Omelette curry
As Asma Khan explains below, this simple, rich egg dish is perfect with plenty of buttered toast or bread for scooping up the rich, spiced gravy. It transforms basic ingredients – onions, tomatoes, eggs, chillies – into the most perfect comfort food. Credit: Monsoon by Asma Khan (DK £26), Photography © Patricia Niven
Asma says 'in Bengal, eggs are not just a breakfast item – they are served as a main course in a family meal. In my family, we ate eggs in every season, especially in monsoon when the bazaar was closed due to floods and the eggs would be delivered to our house. We usually ate this omelette-based curry with toast or bread rolls with lavish amounts of Amul butter. (Amul butter is still my all-time favourite butter. Introduced by the Kaira District Co-operative Milk Producers Union in 1946, this iconic dairy co-operative is still a household favourite in India.) As a variation, poached or fried eggs can be added to the gravy instead.'
Ingredients
Metric
Imperial
For the gravy
- 100ml of vegetable oil
- 2.5cm of cassia bark, or cinnamon stick
- 2 bay leaves
- 150g of brown onions, thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp of ginger paste
- 1 tsp garlic paste
- 250g of tomatoes, chopped
- 1 tsp chilli powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- 120ml of water
- 1 tbsp of lemon juice
For the omelette
- 6 eggs, medium/large
- 2 tbsp of vegetable oil
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 3 green chillies, deseeded and finely chopped
- 2 tbsp of fresh coriander leaves
Method
Start by preparing the gravy. Heat the oil in a deep saucepan over a medium-low heat. Add the cassia bark and bay leaves, followed by the sliced onions. Stir the onions until they start to turn dark brown, ensuring they cook evenly
- 100ml of vegetable oil
- 2.5cm of cassia bark, or cinnamon stick
- 2 bay leaves
- 150g of brown onions, thinly sliced
Add the ginger and garlic paste, and stir for a minute
- 1 tbsp of ginger paste
- 1 tsp garlic paste
Add the chopped tomatoes and stir for a few minutes before adding the chilli powder, salt, and sugar. Add the measured water and bring to the boil, then cover and reduce to a simmer
- 250g of tomatoes, chopped
- 1 tsp chilli powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- 120ml of water
While the gravy is simmering, prepare the omelette. It may be easier to make two omelettes if you have a small or medium frying pan. Whisk the eggs in a bowl
- 6 eggs, medium/large
Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat
- 2 tbsp of vegetable oil
Add the salt and pepper to the eggs and whisk again before pouring into the pan
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Sprinkle over the green chillies and coriander, and cook until the eggs are set. Remove from the pan and set aside to cool
- 3 green chillies, deseeded and finely chopped
- 2 tbsp of fresh coriander leaves
When cool to the touch, cut the omelette into thick strips. Ideally you want to have six thick strips. If you cut the strips too thin, they will break up and disintegrate in the gravy
Remove the lid from the gravy and stir. If there is still a lot of liquid, increase the heat and let it evaporate. The gravy should have the consistency of thick soup
Add the omelette strips and stir to cover all the strips with the gravy. Add the lemon juice, taste for seasoning, and serve warm
- 1 tbsp of lemon juice
Get in touch
Please sign in or register to send a comment to Great British Chefs.
You may also like
SITES
