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Khagina
Spiced scrambled eggs
خاگینہ (khagina): soft Pakistani scrambled eggs with onion, tomato and green chilli
Ask almost any Pakistani what their mother made on a school morning and khagina comes up: eggs beaten with salt and turmeric and stirred into onion, tomato and green chilli softened in oil, served in a heap beside a hot paratha with a cup of doodh patti. It comes from the old Mughal and Hyderabadi kitchens that reached Karachi after Partition, and it differs from a plain scramble in being cooked a little longer, so it sets into soft, moist clumps coloured by the masala rather than staying creamy. It is everyday food in Karachi, Lahore and Peshawar alike, also eaten for a quick supper with chapati. The usual mistake is adding the eggs before the tomato has cooked down, which leaves the dish watery and the eggs rubbery. Chef's tip: take the pan off the heat while the eggs still look slightly glossy but no liquid egg remains, because they keep cooking on the plate.
- Total time
- 15 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 2
Ingredients
For the masala
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 onionsmall, finely chopped
- 2 green chilliesfinely chopped
- 1 tomatofinely chopped
- 1 /4 tsp red chilli powder
- 1 /4 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 /2 tsp salt
For the eggs
- 4 eggs
- 2 tbsp fresh corianderchopped
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Method
0/5 doneStep 2: Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and fry 1 onion and 2 green chillies for 3–4 minutes until soft and just turning gold at the edges.
4 minStep 3: Add 1 tomato, 1 /4 tsp red chilli powder, 1 /4 tsp ground turmeric and the rest of 0.5 /2 tsp salt and cook for 3–4 minutes, pressing with the spoon, until the tomato breaks down and the oil shines at the edges.
4 minStep 4: Turn the heat to low, pour in the eggs, wait 20 seconds, then stir in slow wide strokes for 2–3 minutes until they set into soft clumps and no runny egg is left.
3 minStep 5: Fold in 2 tbsp fresh coriander and serve at once with paratha or chapati.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 290 kcal
- Protein
- 15 g
- Carbs
- 8 g
- Fat
- 22 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does khagina take?
- About 15 minutes in total: 5 minutes to prepare and 10 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 2 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 onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of tomato?
- Tinned chopped tomatoes: a 400g tin for about 6 tomatoes (in cooked dishes, not salads).
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