Kukus is one of the most exotic egg-based paleo dinner ideas out there. A great low carb recipe, it is very similar to frittatas and open-faced omelets. Kuku sabzi is a specific variation of kuku, full of fresh aromatic herbs and leafy greens featuring distinct notes of Persian spices like fenugreek and cinnamon, garnished with fragrant rose petals and barberries. Sounds like a dream for the taste buds, right? It is – delicious does not even suffice.
Traditionally, kukus are made using flour and baking powder and other ingredients that devotees of a gluten free, low-carb, Paleo diet just cannot stand for. So, we’ve reinvented it for you! And here’s a little secret – we think it’s even tastier than the usual kuku sabzi recipe!
First, we’ve removed the crust completely – there’s just no need for it. Secondly, we’ve found a delectable substitute for barberries which are often difficult to come across. Lastly, we’ve thrown in some lesser used flavor notes to please the palette to the utmost extent.
Aside from the exquisite taste, the other wonderful aspect of this recipe is that it’s a dish full of dense preventative nutrition. Fresh herbs are one of the richest sources of polyphenols – powerful antioxidants capable of neutralizing free radicals, slowing tumor growth and cooling down inflammation. You can add as many herbs as you want, and as many variations of greens as you’d like. For example, feel free to replace the spinach with watercress or another leafy green. Only able to find fresh parsley at the grocery? No problem – you can use dried herbs if that’s what you have access to. No fenugreek on hand? – that’s OK, you can omit it and suffer no noticeable taste loss.
Garnishing with a dried berry of some kind is highly recommended. Iranians use barberries traditionally, but the currants in this recipe are so tasty! No currants? – opt for raisins or another dried berry of choice.
Paired with a hot cup of rose petal tea and served with a side of cold yogurt or sour cream, we promise you’ll be cuckoo for kuku in no time!
Servings
Serves 4
Ingredients
- 2 T butter or ghee
- 1 c leeks, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 bunch dill, chopped (about 2 cups)
- 1 bunch cilantro, chopped
- 1 bunch parsley, chopped
- 2 cups (fresh or frozen) spinach, chopped
- 6 eggs
- 1 T fenugreek
- ¾ t sea salt
- ½ t black pepper
- ¼ t cinnamon
- 2 t dried rose petals
- 3 T currants
Procedure
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a skillet over medium heat, add butter or ghee.
3. Once the fat has melted, add leeks and minced garlic. Let cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Add fresh herbs and spinach. Stir. (You may need to add more fat when necessary).
5. Meanwhile, beat eggs in a medium bowl with fenugreek, sea salt, black pepper, and cinnamon.
6. Now, coat a baking dish with coconut oil or butter and add the herb mixture from the stove to the baking dish. Pour over the egg mixture, garnish with rose petals and currants.
7. Bake for about 20 minutes.
8. Let cool, sprinkle with sea salt, and enjoy!
Want to know more? Dr Steven Lin’s book, The Dental Diet, is available to order today. An exploration of ancestral medicine, the human microbiome and epigenetics it’s a complete guide to the mouth-body connection. Take the journey and the 40-day delicious food program for life-changing oral and whole health.
Click below to order your copy now:
US AMAZON
US Barnes & Noble
UK AMAZON
Australia BOOKTOPIA
Canada INDIGO
