What it means
کوکو (kuku) is a Persian egg-based dish, close to an Italian frittata or a Spanish tortilla. Eggs are mixed with a generous filling of herbs, vegetables, or potato, then cooked slowly in a pan or in the oven until firm. The most famous version is کوکو سبزی (kuku-ye sabzi), a deep green herb kuku eaten especially at Nowruz. It differs from املت (omlet), which is lighter, plainer, and made quickly without the dense filling.
How to use it
- کوکو سبزی خیلی دوست دارم. (kuku-ye sabzi kheyli dust daram.) “I really love herb kuku.”
- مامانم کوکو سیبزمینی درست کرده. (mamanam kuku-ye sib-zamini dorost karde.) “My mom made potato kuku.”
- کوکو رو با نون و ماست بخور. (kuku ro ba nun-o mast bokhor.) “Eat the kuku with bread and yogurt.”
- برای شام یه کوکو بزنم؟ (baraye sham ye kuku bezanam?) “Should I make a kuku for dinner?”
Cultural note
Kuku is everyday home food in Iran, cheap, filling, and easy to take along cold for a picnic or a lunchbox. کوکو سبزی (kuku-ye sabzi), heavy with parsley, cilantro, dill, and fenugreek, is a classic part of the Nowruz table, where its green color stands for rebirth and spring. There are many regional kinds, including potato kuku, eggplant kuku, and zucchini kuku, so the word names a whole family of dishes rather than one fixed recipe.