Kuku Sabzi
Source: Aisan Hoss, Oyna Natural Foods
Recipe Type: Appetizers and Sides | Seasons: Autumn, Spring, Summer, Winter
This recipe was demonstrated for CUESA’s Market to Table program on March 17, 2018.
Traditionally this is served as a side dish with fish and herbed saffron rice for Persian New Year. It makes a delicious sandwich served with yogurt sauce or pickled cucumbers.
Makes one 9-inch round pan
INGREDIENTS
1½ tablespoons garbanzo flour
2 teaspoons ground turmeric
1 pinch salt
4 medium eggs
¼ cup chopped walnuts
¼ cup barberry berries, rinsed
A few tablespoons of olive oil (for baked kuku, or more if sautéed – see notes below)
1 cup finely chopped parsley (washed & dried first)
1 cup finely chopped dill (washed & dried first)
1 cup finely chopped cilantro (washed & dried first)
¼ medium onion, caramelized (no need to caramelize if cooking on stove – see notes below)
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 cups washed, dried, chopped Asian-style garlic chives (or substitute baby leeks)
PREPARATION
To prepare: Mix dry ingredients in a small bowl. In a large bowl, lightly beat eggs. Add dry ingredient mix to eggs and mix until incorporated fully. Add walnuts, barberries, and olive oil, reserving some oil if you are pan-frying the kuku (see notes below). Add herbs one at a time, adding garlic chives at the end.
To bake: Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9 inch non-stick cake pan with olive oil and add mixture to pan. Bake for about 40-45 minutes, until completely set and a bit browned on the top.
To cook on the stove (with raw onion instead of caramelized onion): Warm a 9” non-stick sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add a few tablespoons of olive oil to the pan and heat before adding the mixture to the pan. Reduce the heat to medium. Cook until set and a bit brown on the bottom, at least 18-20 minutes. Slide the kuku onto a large plate and flip the kuku back into the pan to cook the other side. Cook for at least 18-20 minutes or more, until completely set and browned.
