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Eggah
Ejja: thick Egyptian herb and onion omelette, cut into wedges
Eggah is the omelette Egyptian families make at home for breakfast or a light supper, often on a Friday morning alongside ful, falafel, cheese and baladi bread. It is thick and set rather than folded, packed with spring onion, parsley and dill and warmed with cumin, and it's cooked slowly so it puffs and browns on both sides. Slice it into wedges and eat it hot from the pan or cold in a sandwich. Chef's tip: grate the onion and squeeze it dry; wet onion makes the eggs weep and the eggah falls apart when you flip it.
- Total time
- 25 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Whisk 6 eggs in a bowl with ½ tsp ground cumin, ½ tsp salt, ¼ tsp black pepper and ½ tsp baking powder until frothy. Stir in 1 onion, 4 spring onions, ⅔ oz flat-leaf parsley and ⅓ oz dill. It should look more green than yellow.
Step 2: Heat 2 tbsp of the 2 ⅛ tbsp olive or sunflower oil in a 22–24 cm non-stick frying pan over a medium heat until it shimmers. Pour in the egg mixture and spread it evenly.
Step 3: Turn the heat down to low, cover and cook for 7–8 minutes, until the edges are set and the base is golden but the middle still wobbles slightly. Shake the pan now and then so it doesn't stick.
8 minStep 4: Slide the eggah onto a plate, add the rest of the ⅞ tbsp olive or sunflower oil to the pan, then flip it back in, uncooked side down. Cook for 3–4 minutes more, until it springs back in the middle when pressed. Don't rush it on a high heat: the outside burns long before the thick centre sets, which is the usual mistake.
4 minStep 5: Slide onto a board, cut into wedges and serve hot or warm with baladi bread, pickles and white cheese (leave out the bread for a gluten-free meal).
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 190 kcal
- Protein
- 10 g
- Carbs
- 3 g
- Fat
- 15 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does eggah take?
- About 25 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of eggs?
- 1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water per egg, left for 5 minutes (baking only; vegan).
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
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