THE EGGS SPECIAL FIESTA | Healthy – Hearty & Wholesome…

By: Dr. Kaviraj Khialani – Celebrity Master Chef.

Eggs are one of the best-known useful commodities known to us. The very significant role of eggs in our life is the number of us who include eggs from the start to the end of the day meals.

From a filling morning breakfast with varied egg preparations to brunch menus, adding them to salads, sandwiches, dressings and dips too. Eggs are truly easy to adapt to and its role has been quite important in not only cooking but baking as well from cakes to fancy exotic goodies.

Eggs are among the most nutritious foods you can find, providing virtually all the vitamins and minerals you need. To top things off, eggs are cheap, taste awesome and go with almost any food. They really are an exceptional superfood. Eggs provide the highest-quality protein – while also containing 13 essential vitamins and minerals, alongside necessary omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants. 

60% of the high-quality protein in eggs can be found in the egg white, while the yolk contains the rest, along with vital healthy fats, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants – all compounding for a valuable contribution to your daily nutritional needs. 

Eggs whites and yolks being the two components within the shell need to be checked for quality and freshness before being broken and blended into our recipes. Egg fried rice, egg
curry, egg Akoori or bhurji concept, baked eggs with spinach and cheese, eggs with chicken sausages/ fish/ prawns and quick munchies are great to try as well once in a while.

Here are a few simple recipes using Eggs:

Recipe-1] BRUNCH STYLE PAN SET EGGS

Ingredients –

• Eggs- 3-4 no
• Oil-2 tsp
• Butter-1 tsp
• Garlic-1 tsp chopped
• Green chilies-1 tsp
• Onions-1 small chopped
• Tomato-1 med sized chopped
• Potatoes-1-2 cut into cubes
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Turmeric powder-1/4 tsp
• Red chili powder-1/2 tsp
• Coriander powder-1 tsp
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Green capsicum-1 no cubed
• Water-1/2 cup
• Coriander leaves- 2 tbsp. chopped

Method:

1. Prepare all the ingredients for the recipe and keep aside.
2. In a pan heat oil and butter add in the garlic, onions, chilies and saute for 2-3 mins, add in the tomatoes and potatoes, salt- pepper and all spices and saute for 1-2 mins, add in little water and allow to simmer few min until potatoes are cooked.
3. Now add in the capsicums and eggs and allow eggs to set
   in for a few minutes.
4. Add fresh coriander leaves and serve hot.

Recipe-2] EGG MUSHROOM FLORENTINE

Ingredients –

• Oil-2 tsp
• Butter-1 tsp
• Garlic-1 tsp chopped
• Onion-1/2 chopped
• Mushrooms- 5-6 sliced
• Peas-1/2 cup boiled
• Eggs- 3-4 no
• Salt and pepper to taste

Mixed herbs and chili flakes to taste

• Fresh cream-1/2 cup
• Cheese-2 -3 tsp.
• Fresh herbs like basil- 4- 6 no.

Method:

1. Prepare all the ingredients for the brunch type dish called egg mushroom Florentine.
2. Heat oil and butter in a pan and saute the onion and garlic, add in the salt and powdered spices, add in the peas, mushrooms and blanched spinach.
3. Cook the mixture for 4-6 mins and break in the eggs and allow to set and cook on a bed of the spinach and mushrooms, check for salt, pepper, herbs and seasonings.
4. Once done we shall be plating it and serving with a portions of bread rolls/ toasts etc.

Recipe- 3] EGG SALAD IN LETTUCE LEAVES ON TOAST

Ingredients –

For the base – assorted lettuce leaves -1-2 cups

For the salad mixture:

• Boiled cubed eggs- 2-3 no
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Capsico/ tabasco sauce- few drops.
• Mayonnaise sauce- 2-3 tbsp.
• Boiled macaroni pasta-1/4 cup
• Boiled potato cubes-1/4 cup
• Assorted sprouts-1/3 cup

To serve on: toasted bread slices/ french bread slices etc.
For the garnish: parsley, mint, micro-greens.

