Kuku-e-Sibzamini - 2nd Variation (Potato Pancakes)

2 white potatoes, large
2 eggs
2 tablespoons flour
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon turmeric
salt, black pepper
1/3 cup liquid shortening

Boil the potatoes until tender, about 1 hour.  Test by sticking a potato with a fork.  If the fork enters easily, the potato is cooked.  Immediately pour cold water over the potatoes for about 5 minutes until the potatoes are cool enough to handle. Peel the potatoes and cut in small enough chunks to put through a meat grinder or to process in a food processor.

Place the potatoes in a large mixing bowl.  Add 1 tablespoon flour, cinnamon and turmeric.  Salt and pepper to taste and mix well together by hand.  Add 2 eggs and mix well by hand. Heat the shortening in a large frying pan for 3 minutes.  Sprinkle 1 tablespoon flour in it.  While the flour is beginning to take color, start shaping the patties.

Put a little liquid shortening on both your hands and rub them together.  Take 2 tablespoons of the potatoes and shape by hand into  3" by 3/4" bars simply by passing it back and forth, patting and pushing it into shape.
Place into the hot shortening, lower the fire to medium high, and fry until golden brown.  Turn and fry the other side.  Drain on paper toweling.  Repeat the procedure until all the potato mixture has been fried.  Serve.

VARIATION:   Add finely chopped green onion, finely chopped parsley and 1 teaspoon red pepper to the potato mixture before adding the eggs.

Kutlet (Meat and Yellow Split Peas Patties)

1 lb. ground beef or lamb
2 cups yellow split peas
1 onion, large
3 eggs
3/4 tablespoon yogurt, plain
2 tablespoon flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon saffron
1/4 teaspoon tumeric
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
salt, black pepper
1/3 cup liquid shortening

Cook the yellow split peas about 1 hour until tender.  Drain.
Grind the peas and onion together.  Combine the ground meat and the split pea-onion mixture and mix well by hand.  Add saffron, tumeric, cinnamon and salt and pepper to taste.  Mix well.  Add the eggs and mix well.  Combine the yogurt and baking soda, add to the meat mixture and mix well.
Heat the shortening in a large frying pan for 3 minutes.  Sprinkle 1 tablespoon flour in it.  While the flour is starting to take color, start shaping the cutelet.
Grease your hands to keep them from sticking.  Using 2 scant tablespoons of the meat mixture, shape it by hand into whatever shape you like - ovals, hamburgers or doughnuts.
Place the shaped patties into the hot shortening and fry until golden brown.  Turn and fry the other side.  Drain on paper toweling.  Repeat the procedure until all of the meat mixture is cooked.  Serve.

Shamee (Meat Patties)

1 lb. ground beef
1 onion, large
3 eggs
2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon tumeric
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
salt, black pepper
1/3 cup liquid shortening

Peel and grate the onion.  In a large mixing bowl combine the ground meat and the onion.  Add 1 tablespoon flour, tumeric, cinnamon and salt and pepper to taste.  Mix well together.  Add the eggs and mix well.
Heat the shortening in a large frying pan for 3 minutes.  Sprinkle 1 tablespoon flour in it.  As soon as the flour begins to take color, spoon 2 tablespoons of the meat mixture at a time into the hot shortening, leaving about 1-inch between each patty.  When the pan is filled, scoop a little of the hot shortening on top of each mound and smooth flat with the back of the spoon.  Lower the fire to medium-high and fry until golden brown.  Turn and fry the other side.  Remove and drain on paper toweling.  Repeat the procedure until all of the meat mixture has been fried.  Serve hot or cold.

VARIATION:   Grind together 1 lb. chicken livers and hearts, 1 small onion, and 1 medium white potato.  Replace the meat and onion with this mixture.  DO NOT add the 1 tablespoon of flour to the chicken livers.

