Kuku Azerbaijani

Easy·20 min

A dense herb cake in which finely chopped greens vastly outnumber the eggs that bind them. Traditionally pan-cooked on the stovetop, then cut into wedges and served warm or at room temperature with garlicky yogurt as a spring starter.

Egg

Kükü is the herb-packed egg cake shared by the Azerbaijani and Persian table, descended from Persian kuku sabzi and known locally as göyərti küküsü; it is bound with so many fresh greens it turns emerald. It is central to Novruz, the spring new-year feast, where the abundance of herbs stands for rebirth and the green of new growth.

The first thing you taste is a wall of fresh green herbs, grassy and almost savory-sweet, with the egg fading into a soft custardy background. The edges crisp into little browned frills while the center stays tender, and a cool spoonful of yogurt cuts through it beautifully.

The high ratio of herbs to egg means the eggs act mainly as a binder, so the dish reads as a herb cake rather than an omelette. Traditionally it is pan-cooked: the egg-and-herb mixture is poured into hot butter, covered and cooked over low heat until set, then cut into pieces and flipped to brown the other side (oven-baking is a less common alternative). A touch of flour and gentle cooking set the interior without drying it out.

Variations

kuku with walnuts and barberries, kuku with a layer of fried onion, individual muffin-tin kükü, version with chopped spinach

On the Palate

Where Kuku Azerbaijani sits in the Azerbaijani flavor cloud

Ingredients

Serves 4

6Egg

1 large bunchCilantro

How it's made

8 steps · 20 min

1
8 min
Finely chop cilantro, dill, parsley and green onions, aiming for a large, fluffy volume of herbs.
Watch out
Chop enough herbs that they look like far too much — the greens should dwarf the egg, or it turns out an omelette instead of a herb cake.
2
2 min
Beat the eggs with salt, pepper and a pinch of turmeric until just combined.
3
3 min
Fold the chopped herbs into the eggs along with a little flour so the mixture is thick and green.
4
2 min
Heat butter in an ovenproof skillet over medium heat until foaming.
Watch out
Wait until the butter foams and just stops sizzling before pouring in — too cool and the bottom won't brown, too hot and the butter burns.
5
5 min
Pour in the herb-egg mixture and cook gently until the bottom sets, about 4-5 minutes.
Watch out
Keep the heat low and let the bottom set into a firm skin before it goes in the oven; rushing it browns the base before the middle catches up.
6
12 min
Transfer the skillet to a moderate oven and bake until the center is firm and set.
7
2 min
Loosen the edges, invert or slide the kükü onto a board, and cut into wedges.
8
1 min
Serve warm or cool with a bowl of plain yogurt alongside.