Kuku Sabzi

Cuisine: Persian / Iranian
Region: Common

In Iran, this is an essential dish for the New Year’s feast. For the rest of us it’s a fantastic, fresh, and nutritious recipe. It has various preparation stages but don’t let that intimidate you from enjoying a truthfully fragrant dish. Enjoy!

Serves: 6
Cooking time: approx. 15 min
You need: mixing bowls, a skillet, an oven sheet pan and parchment paper

Ingredients

Caramelizing onions

• 4 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 medium, yellow onions, peeled and finely chopped

Garnish

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1⁄3 cup (50 g) dried barberries, soaked in cold water for 15 minutes, rinsed, and drained
• 1 Tsp grape molasses* or sugar
• 2 Tbsp water

Batter

• 6 eggs
• 1 Tsp baking powder
• 1 Tbsp advieh (Persian spice mix. See Notes.)
• 1+1/2 Tsp sea salt
• 1 Tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 Tsp turmeric
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and diced
• 1/2 cup (40 g) finely chopped Romaine lettuce
• 1/2 cup (50 g) finely chopped spring onions (white and green parts)
• 1 cup (85 g) finely chopped fresh parsley
• 1 cup (85 g) finely chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 cup (85 g) finely chopped fresh dill
• 1/2 cup (60 g) coarsely chopped walnuts
• 1 Tbsp rice flour
• Optional: 1 Tbsp dried fenugreek

Other

• 4 Tbsp olive oil, for cooking the kuku

Instructions

Caramelize the onions

1. Heat the oil in a wide skillet over medium heat and sauté the onions for 15 to 25 minutes, or until lightly golden.
2. Remove the onions and allow to cool.

Make the garnish

1. In the same skillet, place the oil, barberries, grape molasses, and the water, and stir-fry for 4 minutes over medium heat (taking care as barberries burn easily).
2. Transfer the barberries to a small bowl and set aside.
3. Preheat the oven to 200C / 400F.
4. Line a quarter-sized (9+1/2 x 13 in or 24 x 33 cm) rimmed sheet pan with parchment paper.

Make the batter

1. Break the eggs into a large mixing bowl.
2. Add the baking powder, advieh, salt, pepper, and turmeric.
3. Beat lightly with a fork.
4. Add the garlic, lettuce, herbs, walnuts, flour, and caramelized onions, and fold in gently using a spatula. Do not over-mix.

Cook the Kuku

1. Brush the lined sheet pan with 4 Tbsp oil.
2. Pour in the batter, and gently shake the pan to even out the batter.
3. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes.
4. Remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack.
5. Garnish with the caramelized barberries.
6. Cut the kuku into pieces in any way you like. (Squares works best.)

Notes on Fresh Herb Kuku – Persian Rice Recipe

• You can substitute barberries with cranberries.
• Advieh is a Persian spice mix. You can buy it ready-made from a specialty store or make your own. Here’s how.
• Serve hot, or at room temperature, with lavash bread and Yogurt and Persian Shallot Dip (mast-o musir, page 49). Nush-e joon!