6 to 8 eggs
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground cardamom
¼ tsp ground cumin
3 cloves garlic
1 bunch scallions
2 bunches fresh parsley
2 bunches fresh cilantro
2 bunches fresh dill
1 TBL dried fenugreek leaves
1 TBL flour
2-3 TBL olive oil
1 cup full-fat yogurt or labneh
1-2 tsp dried mint
½ tsp dried rose petals
lavash bread (quantity varies according to size of pieces)
Preheat oven to 400º F. Wash and dry the following fresh herbs.
- 1 bunch scallions
- 2 bunches fresh parsley
- 2 bunches fresh cilantro
- 2 bunches fresh dill
For the parsley, discard the stems and keep the leaves. For the cilantro, trim away the bottom part of the bunches, keeping the remaining stems. For the dill, remove the very thickest stems. For each herb, place separately in food processor and operate until it is finely chopped. You should have about one cup of each herb. As you finish each batch, add it to a large mixing bowl. Add
- 1 TBL dried fenugreek leaves
- 1 TBL flour (or rice flour for a gluten-free version)
- 1½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground cardamom
- ¼ tsp ground cumin
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
- 6 beaten eggs
NOTE: You may need an additional egg or two if the mixture is very thick.
Oil a 9×13 baking sheet with sides (half-hotel pan or jelly roll pan preferred to a cake pan). Line with parchment paper and oil that too. Pour the batter into the pan and spread evenly.
Bake at 400º F for 25-30 minutes until done. (A toothpick inserted will come out clean.) While the pan bakes, make the following mixture:
- 1 cup full-fat yogurt or labneh
- 1-2 tsp dried mint
- ½ clove garlic, crushed or minced very fine
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
Place in a serving bowl and sprinkle top with
- ½ tsp dried rose petals
When the kuku is baked and cooled, cut it into pieces. I like to cut it into 13 1-inch strips and then cut the strips in anywhere from 3 to 6 pieces depending on the size of the servings. Cut lavash into pieces that are the same length as the kuku pieces and a little more than twice as wide wide.
To serve, put out the room-temperature kuku, lavash and the yogurt mixture. Encourage your guests to spread the yogurt mixture onto a piece of lavash and fold it around a piece of the kuku. (The kuku can be served without the lavash and dipped in the yogurt mixture.)
Note: Leftovers need to be kept refrigerated.
Adapted from Silk Road Cooking by Najmieh Batmanglij.