26 replies to this topic

[ExtraHye]

I have a question for all you Persian Armenians. Do you guys really enjoy eating salty fish or the koo koo pelav? Or do you have to eat it because you’re required to do so on Armenian Christmas and Easter, because I really hate it. Every year we go to my in-laws house and every year I do the same thing. I go to the kitchen to “get more rice” then wrap my fish and koo koo pelav in a paper towel and throw it away.

[vava]

I have a question for all you Persian Armenians. Do you guys really enjoy eating salty fish or the koo koo pelav? Or do you have to eat it because you’re required to do so on Armenian Christmas and Easter, because I really hate it. Every year we go to my in-laws house and every year I do the same thing. I go to the kitchen to “get more rice” then wrap my fish and koo koo pelav in a paper towel and throw it away.

What is koo koo pelav? (Do you mean koo koo sabsi? But that's more of a persian omelette thingy, and not pelav at all - although we do eat it at Christmas and easter too). Why is the fish so salty? This is the first I hear of salty fish. In my family we eat tasty fish - I would never ever dream of throwing it out. Maybe your in-laws just don't cook well?

[nairi]

I have a question for all you Persian Armenians. Do you guys really enjoy eating salty fish or the koo koo pelav?

Ayo!!! Shame I can't make it myself. It has to be made well, though. I have family members who make the kuku too dry. My mom made it the best! And, as Vava pointed out, the fish shouldn't be that salty!

Edited by nairi, 07 January 2009 - 04:42 PM.

[Sip]

I love kookoo .. the plav part is fairly standard so I assume that's not part of the question. The salty fish I don't care for much mainly due to sharp bones ... I have been substituting salmon.

I am obviously not much into religious stuff but I had a crazy craving for kookoo on the 5th (thank you Jesus) so I actually made some again. This time I have to say it was one of the best I have ever made. It was very nice and fluffy and not too spinachy (I love spinach but hate the spinach after-taste mixed with egg). I got the perfect combination of other herbs and egg fluff I thought.

Personally, I much prefer eating it with plain yogurt. It's probably one of the healthiest and most nutritious meals I eat all year so actually this year I plan to make it often. I try not to put much salt in it (I've been substituting Mrs. Dash) and also I cook it with very little oil (as compared to my grandma).

Edit: Oh yah one of the reasons it was better than what I had made before is because they were out of frozen chopped spinach at the supermarket so this time I got a bunch of fresh spinach and chopped it myself. That probably made the biggest difference.

Edited by Sip, 07 January 2009 - 04:42 PM.

[Azat]

I though kookoo was for easter and salty fish for xmas

I love kookoo too

[vava]

Spinach in koo koo? Sacrilege! I've always made it with parsley, cilantro, dill, leeks, and fenugreek (is that the farsi shambelileh?)
Nairi - it's super easy to make! I can send you a quick & dirty recipe (healthy too, since I bake vs. fry) yum!

[ExtraHye]

I like the egg dish, but we make it different, our koo koo pelav are small patties, which taste much better in my opinion. I'm sure Azat knows what I'm talking about.

[nairi]

Spinach in koo koo? Sacrilege! I've always made it with parsley, cilantro, dill, leeks, and fenugreek (is that the farsi shambelileh?)
Nairi - it's super easy to make! I can send you a quick & dirty recipe (healthy too, since I bake vs. fry) yum!

If it's as easy as making tea (and even that can be tricky left in my hands!), then, sure thing, hit me with the recipe!

[vava]

If it's as easy as making tea (and even that can be tricky left in my hands!), then, sure thing, hit me with the recipe!