Method:

1. repare all the ingredients for the salad recipe.
2. In a mixing bowl combine together the ingredients for the salad and add in the dressing for the dressing and give it all a nice toss, chill the salad for 20 mins.
3. Remove and arrange the lettuce leaves as a base on the serving plate.
4. Top with the interesting garnishes like olives, cherry
   tomatoes, parsley sprigs, nuts and seeds of your choice. Portion the salad onto the base of the lettuce leaves and garnish appropriately and serve chilled.

Recipe-4] HEALTHY EGG BREAKFAST SCRAMBLE

Ingredients –

• Eggs-4-5 no
• Oil-2 tsp
• Butter-1 tsp
• Onion-1 small chopped
• Green chilies- 1 tsp chopped
• Tomato-2 med sized chopped
• Salt to taste
• Kasuri methi- 1 tsp
• Red/yellow/green capsicums-1/2 cup
• Coriander powder-1 tsp
• Cumin powder-1 tsp
• Red chili powder-1 tsp
• Water-1/4 cup
• Sunflower seeds/ flax seeds/ melon seeds- 2 tsp.
• Fresh coriander leaves- ½ cup chopped
• Olives -2 -3 no sliced.

To serve with: Bread rolls, multi-grain bread/ toasts etc.

Method:

1. Prepare all the ingredients for the recipe as listed.
2. Heat oil and butter in a pan add in the onions and chilies, methi, and saute for a few seconds, add in the chopped tomato.
3. Continue to add in the capsicums and salt, powdered spices and mix well add in a little water to prevent burning, cook 2 mins.
4. Break in the eggs one by one and allow them to settle and slowly scramble them as they start cooking.
5. Reduce the flame and allow to cook for 2-3 mins, add in the seeds and coriander leaves and mix well, serve hot with assorted breads, butter, cheese and cup of tea/coffee, add shredded boiled chicken or sliced chicken sausages to the same recipe for variation.

Recipe-5] EGG MASALA DUM BIRYANI

Ingredients:

• Eggs- 4-6 no hard boiled, peeled
• Basmati rice-2 cups boiled.

For the masala:

• Oil-2 tsp
• Ghee-2 tsp
• Bay leaf- 2 no
• Peppercorns- 4-5 no
• Green cardamom- 1-2 no
• Onions-1 cup sliced
• Ginger-garlic paste-1 tsp
• Green chilies- 2 tsp chopped
• Tomatoes-1/2 cup puree
• Curd- ½ cup beaten, thick
• Water-1/2 cup
• Salt to taste
• Turmeric powder-1/2 tsp
• Red chili powder-1/2 tsp
• Coriander powder-1 and a half tsp
• Cumin powder-1/2 tsp
• Garam masala powder-1/2 tsp
• Kasuri methi-1 tsp
• Coriander and mint leaves- 2 tbsp. chopped
• Rose water-2 tsp
• Saffron solution-1-2 tsp
• Fried nuts-2-3 tsp
• Browned fried onions-1/2 cup
• Kewra water/essence-1 tsp

Method:

1. Prepare all the ingredients for the egg masala biryani as listed.
2. Heat oil and ghee in a pan add in the whole spices and add in the sliced onions and lightly brown them, add in ginger- garlic paste, green chilies, and cook for 1-2 mins. Add in tomatoes.
3. Add salt and all powdered masalas and cook for 1-2 mins, add little water as needed, add the thick beaten curd and mix well, cook on low flame for 2-3 mins.
4. Add kasuri methi and the boiled eggs and cook in the masala for 2-3 mins and layer the cooked rice on top, add in the onions, nuts, rose water, saffron water, kewra water etc and top with mint and coriander leaves, cover and give dum to the egg biryani for 10-12 mins. Open and serve hot with raita, papad, pickle.

Recipe- 6] 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:

1. Pre-prep all the ingredients for the recipe as listed above.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.