Crazy for kookoo

When I first stopped eating meat my big fat Persian family was very very confused. Koobideh and barg kebabs and meat based stews that are basically all of Persian cuisine were no longer an option. After the initial effort to convince me to change my ways by not providing anything meat-free for dinner my mom started to experiment with different things to adjust to my diet. A Persian staple that she was able to bring in was kookoo sabzi basically a herb frittata.

My relationship with kookoo has been love/hate. If you've seen the scene in My Big Fat Greek Wedding where the main character is made fun of for bringing moussaka for lunch to school (moose ka ka) that was me in 2nd grade with "kookoo." Feel free to imagine my fellow 8-year-old classmates creativity with that word. Being the only Persian in a very blonde school meant the rest of my lunches that year were very traditional brown-bag.

Fast forward quite a few years, and kookoo is an easy and balanced meal that reminds me of my mom's cooking. There are different versions of kookoo including with potatoes or in this recipe zucchini. Add some mast-o-khiar (Persian cucumber and yogurt dip) to dip. Nooshe jan! (Persian way of saying bon appetit)

Mast-o-khiar (cucumber yogurt)
1 Persian cucumber
1 cup of Greek yogurt
Salt, pepper, dry mint to taste

1. Peel and dice the cucumber.
2. Add yogurt and spices and mix well.

Kookoo kadoo (zucchini frittata)
2 large zucchinis
4 eggs
Turmeric, garlic powder, salt, and pepper (dash each)

1. Shred the zucchini (with or without the skin) into a large bowl.
2. Add the eggs and spices and mix well.
3. Heat oil on a pan and coat the pan with the mixture.
4. Divide the mixture while in the pan into pizza slices or rectangles so it'll be easy to flip to the other side.
5. Flip your slices over once the bottom side is crispy and crisp the remaining side.
6. Serve with yogurt.
Note for a healthier version it can also be baked in the oven.