Read 1,000 Indian Recipes Online
Authors: Neelam Batra
Eggs
There are some families in India in which even the word "egg" is a taboo, but in most cases, eggs are very much a part of the everyday kitchen.
Certain communities, such as the Zoroastrian community of Parsis—descendants of Persians from Iran who fled Alexander the Great's invasion and settled in the Mumbai (Bombay) area; the Christians of Kerala on the southern tip of India; the Goans on the western coast, with their Portuguese heritage; and the Muslims all over the country, are particularly fond of eggs. Dishes range from simple scrambles and omelets to elaborate
kofta
(vegetable or meat balls), curries, and
biryani
(layered rice dishes).
Scrambled Eggs
Called
bhurji
in the north and
akoori
in the west, Indian scrambled eggs are usually spicy, and are often deliciously enriched with greens, vegetables, and crumbled
paneer
cheese.
Indian scrambled eggs are very versatile. Serve the simple ones with
paranthas
(griddle-fried breads) and a glass of sweet
lussi
(yogurt cooler), or mix in some greens, colorful vegetables, any leftover cooked and shredded chicken, or ground meat, and offer them as a quick, last-minute side dish with a
dal
(legume), or a vegetable curry.
Indians cook their scrambles and omelets until well-done and lightly browned, so if you prefer scrambled eggs runnier and omelets lighter, adjust the cooking time to your taste.
Scrambled Eggs with Onions
Undae ki Bhurji
Makes 2 to 4 servings
Whisked eggs cooked with golden fried onions. With a little cilantro, this is as simple as you can get with Indian egg scrambles.
6 large eggs, lightly beaten
1
⁄
4
teaspoon salt, or to taste
1
⁄
4
teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 medium onions, finely chopped
1
⁄
4
cup finely chopped fresh cilantro, including soft stems
1 to 2 fresh green chile peppers, such as serrano, minced with seeds
1.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, salt, and black pepper.
2.
Heat the oil in a large nonstick wok or saucepan over medium-high heat and cook the onion, stirring, until golden, about 5 minutes.
3.
Add the eggs and cook, stirring occasionally, over medium heat until just firm, about 3 minutes, or to desired doneness. Add the cilantro and the green chile pepper and cook until lightly browned, another 2 minutes. Serve.
Variation:
Wilt 2 cups finely chopped fresh spinach in the microwave, or cook 8 to 10 mushrooms (finely chopped) in a nonstick skillet until golden, then add the vegetables to the eggs along with the cilantro. Adjust the seasonings.
Scrambled Eggs with Crumbled Paneer Cheese
Undae aur Paneer ki Bhurji
Makes 4 to 6 servings
This is the hearty Indian version of scrambled eggs and cheese.
Paneer
is the delicate homemade curdled milk cheese that is a daily staple in India. This dish is one you'll want to cook quickly so if you don't have
paneer
pre-made, look for it in the refrigerator section of Indian markets.
1 cup
Paneer Cheese
(or store-bought), coarsely crumbled
2 tablespoons peanut oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 large tomato, finely chopped
1 to 2 fresh green chile peppers, such as serrano, minced with seeds
1
1
⁄
2
tablespoons peeled minced fresh ginger
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1
⁄
8
teaspoon coarsely ground ajwain seeds
1
⁄
2
teaspoon salt, or to taste
6 large eggs, lightly beaten
1
⁄
4
cup finely chopped fresh cilantro, including soft stems
Freshly ground black pepper
1.
Prepare the paneer cheese. Then, heat the oil in a large nonstick wok or saucepan over medium-high heat and cook the onion, tomato, and green chile peppers, stirring, until most of the tomato juices are dry, about 5 minutes. Mix in the paneer cheese, ginger, lemon juice, ajwain seeds, and salt, and stir about 1 minute. Transfer to a bowl.
2.
To the same pan, add the eggs and cook over medium heat, stirring once or twice, until firm, about 2 minutes, or to desired doneness. Mix in the paneer cheese and cilantro. Transfer to a serving dish, sprinkle some black pepper on top, and serve.
Variation:
For a smoother scramble, blend together the eggs and paneer cheese in a food processor about 30 seconds, then make the dish.
Parsi Scrambled Eggs with Corn
Makki Akoori
Makes 4 to 6 servings
Corn
akoori
, a typically Parsi dish, incorporates corn into an egg scramble—something not usually done in the rest of India, or for that matter, the world, although it is tasty.
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 large tomato, finely chopped
1
⁄
4
cup finely chopped fresh cilantro, including soft stems
1
1
⁄
4
cups fresh or (thawed) frozen corn kernels
6 large eggs, lightly beaten
1
⁄
2
teaspoon salt, or to taste
1
⁄
4
teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
1 to 2 fresh green chile peppers, minced with seeds
1.
Heat the oil in a large nonstick wok or saucepan over medium-high heat and cook the onion, stirring, until golden, about 3 minutes. Add the tomato, cover, and cook about 3 minutes. Mix in the cilantro and corn and cook, stirring, about 5 minutes.
2.
Add the eggs, salt, and black pepper and cook over medium heat, stirring once or twice, until they firm up and turn golden, about 4 minutes, or to desired doneness. Transfer to a serving dish. Sprinkle the green chile peppers on top, and serve.
Omelets
Parsi Omelet with Tamarind
Parsi Imli Aamlate
Makes 4 to 6 servings
The Parsis in Mumbai (formerly Bombay) often add tamarind to their omelets—something that not many of us would think of doing—but it sure tastes good.
Indians make omelets in the Italian
frittata
or Spanish
frittada
style—cooked on one side until lightly browned, then flipped and cooked on the other side—serve them open-faced or folded in.
1 tablespoon
Tamarind Paste
6 large eggs, lightly beaten
6 scallions, white and light green parts only, minced
1
⁄
4
cup finely chopped fresh cilantro, including soft stems
1
⁄
4
cup minced red bell pepper
1 fresh green chile pepper, such as serrano, minced with seeds
1 teaspoon peeled minced fresh ginger
1 small clove fresh garlic, minced
1
⁄
2
teaspoon salt, or to taste
1
⁄
2
teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 small onion, finely chopped onion
1.
Prepare the tamarind paste. Then, in a medium bowl, whisk the eggs and then mix in all the ingredients (except the oil and onion).
2.
Heat the oil in a large cast-iron or nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and cook the onion, stirring, until golden, about 3 minutes. Add the egg mixture (in 2 batches, if necessary), cover, and cook over medium heat until the bottom is golden and the top is somewhat firm, about 4 minutes.
3.
Slide the omelet onto a large plate. Holding a large spatula over the omelet, invert the plate, flipping the omelet over. Slide the omelet back into the skillet with the uncooked side down. Cook until the second side is golden, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter, cut into wedges, and serve.
Spicy Omelet with Ground Masala
Pissa Masala Aamlate
Makes 4 to 6 servings
If you like your eggs smooth, this is the dish for you. The omelet is flavored with blended seasonings (
masala
) that are then folded into the beaten eggs so the flavor enriches the whole omelet.
6 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1
⁄
2
teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 small coarsely chopped onion
1
⁄
4
cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro, including soft stems