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Kuku-ye Sabsi

The traditional Iranian New Year’s Day specialty is made with a number of green herbs and leaves. Its greenness is a symbol of fruitfulness in the coming year, bringing prosperity and happiness. Any favored herbs, such as flat-leaf parsley, dill, chervil, tarragon, chives, and cilantro, may be used.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    serves 6

Ingredients

6–8 eggs
4 ounces spinach, shredded
8 scallions, chopped
1/2–2/3 cup mixed chopped fresh herbs
3 tablespoons chopped walnuts (optional)
2 tablespoons raisins (optional)
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons butter or vegetable oil

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Lightly beat the eggs with the rest of the ingredients except the butter or oil.

    Step 2

    Grease an ovenproof dish (about 10 inches) with butter or oil and pour in the egg mixture. Bake in a preheated 325°F oven for 45 minutes, covering the dish for the first 25 minutes, until the eggs are firm with a golden crust on top. Alternatively, cook the kuku in a large preferably nonstick skillet. When the eggs have set on the bottom, brown the top under a hot broiler.

    Step 3

    Serve hot or cold as a first course, accompanied by yogurt.

  2. Variation

    Step 4

    Use lettuce leaves instead of spinach, and barberries (a sharp red berry) instead of raisins, and flavor with 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and a pinch of turmeric.

Cover of Claudia Roden's The New Book of Middle Easter Food, featuring a blue filigree bowl filled with Meyer lemons and sprigs of mint.
Reprinted with permission from The New Book of Middle Eastern Food, copyright © 2000 by Claudia Roden, published by Knopf. Buy the full book on Amazon or Bookshop.
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