This Persian oven-baked green frittata (or omelette) is made from aromatic herbs. This dish is bright and fresh in both colour and flavour. Serve it for breakfast or lunch with a dollop of garlic yoghurt and pomegranate seeds.
Our garden is completely covered in flowers, greens and fragrant herbs. Growing your own herbs is a pretty easy, there’s the obvious benefit of having hyper-fresh, organic flavors and aromatics available at your fingertips. First, fresh herbs from garden smell fantastic, unlike those bought in grocery store. Second, growing fresh herbs in your garden you are avoiding the waste of an entire bunch of grocery store parsley for a simple garnish.
Kuku sabzi dish comes from Persia, but I met it in Azerbaijani cuisine, which I really love. Present-Day Azerbaijan and Iranian lands have been home to many empires and civilizations for centuries past. People of these countries have long been influenced by each other’s gastronomic cultures due to their neighbourhood and commercial ties.
In a classic Kuku sabzi frittata, the greens all come from herbs and green onions, and it is traditionally eaten to welcome the arrival of spring when fresh green herbs are beginning to flourish. You can change out the herbs each time you make it use what you’ve got on hand and keep things exciting. I absolutely love spinach, leek, coriander leaves, parsley, mint, dill, basil and spring onion, so I always include them. The ratio of herbs usually looks like this: 1/4 part of leek, 1/4 part of coriander leaves, 1/4 part of spinach and 1/4 of mixed herbs.
Spinach contains a lot of water and can make the dish soggy; I recommend removing excess moisture first. Leek can be used whole if you use a young and tender leek.
Kuku Sabzi: Persian-style Herb Frittata.
Course: Breakfast, Lunch, MainCuisine: Middle EasternDifficulty: Easy4
servings15
minutes15
minutesThis Persian oven-baked green frittata (or omelette) is made from aromatic herbs. This dish is bright and fresh in both colour and flavour. Serve it for breakfast or lunch with a dollop of garlic yoghurt and pomegranate seeds.
Ingredients
1 leek (white part only), finely sliced
a big bunch of spinach (leaves only), washed and drained
a big bunch of fresh coriander (leaves only), washed and drained
a big bunch of mixed herbs: mint, dill, spring onion (green part), parsley, basil, celery leaves. Washed and drained.
1 Tbsp barberries
7 free-range eggs (mixed size), slightly beaten
2 Tbsp butter
splash of olive oil
salt
freshly ground, black pepper
- Garlic yoghurt
1/2 cup Greek yoghurt (plain)
splash of olive oil
1 garlic clove, grated
salt
black pepper
grated lemon zest and juice
- To serve
pomegranate seeds
Directions
- Put the spinach leaves into a steamer or colander set over a pan of boiling water. Cover with a lid and steam for 1-2 minutes or until bright green. Cool the spinach slightly, then squeeze it well to remove the excess of liquid. Usually, I squeeze it using a bamboo sushi mat, it works great. Chop the spinach and transfer it to a large mixing bowl. Set aside.
- Preheat a pan over medium heat. Add a splash of olive oil, one tablespoon of butter and finely sliced leek. Cook until leek is soft, but not brown (add a splash of water to prevent browning). Cool the leek then transfer to the bowl with spinach.
- Finely chop the coriander and all herbs. Mix together chopped herbs, leek, spinach, beaten eggs, and barberries. Season with salt and pepper.
- Preheat the oven up to 180C.
- Preheat pan that suitable for oven on medium heat. Add one tablespoon of butter and wait until it melts. Add egg mixture, and spread evenly. Cook on medium heat until the bottom is set, then transfer to the oven for about 7-10 minutes. Kuku is done then the top is completely set.
- For garlic yoghurt mix all ingredients in a mixing bowl using a whisk. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Serve Kuku Sabzi with garlic yoghurt, topped with pomegranate seeds. Can be served warm or chilled.
