Shorgoghal facts for kids

Shorgoghal is a traditional Azerbaijani pastry often enjoyed during Novruz.

Shorgoghal (Azerbaijani: Şorqoğal) is a tasty traditional pastry from Azerbaijan. It has a round shape and is filled with a mix of spices. These spices often include anise or fennel seeds, cumin, cinnamon, turmeric, salt, and pepper. People mainly prepare Shorgoghal for the Novruz holiday. It is served alongside other special treats like pakhlava and shekerbura.

What is Shorgoghal?

Shorgoghal is a flaky, round pastry. It has a bright yellow top layer, which makes it look cheerful. There are two main kinds of goghal:

• Shorgoghal: This type is filled with a delicious mixture of spices.
• Shirin Goghal: This version is sweet, filled with sugar and nuts.

Like many pastries made for Nowruz in Azerbaijan, Shorgoghal has a special meaning related to the sun. Its round shape and sunny yellow color are inspired by the sun, which brings life and warmth. The sun's power grows stronger after the spring equinox, welcoming the warmer days of spring.

How is Shorgoghal Made?

Making Shorgoghal involves several steps, from preparing the dough to adding the spicy filling.

Making the Dough

First, the puff pastry dough is prepared. It needs to rest in a warm place for about four hours. After resting, warm butter is added to the dough. The dough is then mixed very well. Finally, the remaining flour is added to complete the dough.

Preparing the Spicy Filling

For the filling, cumin is crushed and heated. Then, anise, cinnamon, salt, and pepper are added to the warm cumin. Warm butter is also mixed into this spice blend. This spicy mixture is cooked for about five minutes until it's ready.

Shaping and Baking

The dough is divided into ten pieces. Each piece is rolled out flat and spread with butter. These buttery layers are then placed on top of each other. The layered dough is cut into strips. These strips are twisted into circles and then flattened. The flattened dough is then filled with the buttery spice mixture. Finally, the top of each Shorgoghal is brushed with egg yolk, colored with saffron, and sprinkled with poppy seeds before baking.