker

To prepare fish basics in a slow cooker, we will need:
Fish fillet - 0.5 kg, potatoes 3-4 pcs., vegetable oil, herbs, pickles - 3-4 pcs., carrots - 1 pc., onions - 1-2 pcs., garlic, tomato - 2 pcs. , or tomato paste - 1-2 tbsp., salt, spices, herbs
How to cook fish basics in a slow cooker?
1. Prepare the fish, defrost the fillet, rinse, dry, cut into pieces. Mix fish spices and salt, sprinkle fish on all sides.
2. Peel potatoes, carrots and onions, rinse and chop into small pieces; carrots can be grated.
3. Wash the tomatoes and cut into slices or slices. Cut the pickled cucumbers into strips or cubes, rinse the greens and chop finely.
4. Install the multicooker to the “Baking/Roasting” mode, Pour oil into the bottom of the bowl and heat it up, add the onions and carrots and lightly fry. Disable mode. If you use tomato paste instead of tomatoes, you can also add it to the frying.
5. Place the potatoes into the multicooker bowl, distributing them evenly over the bowl, salt and pepper them. Then a layer of tomatoes, a layer of fish and pickles.
6. Add hot water or fish broth so that the food is half covered, and set the “Quenching” mode for 45-60 minutes. The time depends on the power of the multicooker. 10 minutes before the end of the program, carefully stir, taste for salt and add salt if necessary, add garlic and herbs. If there is too much liquid, then turn off the “Stew” mode and set the “Baking” mode for 20-30 minutes.

We offer a recipe for basic fish, which can easily replace the meat traditionally included in basic fish. The recipe will be useful for those who do not eat meat, but are fond of fish and seafood. We made the azu from mackerel, but in fact, you can take any fish you want for the azu.

Ingredients for 4-5 servings:

— mackerel — 3 pcs. (you definitely need the head to cook the broth, and you will need 700 grams of fillet),

- pickled cucumbers - 3-4 pcs.,

— carrots — 1 pc.,

- tomatoes - 2 pcs.,

- potatoes - 3 pcs.,

- onion - 1 head,

- garlic - 2 cloves,

- salt, fish spices - to taste,

- broth 100 grams,

— bay leaf — 4 pcs.

How to cook basics

1. We gut the fish, cut off the head, remove the backbone, fins, fill it with water, add a little (!, we also have pickles according to the recipe, so be careful with salt) salt, pepper and cook the fish broth. After the water boils, leave it on the fire for 20 minutes, then strain the broth through gauze - the broth is ready.

2. While the broth is cooking, we will cut the potatoes into cubes.

3. Cut the onion into half rings and simmer it with the potatoes in a frying pan, adding a little water (so that it is half hidden) for 15 minutes.

4. Remove the bones from the fish and make fish fillets.

5. Three carrots on a coarse grater and simmer together with potatoes and onions for 2-3 minutes.

6. Pour boiling water over the tomatoes, remove the skin and cut into small cubes.

7. Place the tomatoes and fish in a frying pan and simmer for 10 minutes with the lid closed.

8. Cut the cucumbers into small cubes, add to the base, fill everything with fish broth and simmer along with the rest of the ingredients for 5 minutes.

9. Now put the bay leaf, garlic passed through a garlic press, and spices into the base, mix and cook for another 3 minutes.

At the end you can taste for salt, spices, add them if necessary and that’s it...

... Azu is ready! Bon appetit!!!