Ok, maybe not quite like tea Nevertheless, here ya go:

koo koo sabsi (note, this version is baked, not fried - the leeks are fried only slightly to cook them)

Ingredients:
- Some olive oil, butter, or clarified butter (ghee) - don't need much
- about 6 eggs
- pinch of salt, some fresh ground pepper
- a few cloves of garlic, chopped finely
- a few leeks*, cleaned and chopped
- a bunch of parsley*, chopped
- a bunch of fresh coriander* (cilantro), chopped
- a bunch of fresh dill*, chopped
- Some dried fenugreek (it's hard to find fresh, but you can by a bag of it dried and then soak a small handful to re-hydrate it, or just use it dry)
*For the fresh chopped herbs, I use approx equal parts (I would guess about 1 cup or a bit more, of each)

Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350°F, put some olive oil or butter in a shallow baking dish (I use the ceramic bakeware like this one)
- In a fry pan, lightly fry the leeks with the garlic in some olive oil or butter until they are beginning to sweat - allow to cool a bit
- Break the eggs into a fairly large bowl. Add the salt and pepper. Lightly beat the eggs and add in the chopped parsley, coriander, dill, fenugreek and the leek/garlic mix.
- Pour the egg and herbs mixture into the baking dish and bake uncovered for 40 to 50 minutes, until the edge is golden brown.
- When you remove the koo koo, let it cool slightly before removing it from the baking dish. As it cools, it should unstick a bit from the sides - then you just invert it onto a serving platter

Once you get good at chopping herbs, it really takes no time at all. If not, use a food processor - but in these amounts it's really not necessary. Yum!

[Sip]

You could also order some of this to take the complication out of buying, chopping, and mixing all the vegables. Of course nothing can beat fresh stuff.

[MosJan]

Aravot shut Axorjak eq Batsum
Hima yes ahsxtanem te pilafi masin m@tatsem ha ??

[Arpa]

What are you guys talking about?
This? Cuckoo! Cuckoo!
http://img.alibaba.c...uckoo_Clock.jpg

Edited by Arpa, 16 January 2009 - 07:03 AM.

[nairi]

Ok, maybe not quite like tea Nevertheless, here ya go:

koo koo sabsi (note, this version is baked, not fried - the leeks are fried only slightly to cook them)

Ingredients:
- Some olive oil, butter, or clarified butter (ghee) - don't need much
- about 6 eggs
- pinch of salt, some fresh ground pepper
- a few cloves of garlic, chopped finely
- a few leeks*, cleaned and chopped
- a bunch of parsley*, chopped
- a bunch of fresh coriander* (cilantro), chopped
- a bunch of fresh dill*, chopped
- Some dried fenugreek (it's hard to find fresh, but you can by a bag of it dried and then soak a small handful to re-hydrate it, or just use it dry)
*For the fresh chopped herbs, I use approx equal parts (I would guess about 1 cup or a bit more, of each)

Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350°F, put some olive oil or butter in a shallow baking dish (I use the ceramic bakeware like this one)
- In a fry pan, lightly fry the leeks with the garlic in some olive oil or butter until they are beginning to sweat - allow to cool a bit
- Break the eggs into a fairly large bowl. Add the salt and pepper. Lightly beat the eggs and add in the chopped parsley, coriander, dill, fenugreek and the leek/garlic mix.
- Pour the egg and herbs mixture into the baking dish and bake uncovered for 40 to 50 minutes, until the edge is golden brown.
- When you remove the koo koo, let it cool slightly before removing it from the baking dish. As it cools, it should unstick a bit from the sides - then you just invert it onto a serving platter

Once you get good at chopping herbs, it really takes no time at all. If not, use a food processor - but in these amounts it's really not necessary. Yum!

Wow, that does actually look like something I could potentially make!!
But how many people would it serve? Six eggs sounds like a lot..

[nairi]

You could also order some of this to take the complication out of buying, chopping, and mixing all the vegables. Of course nothing can beat fresh stuff.

Is there one for fesenjoon (excuse the spelling)?

Btw, is your sig a Dutchman (or Frisian)? Sounds like one..

[nairi]

What are you guys talking about?
This? Cuckoo! Cuckoo!
http://img.alibaba.c...uckoo_Clock.jpg
Or this? One Flew Over…?
http://www.imdb.com/...y/vi3992191769/

Whatever it is, at least it's not Turkish.

[Arpa]

Whatever it is, at least it's not Turkish.

