Eggplant, as versatile as a potato. Like spuds, it absorbs other ingredients’ flavors but keeps its sturdy personality throughout the cooking. It’s a hearty vegetable that appears often in vegetarian/vegan cuisines to provide that satisfying “meaty” background. As in these bulgur balls in eggplant and tomato sauce. Although here’s an interesting note: botanically, the eggplant is considered a berry.
I’m sure I’d be getting flack from other eggplant fans for having consigned it to the background, so I’ll state up front: eggplant also stars in many main dishes. Like this simple recipe for eggplant slices in tomato sauce. Well, yes, eggplants and tomatoes combine often and deliciously. Maybe their affinity starts with their both being nightshade fruit.
Here we present Kuku Bedamjan, an Iranian egg dish where the filling is eggplant. Any time you come across a recipe with the word “kuku” in it’s name, you’ll know it’s an egg-based dish, very often a big, vegetable-stuffed one similar to the frittata. But unlike Mediterranean omelets and frittatas, this recipe has no cheese or other dairy. The focus is on the eggplant and onion, subtly flavored with an unexpected (to Western cuisine) spice: saffron.
Kukus are most often cooked in a skillet and carefully turned over to finish the top side. In a departure from tradition, this kuku is baked in a casserole or large, preferably cast-iron skillet. Easier, because no hovering over the fragrant, golden creation on the stove top, and no flipping over.
Kuku Bedemjan
Iranian Eggplant Frittata
- skillet
- casserole
- large bowl
- 4 tablespoons Olive oil
- 1 Onion (finely chopped)
- 3-4 Garlic cloves (crushed)
- 4 Small eggplants (cut into medium cubes)
- 6 Eggs
- 3 Saffron threads (soaked in 1 tablespoon boiling water)
- 1 teaspoon Paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
- Ground black pepper to taste
- To garnish: chopped fresh parsley
- Preheat the oven to 350°F – 180°C.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large skillet.
- Fry the onions until golden and soft, but not crisp.
- Add the garlic. Stir and cook 2 minutes.
- Add the eggplant cubes. Stir and cook 10-12 minutes, until they’re soft and golden brown.
- In a large bowl, beat the eggs.
- Pour the eggplant mixture into the bowl.
- Add the saffron water, paprika and seasoning.
- Pour the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil into an ovenproof casserole, or wipe the skillet clean for baking the kuku.
- Heat the casserole or skillet a few minutes in the oven.
- Pour the egg/vegetable mix into the casserole or skillet.
- Bake 30-40 minutes until set. Garnish with parsley and serve.
Top photo from the excellent food blog The Caspian Chef.
Photo of sliced eggplant by tijana-drndarski via Unsplash
More exciting recipes starring eggplant on Green Prophet:
Vegetarian Tahchin, Iranian Rice with Eggplant and Portobellos
Roasted eggplant with tahini, as a side dish
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