What I Had for Lunch Today: Kukuye Khorma

A Persian kuku is basically an omelet. Khorma are dates. One thing about Persian food is, it's always gorgeous; the presentation is so over-the-top that when a Persian cook brings a dish to a potluck, nobody touches it. It's too beautiful to cut into. So please don't judge by this photo. The dates are supposed to be left whole and arranged symmetrically in the pan after sautéeing them just enough to soften; the eggs are carefully poured over. Then the whole business is painstakingly garnished. My version is more like scrambled eggs with blackened date pieces (with all that sugar, they burn easily, and the phone rang). But hey, I only make this dish when I'm in a hurry, never for company.

I ate my kuku with green beans tossed in my iron spider in butter and chili powder just till the chili is fragrant. Not an authentic Persian side dish! But I had all the flavors: sweet, salty, hot, and it was delicious.