Kuku Bademjan
Eggplant frittata with carmelized onions and barberries
Ingredients
- 4 Chinese or Japanese eggplants peeled and sliced into 1/4 inch rounds
- 1.5 teaspoons salt, divided
- 8 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 small onion, thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 6 eggs
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper, ground
- 1 teaspoon turmeric, ground
- 1/4 teaspoon cumin, ground
- 3 tablespoons barberries, optional
- 1 teaspoon butter
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400º F.
- In a large bowl, combine 6 tablespoons of oil, 1 teaspoon of salt, and the eggplants and toss to make sure the eggplants are coated with a layer of salt and oil.
- Place the eggplants single-layered on a baking sheet and roast for a total of 30 -35 minutes, carefully turning them over halfway. Once golden brown and softened, remove from the oven and set aside.
- In a small frying pan, saute the onions with 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat for about 15 minutes before adding the garlic. Continue to saute for an additional 2 minutes.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the eggs, the remainder of the salt, pepper, turmeric, cumin, and barberries, and mix using a whisk.
- Add the roasted eggplants and the onions to the egg mixture and gently toss.
- Reduce the oven temperature to 375º F.
- Rub a 9-inch pie dish or similar oven-proof baking dish with butter and pour in the egg and eggplant mixture.
- Place in the oven and bake for 20 to 30 minutes. Baking times will vary depending on your baking dish’s size and whether the mixture is spread out in a single layer or stacked.
- Once baked, kuku should have risen and turned into a golden brown color.
- Remove from the oven and set aside for about 5 minutes. Loosen the edges with a knife and carefully invert the dish onto a platter.
- Serve kuku with flatbreads, fresh herbs, and yogurt.
Notes
Alternatively, you can saute the eggplants over a medium flame in a frying pan on the stovetop. This method will require more oil.
Traditionally, this dish is prepared by only using eggplants and without the onions and barberries. Sometimes a small amount of chopped walnuts or a sprinkling of dried mint is added to the egg mixture.
Though I typically cook my Kuku in the oven, it is more traditional to cook them with oil in a frying pan with a lid. See below:
Add 2 tablespoons of oil to a frying pan, layer the roasted eggplants, and pour the beaten egg mixture over the eggplants. Cover and cook for 15 minutes on medium-low heat. Flip, add another couple of tablespoons of oil and cook on the other side uncovered for about 10 minutes. You may want to cut the Kuku pieces into quarters to make them easier to flip.
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