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Kuku sibzamini
Kuku sibzamini (کوکو سیبزمینی): Tehran potato and egg patties with turmeric
Kuku sibzamini is what Tehran schoolchildren unwrap at lunchtime: little golden patties of grated potato, egg and onion, eaten cold or warm, folded into lavash or sangak with herbs, tomato and a few slices of khiar shoor. They also turn up at picnics in the parks on Friday mornings, because they travel well and taste good at any temperature. Grated raw onion and turmeric give the flavour; a spoon of flour holds them together. The common mistake is leaving the grated potato wet, so the patties spit, soak up oil and fall apart. Chef's tip: squeeze the potato and onion hard in a tea towel; the drier the mix, the crisper the edges.
- Total time
- 40 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
To serve
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What you'll need
Fresh ingredients (6)
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Grate the 1 ⅓ lb floury potatoes and 1 onion on the coarse side of a box grater. Tip into a clean tea towel and twist hard over the sink until no more liquid runs out.
8 minStep 2: In a bowl beat the 3 eggs with the ¾ tsp ground turmeric, 1 tsp salt and ½ tsp black pepper. Mix in the potato, onion and 2 tbsp plain flour; it should look like a thick, shaggy batter that holds together on a spoon.
4 minStep 3: Heat the ½ cup sunflower oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat until a shred of potato sizzles at once. Drop in heaped tablespoons, flatten to 1 cm and shape the edges round with the spoon.
3 minStep 4: Fry for 3–4 minutes a side until deep golden and crisp at the edges, and the centre no longer looks wet when you press it. Cook in batches without crowding the pan.
16 minStep 5: Drain on kitchen paper. Serve warm or at room temperature, wrapped in 4 pieces lavash or sangak bread with 1 handful fresh herbs (basil, mint, tarragon), 2 tomato and 4 Persian pickled cucumbers.
2 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 330 kcal
- Protein
- 9 g
- Carbs
- 30 g
- Fat
- 19 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does kuku sibzamini take?
- About 40 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- What can I use instead of floury potatoes?
- Sweet potato, same weight (sweeter, cooks a little faster).
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
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