Kuku (food)

Kuku

Kuku sabzi, with herbs and topped with barberries and walnuts
Place of origin	Iran
Associated national cuisine	Iranian cuisine
Main ingredients	Eggs
Similar dishes	Frittata

Kuku also spelled as kookoo (Persian: کوکو‎‎, Azerbaijani: kükü) is an egg based Iranian dish. It is frequently a vegetarian dish, made with whipped eggs which then are folded in with various ingredients. It is similar to the Italian dish frittata or an open-faced omelette. Kuku typically has less egg than a frittata, and it cooks for a shorter amount of time, over a low heat, before turned over or grilled briefly to set the top layer.

For the typical kuku sabzi recipe (as pictured), the eggs and herbs are mixed and seasoned with salt, black pepper, walnuts, sometimes flour, sometime barberries, sometimes baking powder and ground turmeric or adviyeh spice mixture. The mixture is then poured into a preheated oiled pan, covered and cooked over low heat until set, sometimes flipped or finished in a hot oven. Some cooks saute the herbs briefly before adding the eggs. The amount of herb ingredients usually greatly exceeds the amount of eggs, which merely serve to hold the kuku together, making the predominant flavor that of the herbs rather than that of a typical "egg omelette." Walnuts and zereshk (barberries) are a favorite garnish for on top. It is often sliced and served hot or cold with bread or rice, yogurt, sabzi khordan (platter of fresh herbs) and torshi (pickled vegetables). Kuku can be a main dish or an appetizer.

Iranians including ethnic Persians and ethnic Azeris make many different types of kukus with a variety of flavorings. Some variations include; Kuku sabzi (herb Kuku), potato kuku (Kuku sib-zamini), lima bean and dill kuku, fava bean Kuku (Kuku Shevid-Baqala), squash Kuku, eggplant Kuku (kuku-ye bademjan), zucchini Kuku, and chicken Kuku (kuku-ye morgh).