Description
Kuku Kadoo is an exquisite Iranian-style frittata with zucchini and piaz dagh (caramelized onions—a staple in every Persian recipe). If you have saffron available, it will elevate this recipe even more.
Ingredients
- 5 Eggs, Beaten
- 2 Onions, Large-size, Chopped
- 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- ¼ teaspoons Fresh Ginger, Minced
- 3 cloves Garlic, Minced
- 1 teaspoon Turmeric Powder
- 3 Zucchini, Small-size, Grated
- ½ teaspoons Baking Soda
- Salt And Pepper, to taste
- FOR THE SAFFRON WATER (optional):
- 2 Saffron Threads
- 1 pinch Salt Or Other Rough Textured Spice
- 2 Tablespoons Boiling Water
- FOR GARNISH:
- Pomegranate Seeds
- 3 Tablespoons Fresh Parsley, Chopped
- 2 Tablespoons Fresh Dill, Chopped
Preparation
Preheat oven to 400°F. Crack eggs into mixing bowl and whisk thoroughly.
Place onions into skillet over high heat. Let onions begin to sweat (with or without a tablespoon of oil, at your discretion). As onions sweat and cook, gradually add oil over a course of 5–8 minutes. As onions start to brown and piaz dagh is made, add ginger, garlic, and turmeric. Cook on high heat for another minute.
Add grated zucchini and lower to medium-high heat. Cook until tender, roughly 10–12 minutes. (Optional: With 2–3 minutes remaining on the zucchini, add the saffron water. Instructions below.)
Take zucchini and onion mixture off heat and add to beaten eggs. Mix thoroughly. Add baking soda, salt, and pepper to egg mixture.
Pour mixture into casserole dish and place into oven. The kuku will be done in 25–30 minutes or until you see a solid golden brown top on the kuku. Remove from oven and garnish with pomegranate seeds, dill, and parsley.
For the saffron water (optional but highly recommended):
Place strands of saffron into mortar and pestle with the pinch of salt or spices. Grind down. Place ground mixture into small bowl or ramekin with boiling water. Let mixture sit for at least 5 minutes as saffron flavor opens up.
Notes:
1. Piaz dagh is a staple in any Persian dish. In fact I don’t know any recipe that doesn’t have piaz dagh. At its core, it’s caramelized and browned onions using oil. We prefer olive oil but also try to be judicious in how much oil is used. For a healthier approach, start by letting the onions cook alone before adding oil.
2. You will get a much more attractive outer crust if you preheat your casserole dish prior to pouring in the egg mixture. Before pouring the mixture in, put the dish in the preheated oven for about 5 minutes to warm it up. Lining the dish with olive oil also is very helpful.
