Kuku (food) explained

Kuku
Country:Iran
National Cuisine:Iranian cuisine
Type:Omelette
Course:Side dish, main course, or midday course
Main Ingredient:Eggs
Variations:Herb kuku, potato kuku, eggplant kuku
Similar Dish:Frittata, Quiche, Eggah

Kuku or kookoo (Persian: کوکو) is an Iranian and Azerbaijani dish made of whipped eggs with various ingredients folded in. It is similar to the Italian frittata, the French quiche, or an open-faced omelette, but it typically has less egg than a frittata, and is cooked for a shorter time, over a low heat, before being turned over[1] or grilled briefly to set the top layer.[2] It is served either hot or cold as a starter, side dish, or a main course, and is accompanied with bread and either yogurt or salad.[3]

About

Cookbooks from the Safavid and Qajar periods in Persia (Iran) mention kuku.[4] Qajar documents introduce it as a side dish.[5]

Herb kuku, which is the most popular type, is served traditionally at Nowruz, the Iranian New Year's Day,[6] symbolizing a fresh start[7] and also at Easter,[8] which is celebrated by the Iranian Armenians and Iranian Georgians.

Cooking methods

The traditional preparation of kuku involves frying the ingredients in oil over a low heat and is accomplished with steaming in a closed space.[9] Baking is also a popular method nowadays. An extra thickness is given to the dish by adding yeast.[10] The ultimate result is a cake-like omelette that is usually served with bread, but it might rather be accompanied with rice, particularly in the northern Iranian province of Gilan, where the consumption of rice in general was traditionally preferred over bread.[10]

Variations

Kuku is made with various ingredients and in a variety of styles,[11] including herb kuku, potato kuku, eggplant kuku, roe kuku, and yogurt kuku .[12] [13]

Herb kuku

Herb kuku (;),[14] is the most common type of kuku.[10] It is made of eggs and herbs such as leeks and parsley. Garlic, which is very popular in the northern regions of Iran, is also used as an ingredient.[15]

Another variation is a recipe for walnut and herb kuku (; ), the addition of nuts changes the texture of the dish.

Cauliflower kuku

Cauliflower kuku (kuku-ye gol-e-kalam) features caramelized onions and cauliflower.[16] Najmieh Batmanglij's early English-language Persian cookbook, Food of Life (1986) featured a version of the dish.

Potato kuku

Potato kuku, or in Persian,[17] [5] is made of eggs, potatoes, spices like saffron, and/or turmeric, and other ingredients.[18] It has been compared to Spanish omelette (potato tortilla), and to latkes.

Eggplant kuku

Eggplant kuku,[19] known as in Persian is made of mashed eggplant and eggs, together with other ingredients such as parsley, walnuts, onions, and barberries.[20] [21]

Roe kuku

Roe kuku, known as or in Gilaki,[10] is a local variant of kuku in Gilan that includes roe (caviar).[22]

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Book: Brown, Sarah . Vegetarian Cookbook . HarperCollins . 1984 . 0-7225-2694-6. 127.
  2. Book: Riley, Gillian . The Oxford Companion to Italian Food . 1 November 2007 . Oxford University Press . 168 . Eggs.
  3. Book: Batmanglij, Najmieh . A Taste of Persia: An Introduction to Persian Cooking . 24 October 2007 . I.B. Tauris . 49.
  4. Encyclopedia: Coriander . Encyclopædia Iranica . 31 October 2011 . VI . 273 . Hūšang . Aʿlam.
  5. Encyclopedia: Qajar dynasty xiv. Qajar Cuisine . Encyclopædia Iranica . 2015 . 19 March 2015 . online . Shireen . Mahdavi.
  6. Encyclopedia: Berenj "rice" . Encyclopædia Iranica . 15 December 1989 . IV . 147–163 . Marcel . Bazin . Christian . Bromberger . Daniel . Balland . Ṣoḡrā . Bāzargān.
  7. Web site: 2020-10-23. Kuku Sabzi - No Dairy Frittata with Fresh Herbs. 2021-03-30. Kitchen Starts. en-US.
  8. News: Say 'kuku' three times fast, then make the terrific Persian herb and egg dish for Easter brunch. Amy. Scattergood . Los Angeles Times . 13 April 2017.
  9. Encyclopedia: Cooking . Encyclopædia Iranica . 28 October 2011 . 246–252 . VI . Nancy Hatch . Dupree.
  10. Encyclopedia: Gilān xxi. Cooking . Encyclopædia Iranica . 29 June 2019 . online . Christian . Bromberger.
  11. Book: Ramazani, Nesta . Persian Cooking: A Table of Exotic Delights . 53–65 . Persian Souffles (Kookoo) . Ibex . 1997 . 0936347775 .
  12. News: Yogurt Kuku . Julia . Ewan . 24 January 2007 . The Washington Post.
  13. Encyclopedia: Carrot . Encyclopædia Iranica . 15 December 1990 . V . 13–17 . Hūšang . Aʿlam.
  14. Web site: Buyuran . Feride . 2011-07-09 . Fresh Herb Kuku (Kükü) AZ Cookbok . 2022-09-08 . AZ Cookbook . en-US.
  15. Encyclopedia: Garlic . Encyclopædia Iranica . 2 February 2012 . X . 315 . Etrat . Elahi.
  16. Book: Batmanglij, Najmieh . Food of Life: Ancient Persian and Modern Iranian Cooking and Ceremonies . 2011 . Mage Publishers . 978-1-933823-47-8 . 144 . en.
  17. Book: Khan, Yasmin . The Saffron Tales: Recipes from the Persian Kitchen . Bloomsbury Publishing . 2016 . 978-1408868744 . 76.
  18. Web site: 2021-11-10 . Kuku Sibzamini With Lemon Yogurt . 2023-12-06 . Bon Appétit . Condé Nast . en-US.
  19. News: Yotam Ottolenghi's aubergine kuku recipe . The Guardian . Yotam . Ottolenghi . 1 January 2010.
  20. Book: Ghanoonparvar . M.R. . M.R. Ghanoonparvar. Persian Cuisine I: Traditional Foods . 1982 . Mazda Publishers . Lexington, Kentucky. 82061281 .
  21. Encyclopedia: Bādenjān . Encyclopædia Iranica . 19 August 2011 . III . 366–368 . F. . Aubaile-Sallenave . ʿE. . Elāhī.
  22. Encyclopedia: Caviar . Encyclopædia Iranica . 15 December 1990 . V . 99–101 . Hūšang . Aʿlam.