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Kuku-ye morgh
Saffron chicken egg cake
کوکو مرغ (kuku-ye morgh): saffron chicken and egg cake for picnics and sandwiches
Tehran families take kuku-ye morgh to the mountains of Darband and Tochal on Friday outings, cut into wedges and stuffed into lavash with tomato and pickled cucumber. Poached chicken is shredded, mixed with golden onion, saffron and eggs, and cooked into a thick, moist cake that holds together for sandwiches. Serve it warm or cold with yogurt and herbs. The mistake is overcooking the chicken before it goes in, which leaves the kuku dry and stringy; poach it gently just to temperature. Contains egg. Chef's tip: add 2 tablespoons of the poaching broth to the eggs; it keeps the kuku juicy even the next day.
- Total time
- 55 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- ½ onionfor poaching
- 1 onionfinely chopped
- 4 tbsp sunflower oil
- ¾ tsp ground turmeric
- ¼ tsp saffron threadsground and steeped in 2 tbsp hot water
- 5 eggslarge
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley (optional)chopped
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Put 14 oz chicken breast or thigh fillets and ½ onion in a small pan, cover with water, add a pinch of the salt and simmer gently until the chicken reaches 165°F in the thickest part. Lift it out, keep 2 tablespoons of the broth and leave to cool.
15 minStep 2: Heat 2 tablespoons of 2 tbsp sunflower oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and fry 1 onion with ¾ tsp ground turmeric until golden.
8 minStep 3: Shred the chicken finely with two forks. Beat 5 eggs with ¼ tsp saffron threads, the reserved broth, the rest of 1 tsp salt and ½ tsp black pepper, then mix in the chicken, onion and 2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley.
3 minStep 4: Heat the rest of 2 tbsp sunflower oil in a 24 cm non-stick pan over a medium-low heat, pour in the mixture, cover and cook until the base is golden and the top is mostly set.
14 minStep 5: Cut into quarters, turn each piece and cook until golden and firm in the centre.
6 minStep 6: Serve warm or cold with bread, yogurt and herbs.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 340 kcal
- Protein
- 34 g
- Carbs
- 6 g
- Fat
- 20 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does kuku-ye morgh take?
- About 55 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 40 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 gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
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