Atta girl Nairi! No wonder I like you!
Of course, above I was being silly.
My Pers-Anglo dictionary says "kookoo" گوگو or maybe "kawkaw" means "savory omelet".
Look
http://checkitoutave...ern-omelet.html
PS. I have a question. Why is it that when "pollo" means chicken in Italian, in most Persian recipes it (polo)is interpreted as "rice" when rice in Persian is "birinj" much like the Armenian "brindz"?
Yes Nairi, search as "fEsEnjan". The dictionary says it generally means; "kind of a dish with ground walnut and its chief ingredient"

Edited by Arpa, 15 January 2009 - 01:47 PM.

[Nané]

Is there one for fesenjoon (excuse the spelling)?

Btw, is your sig a Dutchman (or Frisian)? Sounds like one..

Nairi,

Here's a recipe I got from my co-worker recently.

Fesenjan

serves 6-8

1 chicken
1/2 kilo chopped walnuts
3-4 tbsp sauteed onions
4-5 tbs (more if you wish) pomegranate molasses

1. Poach the chicken in 1-2 cups of water
2. Remove the residue from the top of the water
3. Add the sauteed onions and a pinch of salt
4. When the chicken is parcooked add the chopped walnuts and pomegranate molasses. Reduce the heat.
5. Stir every few minutes to ensure the walnuts don't stick to the pot.
6. When chicken is completely cooked and sauce has thickened, remove from heat.

Note: If the pomegranate molasses is too sour, may add some sugar if you wish.

Edited by Nané, 15 January 2009 - 01:17 PM.

[nairi]

Thanks Nané! But I'll have to disappoint you.. I've tried to make fesenjan before, even with a VERY detailed recipe, and it turned out absolutely miserable. It's one of those either you have the golden fingers (like Azat and Vava), or you don't (like me..).

[nairi]

Atta girl Nairi! No wonder I like you!
Of course, above I was being silly.
My Pers-Anglo dictionary says "kookoo" or maybe "kawkaw" means "savory omelet".
Look
http://checkitoutave...ern-omelet.html

Here's the one we're talking about:

http://www.oswaldsmi...food/kookoo.jpg

PS. I have a question. Why is it that when "pollo" means chicken in Italian, in most Persian recipes it (polo)is interpreted as "rice" when rice in Persian is "birinj" much like the Armenian "brindz"?

Genetic mutation? Honestly don't know.

Yes Nairi, search as "fEsEnjan". The dictionary says it generally means; "kind of a dish with ground walnut and its chief ingredient"

It's one thing knowing what it is and what it tastes like, and a whole other to make it yourself!

[Nané]

- Pour the egg and herbs mixture into the baking dish and bake uncovered for 40 to 50 minutes, until the edge is golden brown.

wow ... that's long ha? but it sounds delicious

i made something similar last night. it was more like a Spanish tortilla

EggsMushroomsPotatoesHerbs

1 tbsp butter or olive oil
1/2 red onion, sliced
2 medium potatoes, cubed (waxy or starchy, whatever you like)
1 lb mushrooms, sauteed (button, crimini, portobello, whatever you like)
5 eggs, beaten
1-2 cups of tarragon or basil
salt and pepper
1 cup seeded and chopped tomatoes (optional)

1. Sautee the onion using the butter or oil in a non-stick skillet for about 5 minutes (over medium heat).
2. Add the cubed potatoes and season with salt and pepper. Cover the skillet and allow the potatoes to cook.
3. When the potatoes are ready, add the mushrooms and allow them to mingle with the potatoes
4. Mix the tarragon (or basil) with the eggs, season with salt and pepper (don't forget that you have already seasoned the potatoes, so don't overdo it).
5. Pour the egg mixture over the potatoes and mushroom. Add the chopped tomatoes (if using them). Mix all the ingredients well and ensure they are spread out evenly.
6. Cover the skillet. The egg mixture will start to hold in about 5 minutes. Once it's all one piece, flip it and allow the top to brown a little as well (if you wish).
7. Slide it onto a plate and cut into wedges.

Tastes great with a mayo-sundried tomatoe pesto sauce.
A healthier alternative would be a green salad.