By: Dr. Kaviraj Khialani- Celebrity Master Chef.
Akoori is a spicy scrambled egg dish eaten in Parsi cuisine of India. Akoori is cooked until almost runny; the eggs are never overcooked. The main flavouring is fried onions and the spices used are ginger, coriander, chopped chili’s, and black pepper. Akoori is traditionally eaten with pav or double roti.
A less common version of Akoori is bharuchi Akoori, which contains nuts and dry fruits like cashews, almonds and raisins in addition to the other spices. This dish supposedly originated from the city of Bharuch in Gujarat, hence the name. Egg is a similar egg dish eaten in many parts of the Indian subcontinent.
Connoisseurs of these Indian scrambled egg varieties argue that egg bhurji and Akoori are almost identical but distinct in taste. Akoori – Parsi style scrambled eggs is a dish that I fall back on for a quick, delicious breakfast. Soft, juicy eggs bursting with flavor in every bite. This is one of those tempting egg breakfast you want.
Everyday. What are the differences and similarities between Akoori, scrambled eggs and egg bhurji? This question gets asked a lot. Yes, you are essentially making scrambled eggs – some with spices, some without. Other than that, there are differences between the three. For example, the scrambled eggs are made with the addition of only salt and pepper and sometimes cheese.
Bhurji and Akoori on the other hand, are cooked with a lot of add ins and spices. Bhurji is cooked to a really dry consistency. However, in an Akoori, the eggs are juicy, fluffy, soft – just like in a French Style egg scramble. Cilantro or coriander, chopped garlic, fresh ginger, finely chopped fried onion & green chilies make the base of a really good Akoori.
As is always the case with an everyday recipe, every family has its twist. However, some school of thoughts say that Akoori is made with tomatoes and some say it is made with potatoes in it. There are also some versions that are sweet and Savory – like the Bharuch Akoori.
“Akoori is one of those versatile and delectable preparations which offers a perfect treat for a foodie and is a befitting concept to include in varied ways and presentations to enjoy the burst of flavors on the plate with a balanced treat for the palate”- Dr. Kaviraj Khialani- Celebrity Master Chef.
Do check out these 3 ways with Akoori with a little twist of taste and a hint of innovation to make the Akoori experience even better!
Recipe-1] AKOORI KA NAYA ANDAAZ
Ingredients:
- Eggs- 6- 8 no
- Oil- 2 – 3 tbsp.
- Butter- 1-2 tsp
- Garlic- 1 tsp chopped
- Bayleaf- 1 no
- Peppercorns- 4-5 no
- Shallots/ madras onions- 10-12 no sliced
- Tomatoes- 2 med sized, chopped
- Slit green chilies- 2-3 no
- Salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
- Turmeric powder- ½ tsp
- Red chili powder- ½ tsp
- Water-1/4 cup
- Potatoes- ½ cup boiled, small cubed
- Green peas- ¼ cup boiled
- Coriander leaves- 2 tbsp. chopped
- Lime juice- 2 tsp
- Peanut butter- 2 tsp
- Tomato ketchup-2 tsp
- Flax seeds/ pumpkin seeds- 2 tsp
Method:
- Pre-prep all the ingredients for the recipe as per the list above.
- Combine the eggs in a bowl, add a pinch of salt and few drops of cold water and blend/ beat them well.
- Heat oil and butter in a pan add in the Bayleaf, peppercorns, garlic, and onions, saute them for a few mins.
- Add in green chilies, tomatoes, salt, pepper, all powdered spices and little water and cook for a minute.
- Now add in the green peas, potatoes, peanut butter, tomato ketchup and mix well.
- Pour in the beaten eggs and mix lightly, allow to cook on a medium flame with a lid on top for 3-4 mins. Gently move the mixture in the pan and ensure even cooking.
- Finally add in the choice of seeds, coriander leaves, lime juice and give it a light mix, serve hot with maska pao, buttered kulchas etc.
Recipe- 2] JHATPAT AKOORI KA ZAIKA
Ingredients:
- Eggs- 6- 8 no
- Oil- 2 tbsp.
- ghee- 1 tsp
- Cumin seeds- ½ tsp
- Fennel seeds-1/2 tsp
- Curry leaves- 6- 8 no
- Slit red/ green chilies- 3-4 no
- Sliced onions- 1 small
- Tomatoes- 2 med sized, diced
- Salt to taste
- White pepper powder to taste
- Garam masala powder-1/4 tsp
- Turmeric powder-1/2 tsp
- Coriander powder-1/2 tsp
- Parsley/ spring onions/ coriander-2 tbsp. chopped
- Lime juice- 2 tsp
Method:
- Pre-prep all the ingredients for the recipe as listed above.
- In a mixing bowl beat up the eggs with a pinch of salt and few drops of cold water and add in all the ingredients from salt to powdered spices and all the assorted veggies as well, give it all a nice mix.
- Heat oil and ghee/butter in a pan add in the curry leaves, slit chilies, jeera and fennel and saute for 15 seconds, add in the entire egg mixture into the pan and allow to settle for a couple of mins, cover and cook on a medium flame for 2-3 mins.
- Using a spatula or flat spoon gently mix the contents of the pan and add in the greens and a dash of lime juice and serve it hot with roti, phulkas, naans, parathas or even cheesy garlic toasts.
Recipe-3] AKOORI DIL PASAND
Ingredients:
- Eggs- 6- 8 no
- Milk- ¼ cup
- Oil-2 tbsp.
- Butter- 1 -2 tsp
- Garlic- 2 tsp chopped
- Onion- 1 med sized, sliced
- Boiled chicken cubes- ½ cup
- Sliced chicken sausages- 2-3 no
- Cheese- 2-3 tbsp. grated
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Green capsicum- 1 no, chopped
- Boiled sliced potatoes- 2-3 medium sized
- Mixed herbs- ½ tsp
- Chili flakes- ½ tsp
- Water-1/4 cup
- Garam masala powder-1/4 tsp
- Tomato ketchup- 2-3 tbsp.
- Chili sauce- 1-2 tsp
- Coriander / parsley/ spring onions- 2-3 tbsp. chopped
- Roasted/crushed salted peanuts- 1-2 tbsp.
Method:
- Pre-prep all the ingredients for the recipe as listed above.
- In a bowl, combine together the eggs, milk, pinch of salt and blend them all together for a couple of minutes.
- In a separate pan, heat a little oil and butter and saute the garlic and capsicums for a minute, add in salt, pepper, herbs and chili flakes and mix, add a little water, add in boiled sliced potatoes, little ketchup and chili sauce and cook for 3-4 mins, add coriander/parsley and keep aside.
- Now to cook up the egg mixture, heat oil and butter in a pan and add in the sliced onion and saute until light pink, add in the eggs, seasonings, herbs, chili flakes as per taste, allow to settle on a medium flame for a couple of minutes, add in the chicken and sausages, garam masala powder and greens as per choice, mix, simmer, cover and cook for 3-4 mins.
- In a baking dish line up the prepared potatoes at the base, top it up with the egg mixture and finally grated cheese on top, and flash it under a salamander or bake for 8-10 mins in a pre-heated oven at 180 degrees celsius and serve hot. For a veg option try using cubes of paneer/ tofu/ blanched soy chunks/ tempeh etc.
