Often called Persian frittata, kuku is heavier on the filling and lighter on the egg compared to the typical Italian dish. Sabzi means herbs in Farsi, and kuku sabzi is really more like a plate of herbs lightly bound together with eggs than an egg dish that contains some green stuff.
While it’s often served for Nowruz, the Persian New Year that falls on the Spring equinox, kuku sabzi is too good to save for special occasions. Like frittata, Spanish tortilla, and quiche, it’s best at room temperature, and even better stuffed into a pita with some Duke’s mayo, tomato, pickles, and maybe a little more fresh herbs to gild the lily.
Our version comes from Nazli Karimi Cassel, who works behind the scenes at Wellspent Market to keep things running smoothly. Born in Iran, Nazli’s Persian family had just-baked naan, handfuls of fresh herbs, and creamy feta on the table at every meal.
Start by chopping a mountain of herbs as fine as possible (or toss them in the food processor) with green onion. Add them to eggs beaten with a little flour and flavored with turmeric, then cook in a skillet with a generous slick of extra virgin olive oil. Getting the herby eggs caramelized is the key to a perfect kuku, so cook slowly and check the edges to make sure it’s not burning. Rotating the skillet every few minutes helps it cook evenly.
When the top is set, flip the kuku and brown the other side for a few minutes. Let it cool in the pan, then slice and eat at room temperature.
Don’t miss Wellspent Market founder Jim Dixon at Topaz Farm this weekend! He’ll show you an easier way to cook Spring’s most intriguing bean, the fava, without all the shucking and peeling. He’ll have some recipes, too.
So head out to beautiful Sauvie Island this Saturday, May 29 from 1-3 pm and catch Jim doing what he does best: ranting about niche vegetables! See you at the farm, 17100 NW Sauvie Island Road.
Guided by our friend Sana Javeri Kadri, founder of Diaspora Co., we’re donating the proceeds from the sale of our Indian-originated products from Diaspora Co., Brooklyn Delhi, One Stripe Chai, and Alaya Tea to Khanna Chahiye Foundation, a citizen-led organization dedicated to ensuring India’s most vulnerable populations have access to both food and medical care. You can donate directly to the foundation here, and if you’ve already contributed, thank you. Every dollar helps, and your contribution will help alleviate suffering.
