Kuku (Persian baked egg preparations) represent the Persian approach to the frittata concept — eggs beaten with herbs, vegetables, or dried fruit and cooked as a flat cake, served at room temperature as part of a spread or cut into wedges as a starter. The kuku tradition is documented by both Claudia Roden and in the wider Persian cooking literature. The defining characteristic is the herb-to-egg ratio: Persian kukus use proportionally more herbs than any other egg preparation in world cooking.
Eggs beaten with a very large quantity of chopped fresh herbs (kuku sabzi: parsley, cilantro, dill, fenugreek, chives in equal parts), dried barberries or walnuts, and spices — cooked in a covered pan until set, then inverted to brown the second side, or finished under a grill.
- The herb ratio: approximately equal volume of packed herbs to egg volume. A kuku sabzi with 4 eggs might use 200g of fresh herbs — a quantity that seems excessive until the kuku is tasted [VERIFY ratio] - Fenugreek leaves (dried or fresh) provide the specific slightly bitter, hay-like note that distinguishes kuku sabzi from a plain herb omelette — cannot be omitted - Dried barberries (zereshk) provide acid punctuation — small tart berries distributed through the egg provide bursts of sourness against the egg richness. Dried cranberries can substitute but produce a different character - The cooking technique: medium-low heat, covered, for approximately 15–20 minutes until the top is set. Then either flip carefully or finish under the grill [VERIFY time] - Kuku is always served at room temperature — hot kuku is technically correct but less flavourful; the herb character develops and mellows as the kuku cools to room temperature
INDIAN ADDITIONAL + PERSIAN ADDITIONAL