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Kuku sabzi
Kuku sabzi: thick Persian herb frittata with walnuts and barberries
Kuku sabzi is a deep green, herb-packed egg cake that Iranian families make for Nowruz, the New Year on the first day of spring, often alongside sabzi polo. It is more herb than egg: just enough egg binds a heap of parsley, coriander, dill and chives, with crunchy walnuts and little sour barberries. It is eaten warm or cold, cut into wedges, tucked into lavash with yogurt and radishes, and it travels well to the Sizdah Bedar picnic thirteen days later. Chef's tip: cook it slowly with the lid on; high heat browns the base before the middle sets.
- Total time
- 40 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Wash the herbs and dry them very well in a salad spinner and then a tea towel before chopping. A common mistake is using damp herbs: the water seeps out during cooking and the kuku goes soggy and falls apart.
Step 2: Beat 6 eggs in a large bowl with ½ tsp ground turmeric, 1 tsp salt and ½ tsp black pepper until smooth. Stir in 2 ⅞ oz flat-leaf parsley, 2 ⅛ oz fresh coriander, 1 ⅜ oz fresh dill, 1 ⅜ oz chives and 1 tsp dried fenugreek leaves; the mixture should look like wet green herbs held together, not herbs floating in egg.
Step 3: Stir in 1 ⅜ oz walnuts and 2 tbsp dried barberries.
Step 4: Heat 4 tbsp olive oil in a 24 cm non-stick frying pan over a medium heat until it shimmers. Pour in the mixture, spread it level and cut a cross through it with a spatula so the oil seeps through.
1 minStep 5: Cover and cook over a medium-low heat for 10–12 minutes, until the edges are set, the top is almost dry and the base is deep brown (lift an edge to check).
12 minStep 6: Cut into quarters and flip each one, or slide the whole kuku onto a plate and invert it back in. Cook uncovered for 5–6 minutes more, until a knife pushed into the centre comes out clean.
6 minStep 7: Slide onto a board and cut into wedges or squares. Serve warm or at room temperature with yogurt, bread and radishes.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 210 kcal
- Protein
- 9 g
- Carbs
- 4 g
- Fat
- 17 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does kuku sabzi take?
- About 40 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of flat-leaf parsley?
- Curly parsley or coriander, same amount.
- What can I use instead of fresh coriander?
- Flat-leaf parsley with a little mint (for people who dislike coriander too).
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