Recipes

Kuku Sabzi with Flatbread

Andy Baraghani

Author, The Cook You Want To Be

When I think about the dishes that have stuck with me for most of my life, kuku is at the top. You’ll see other kukus made with potato and scented with saffron and black pepper, a sweet version made with dates and rose petals that is typically eaten for breakfast with bitter bergamot tea, and one made with zucchini and turmeric. To me, kuku sabzi reigns supreme. Packed with an intimidating amount of herbs, it was one of the first Iranian dishes that I learned to cook when I was a preteen. The dish varies depending on which Iranian household you’re in. I take a less-is-more approach with my kuku, letting the herbs be the star.

—James Beard Award Winner Andy Baraghani, The Cook You Want to Be

Ingredients

3 bunches cilantro
3 bunches parsley
2 bunches dill
2 bunches scallions, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon dried fenugreek leaves
1½ teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 teaspoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon ground turmeric
5 eggs
¼ cup neutral oil (such as grapeseed) or extra-virgin olive oil
Fluffy (and Crispy) Flatbread (see below) or a nice store-bought one, warmed for serving
Persian liteh pickles for serving
Yogurt for serving

FLUFFY (AND CRISP) FLATBREAD

¾ cup warm (but not hot!) water
2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
2½ cups all-purpose flour, or as needed
½ cup full-fat Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons melted butter, ghee, or extra-virgin olive oil 2 teaspoons kosher salt

Method

Trim about 4 inches off the stems of the cilantro, parsley, and dill. You want only the leaves and tender stems. Place about one-third of the herbs in a salad spinner and fill it with cold water. Agitate the herbs with your hands to get rid of any dirt, which will sink to the bottom of the spinner bowl. Lift the basket from the bowl of the salad spinner and dump out the water. Repeat this process until the water is clear, then spin dry and transfer the washed herbs to a large cutting board. Repeat with the remaining herbs. Grab a large fistful of the herbs and, using your sharpest knife, finely chop. Repeat until you have chopped your whole mountain of washed herbs. You will have about 4 ½ cups.

Transfer the chopped herbs to a large bowl and add the scallions. Using your fingertips, pinch and grind the fenugreek, sprinkling it over the herb mixture. This really helps bring out the fenugreek’s sweet smell and taste. Add the salt, pepper, baking powder, and turmeric. One at a time, crack the eggs into the bowl. Use a fork to break the yolks and then fully incorporate the eggs with the herb mixture. It may seem like not enough eggs, but you want just enough to bind the mixture. The batter should be very green and the consistency should be light and airy.

Place an oven rack in the top position and preheat the broiler.

Pour the neutral oil into a 10-inch nonstick skillet and place it over medium heat. When the oil begins to shimmer, give the kuku batter a final mix and then scrape it into the skillet. Using a spatula, spread the batter to the sides of the skillet. Cover and cook, rotating the skillet to ensure it cooks evenly, until the bottom has set and darkened to a very dark green, almost brown, color, 8 to 10 minutes.

Remove the skillet from the heat and remove the lid. The top of the kuku will still be a touch wet but very green. Transfer the skillet to the oven and broil, watching carefully (each broiler’s strength is different), until the top is set, about 1 minute. Remove from the oven and slide the kuku onto a platter or cutting board. Slice and serve with flatbread and pickles and yogurt spooned over the top.

FLUFFY (AND CRISP) FLATBREAD
Makes 8 flatbreads

Pour the water into a large bowl and sprinkle the yeast and sugar over evenly. Let sit for 10 minutes for the yeast to activate and the surface to become foamy, about 10 minutes.

Add the flour, yogurt, butter, and salt to the bowl and mix until a shaggy dough forms and there are no more dry spots (I prefer to use my hands, but a wooden spoon works). The dough should feel tacky, but not overly sticky and should keep its shape when lifted. If the dough is too sticky, mix in a little more flour a tablespoon at time.

Cover the bowl with a damp kitchen towel and place in a warm, dry spot to let the dough further hydrate and double in size, 60 to 90 minutes.

Lightly oil a few baking sheets and set aside. Turn out the dough onto a clean surface and divide into eight equal pieces using a knife or bench scraper. Working with one piece of dough at a time, form into balls by pinching and pulling the corners to the center. Roll out each ball into a 6-inch-ish round (no need to make them perfect rounds) about ¼ inch thick and transfer to the baking sheets in a single layer, flipping once so both sides are slicked with oil.

Place a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Working with one dough circle at a time, lay the dough on the hot surface and cook until it starts to look dry around the edges and begins to bubble, about 1 minute. Flip and cook until the other side has blistered in spots underneath, 30 to 40 seconds. Continue to cook, turning often, until puffed and browned in spots on both sides, about 1 minute longer. Transfer to a wire rack to cool or wrap up in a kitchen towel to keep warm until ready to serve.