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