Kuku (food) facts for kids
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Kuku sabzi (herb kuku) topped with barberries and walnuts
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| Type | Omelette |
|---|---|
| Course | Side dish, main course, or midday course |
| Place of origin |  Iran |
| Associated national cuisine | Iranian cuisine |
| Main ingredients | Eggs |
| Variations | Herb kuku, potato kuku, eggplant kuku, roe kuku |
| Similar dishes | Frittata, Quiche, Eggah |
Kuku (Persian: کوکو), also spelled as kookoo, is an egg-based and often vegetarian Iranian dish made of whipped eggs folded in various ingredients. 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 it cooks for a shorter amount of time, over a low heat, before turned over or grilled briefly to set the top layer. 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. In parts of northern Iran, kuku might be used as a midday meal, and might be served with either plain cooked rice (kate) or bread.
Cookbooks from Iran's Safavid and Qajar periods mention kuku. Qajar documents introduce it as a side dish.
İn Azerbaijan there are several kinds of kuku such as, "göyərti küküsü" Herb kuku, "Qozlu kükü" walnut kuku and eggplant kuku.
Herb kuku (kuku sabzi), which is the most popular type, is served traditionally at Nowruz, the Iranian New Year's Day, symbolizing a fresh start and also at Easter, 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. Baking is also a popular method nowadays. An extra thickness is given to the dish by adding yeast. 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.
Variations
Kuku is made with various ingredients and in a variety of styles, including herb kuku (kuku sabzi), potato kuku (kuku sibzamini), eggplant kuku (kuku-ye bādenjān, vereqā), roe kuku (ašbal kuku), and yogurt kuku (kuku-ye māst).
Herb kuku
Herb kuku, or kuku sabzi in Persian, is the most common type of kuku. It is made of eggs and herbs such as leeks and parsley. Garlic, which is especially popular in the northern regions of Iran, is also used as an ingredient.
Potato kuku
Potato kuku, or kuku sibzamini in Persian, which is almost identical to the Spanish omelette (potato tortilla), is made of eggs, potatoes and other ingredients.
Eggplant kuku
Eggplant kuku, known as kuku-ye bādenjān in Persian and vereqā in Gilaki, is made of mashed eggplant and eggs, together with other ingredients such as parsley, walnuts, onions, and barberries.
Roe kuku
Roe kuku, known as ašbal kuku or ašbol kuku in Gilaki, is a local variant of kuku in Gilan that includes roe (caviar).