Kuku-e Sibzamini (Potato Pancakes)

2 white potatoes, large
1 onion, small
3 eggs
2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon turmeric
salt, black pepper
1/3 cup liquid shortening

Peel and wash the onion and potatoes.  Grate them into a large mixing bowl.  Add 1 tablespoon flour, turmeric and salt and pepper (to taste).  Mix well.  Add the eggs and again mix well.
Heat the shortening for 3 minutes.  Sprinkle 1 tablespoon flour over it.  As soon as the flour begins to take color and brown, spoon 2 tablespoons of the potato mixture at a time into the hot shortening.  Be sure to leave about an inch between each pancake.  When the pan is full, scoop a little of the hot oil on top of each mound and flatten them with the back of the spoon.  Lower the fire to medium high and fry until golden brown, then turn over and repeat on the other side.  Remove and drain on a paper towel.  Continue the same process until all the potato mixture has been cooked.  Serve immediately.  Makes about 10 pancakes.

Kuku-e-Bademjan (Eggplant Omelet)

4 eggplants, medium
1 onion, small
2 cloves garlic, large (or 1 teaspoon garlic puree)
4 eggs
1 tablespoon flour
1 teaspoon tumeric
salt, black pepper
5 tablespoons liquid shortening

Peel the onion and grate.  Peel the garlic and pound into a paste.
Saute the onion and garlic in 1 tablespoon shortening until golden.
While the onion is frying peel and dice the eggplants.  As soon as the onion turns golden add the eggplant and 5 tablespoons shortening.  Continue to saute, stirring constantly and mashing the vegetables together as they begin to soften.  When the vegetables have become a golden brown puree put them into a large mixing bowl.
While the eggplant is cooling a little, mix the flour, tumeric and salt and pepper (to taste) together.  Beat the eggs until light and fluffy, add the flour-spice mixture and continue beating until there are no lumps.  Combine the eggs with the eggplant to form a smooth mixture.
Add 2 tablespoons of shortening to a large frying pan and heat for 3 minutes.  Pour the eggplant into the pan spreading it evenly over the bottom.  Cover.  Fry over a medium fire for about 15 minutes until underside is golden brown and the Kuku is cooked and puffy.  Cut into quarters.  Turn over and brown the other side.  Drain on a paper towel.  Serve.

Kuku-e-Sabzi (Vegetable Omelet)

2 bunches parsley
2 bunches green onions
1 cup dill
2 tablespoons flour, heaping
1 teaspoon tumeric
6 eggs, large
salt, black pepper
3 tablespoons liquid shortening

Remove the parsley leaves and dill from their tough stems.  Remove the roots, outer skin and any damaged parts from the green onions.  Wash very well in cold water then drain.
Chop the parsley, dill and green onions together until very fine.  Put into a deep mixing bowl.
Add flour, tumeric and salt and pepper to taste and mix well together.
Beat the eggs until light and fluffy.  Pour over the chopped vegetables and mix well.
Heat the shortening for 3 minutes then pour the mixture into the frying pan, spreading it evenly.  Cover and cook over a medium fire until the underside is dark brown and the Kuku is cooked and puffy.  Cut into quarters and turn over.  Fry until well browned.  Drain on a paper towel.  Serve.

Kuku-e-Bagli (Broad Bean Omelet)

2 cups dried broad beans
1 onion, medium
4 eggs, large
2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon tumeric
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
salt, black pepper
1/3 cup liquid shortening


Soak the dried beans for 24 hours.  Peel them.  Finely grind the beans and onion together.  Add flour, tumeric, cinnamon, salt and pepper to taste and mix well.  Add the eggs and mix very well together.
In a medium frying pan, heat 3 tablespoons of shortening for a couple of minutes.  Sprinkle 1/2 tablespoon flour over the shortening.  As soon as the flour begins to take color and browns, pour the mixture into the fry pan and cover.  Be sure that the fire is medium (If it is too high the Kuku will burn - too low it will not fry).  Let fry covered for 15 minutes until the underside is golden brown and the Kuku is solid and puffy.  Remove cover.  With a sharp knife, cut the Kuku into quarters.  Turn the quarters over with a spatula and fry the other side on a medium-high fire for 10 minutes until golden brown.  Do not cover when cooking this side.  Turn off fire.  Drain on a paper towel.  Cut into small squares or pie slices.  Serve. (See note at beginning of chapter for serving suggestions.)