This week on Cooking the Books Live, we’re with American-Iranian author, Anna Ansari to talk about her own journey through the Silk Roads from Baku to Beijing to find her heritage through food.
In the Q&A, there’s a fabulous discussion of Kuku, one of Anna’s food moments but clearly a dish which plays an enormous role in the sense of self of so many people who have left those lands to make their home in Brighton.
CRUCIFEROUS KUKU
Iranian Broccoli Frittata
Serves 4–8
I always hated kuku. It was too green for me, too herby, too beloved by my vegetarian sister, and I was a contrarian as a child, if nothing else. In recent years,however, I’ve grown to not just like, but to love kuku, and part of that was discovering that there is not just one type. The recipe below is for a broccoli kuku, simply because I had a head of broccoli in my refrigerator when I was writing it. Try it with other vegetables – I adore cauliflower kuku. You can make kuku from nearly anything; that’s one of its most magical characteristics. It’s a choose-your-ownadventure, Friday-refrigerator-clean-out dish that is (relatively) healthy, economical, easy, and delicious.
The spices I’ve listed below are just suggestions and tastes that I enjoy. You can play around with what you like – there’s no wrong answer. Just keep in mind that the eggs are only here to bind everything together; they’re not the stars of this show.
Also, while kuku is fantastic served warm, it is also exceptional when cool or cold.
Ingredients:
7 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, thinly sliced into half-moons
1 tsp fine sea salt
1 tsp ground turmeric
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 head of broccoli (about 600g/1lb 5oz), florets coarsely chopped
6 eggs
1 tbsp plain yogurt
½ tsp baking powder
1 tbsp plain flour
juice of 1 lime
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
½ tsp ground cumin
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
Method:
In a medium sauté pan for which you have a lid, heat 4 tablespoons of the oil over a high heat. Once the oil is hot and glistening, reduce the heat to medium and add the onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 3–5 minutes, until soft, translucent, and just starting to brown at the edges.
Stir in ½ teaspoon of the salt, along with the turmeric, garlic and broccoli. Add 4 tablespoons water, then cover the pan and cook for 4–6 minutes, or until everything is soft. Transfer the contents of the pan to a bowl and set aside to cool. This is your kuku filling.
Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, combine the eggs, yogurt, baking powder, flour, lime juice, cayenne pepper, and cumin. Add the remaining salt and the black pepper, and whisk until well combined.
Once the kuku filling has cooled down, fold it gently into the eggs.
Heat the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil in a shallow ovenproof sauté pan. Once the oil is hot and glistening, reduce the heat to low and pour the kuku mixture into the pan. Use a spatula to push the vegetables down into the eggs and spread everything around evenly. Cook, uncovered, for 15 minutes, or until the eggs have set – you can check this by gently giving the pan a shake.
Once the eggs are set, turn off the heat and turn your oven’s grill to high. Slide your kuku under the grill and brown the top for 1–2 minutes.
Enjoy kuku with bread, with a simple green salad, or on its own.