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Eggs make for the best breakfast, especially if you are looking for a protein-packed beginning to the day. Whether you have them boiled, poached, scrambled, fried or in the form of omelettes from around the world, eggs are a versatile breakfast option. Of course, it always helps that eggs are very easy to cook, and even beginners can nail egg dishes in the kitchen. However, eggy breakfasts can get repetitive and boring too from time to time. And that’s where this Persian herb frittata recipe, better known as Kuku Sabzi, can come in handy.
Kuku Sabzi definitely originated in Persia, and it is a very common breakfast and evening snack dish among Iranians even today. In India, the dish is a favourite among Iranis. In fact, you are likely to find the simplest of Kuku Sabzis on offer at local Irani cafes, and the dish pairs really well with Irani chai. I first came across this dish at a small Irani café in Mumbai. Served with a generous garnish of pomegranate seeds and a side of onion pickle, the dish went really well with a slice of bread—even though it tasted perfect just by itself too.
Technically, the eggs in Kuku Sabzi are supposed to act like a binding agent. However, you can easily consider Kuku Sabzi to be a herb-packed frittata, the Persian version of the egg-based breakfast eaten across the Mediterranean region. Kuku Sabzi gets its unique taste and flavour from the addition of the herbs added to it. Dill, coriander leaves, leeks, chives, spinach, garlic leaves—the greater the variety of green leafy veggies and herbs you add to it, the better the Kuku Sabzi will come out tasting.
I usually make Kuku Sabzi during winters, when there is a great abundance of green leafy veggies and herbs at the local markets. While the most common recipes for Kuku Sabzi call for dill and coriander leaves, I love to add spinach to mine since it makes the dish greener and definitely more delicious. Here’s the recipe for you to try.
Ingredients:
½ cup spinach, finely chopped
½ cup dill, finely chopped
½ cup coriander leaves, finely chopped
½ cup chives, finely chopped
¼ cup dried cranberries, finely chopped
2 tbsp refined flour
½ tsp baking powder
5 eggs
½ cup milk
Salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
2 tbsp feta cheese, crumbled
2 tbsp butter
Method:
1. Wash the spinach, dill, coriander leaves and chives thoroughly in water. Drain the water.
2. Place the herbs in a large bowl.
3. Add the cranberries, refined flour, salt and pepper. Mix well.
4. Break the eggs in a separate bowl. Add the milk and whisk together until the eggs are frothy.
5. Add the whisked eggs to the bowl of herbs. Add the baking powder.
6. Mix everything well, then adjust salt and pepper as per need.
7. Heat the butter in a large pan. Pour in the egg and herb mix and spread it out evenly.
8. Cook the frittata until the sides begin to brown.
9. Use a plate to flip the frittata in the pan. Cook until the other side turns brown too.
10. Remove the frittata into a large plate, top with feta cheese and serve hot.
