Cleansing Kuku
What is Cleansing Kuku? Imagine a quick-cooking frittata with bushels of fresh herbs bound together with just enough egg.
It’s based on Kuku Sabzi, or “herb kuku,” customarily served at the festivities of the Iranian new year to celebrate spring, a traditional time for cleansing. If you’re looking for a cleanse-appropriate recipe, it would be “kuku” not to try it!
It is packed with detoxification-supporting foods: alliums like onion and leek, fresh eggs, and green herbs like parsley and cilantro. I am so excited to tell you about how it supports the liver, please allow me to get all nerdy now and break down how it works!
(Or skip the science and go right to the recipe).
The Perfect Recipe to Support Detoxification
The liver breaks down toxic compounds in a multi-phase process called biotransformation, often referred to as detoxification. It is imperative to balance the speed of Phase I and Phase II detoxification so that the second phase keeps up with the first. Otherwise, you can end up with what is essentially toxic spillover.
Phase 1 enzymes metabolize many procarcinogens, hormones, and pharmaceuticals. They transform air pollutants like PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls, from dirty fish), PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, from burning oil, gas, and trash) and HAAs (heterocyclic aromatic amines and amides, from grilled food and cigarette smoke).
The coolest thing is that foods can enhance the activity of these liver enzymes. Studies show that even a teaspoon of fresh dill and a few tablespoons of parsley—both apiaceous veggies—will induce our CYP1A1 liver enzymes. The curcumin in turmeric induces our CYP1A1, CYP1A2, and CYP1B1 liver enzymes while yellow onion affects the CYP3A pathway.
As mentioned, it is critically important to balance this upregulation of Phase I activity with enhanced Phase II detoxification support, and foods can help with that.
This recipe supplies Phase II support in the form of:
- parsley – supplies the glutamine required by conjugation enzymes
- eggs and leeks – induce sulfotransferases (SULTs), good for the sulfation pathway
- turmeric – enhances UGT activity and glutathione synthesis
In simpler terms, kuku sabzi is a detoxifier’s dream dish. It’s also full of flavor and simple to make. Making it with MCT oil reduces pressure on the lymphatic system and instead enhances fat-burning and mental clarity.
I hope you enjoy it.
Ingredients
3 tbsp. Flora Organic MCT Oil1 medium leek, white and light green parts, cleaned
1 medium yellow onion
2 bunches dill
2 bunches parsley
2 bunches cilantro
5 eggs
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. turmeric powder
1 tsp. each salt and pepper
Instructions
- Mince the leek and onion, then cook on stovetop in an oven-safe pan in 1 tablespoon MCT oil over medium heat until soft. Remove from heat to cool.
- Rinse and dry dill, parsley, and cilantro. Chop herbs with a sharp knife and place in a large bowl.
- Preheat the broiler (to HI, if you have the option).
- In a small bowl, whisk together eggs, baking powder, turmeric, salt & pepper.
- Add egg mixture and cooled onion mixture to herb mixture and combine (including optional add-ins, if using).
- Wipe out the now-empty pan (from the onion mixture) and heat 2 tablespoons Flora Organic MCT oil on medium heat. Add the herb and egg mixture, distributing evenly. Cover and cook until egg sets around the edges, 3-5 minutes.
- Pop pan under the broiler to cook uncovered for 3-4 minutes, watching always to retain the green color as much as possible.
- When the center is set, remove from heat, cut into wedges, and serve.
Note: To get all the benefits of this naturally detoxifying recipe, choose top quality ingredients.
Optional add-ins/garnishes:
- ¼ cup walnut halves (extra methylation support)
- 3 tablespoons barberries (provide antioxidant berberine) - find these sour gems at specialty shops or Indian or Middle Eastern grocers
If you make it, we would love to see your version of this #CleanseHappy dish, so don’t be afraid to tag us @FloraHealthy.
