Baku is to host the first international dolma festival on July 1, the Azerbaijan National Culinary Center said.

Preparations for the dolma festival are underway.

International dolma festival will be organized by the Azerbaijani Ministry of Culture and Tourism, National Culinary Center, Absheron District Executive Power and the Azerbaijani National Culinary Association.

Some 300 kinds of dolma will be exhibited at the festival.

Dolma is a family of stuffed vegetable dishes common in Azerbaijan, Turkey, Iran and surrounding regions including the Balkans, the Caucasus, Russia and Central Asia. Common vegetables to stuff include tomato, pepper, onion, zucchini, eggplant, and garlic. The stuffing may or may not include meat.