Egg Bhurji-Spicy Egg Scramble

The term Bhurji is given to a dry dish in which the ingredients are cut into very small pieces that they have a minced appearance, then later cooked with spices and stir fried. Not being an egg lover my mom had tried innumerable ways to make me have eggs. When I was small she used to give me half boiled eggs seasoned with salt and pepper daily. I used to gulp it down and rinse my mouth as I couldn't stand the smell of half cooked eggs. Other attempts were made using appams. She used to make Appams with sunny side up! This too had the same result with me running to rinse my mouth. As I grew up so did my aversion to half cooked eggs. But I loved omelettes and scrambled eggs(fully cooked!) and after my mom's failed attempts to make me have half cooked eggs after I grew up she used to pack egg bhurji(spicy scrambled eggs)or omelettes for lunch along with rice/chapati and curry. And I loved egg bhurji! Though not a rice lover either, having egg bhurji with rice and curry, makes me have rice double my usual amount.

In this preparation eggs are beaten well with milk before cooking. The addition of milk to eggs before scrambling enables the eggs to become fluffy after scrambling process. The beaten eggs are then added to a spicy onion-tomato mixture, mixed well and stir fried until the eggs are fully cooked. The use of shallots(small onions) and coconut oil imparts a special flavour to the dish. But if you don't have enough time to peel shallots you may make with big onion too. This dish can be had as a side dish with rice or Indian breads like Chapati/Roti/Naan. You may even garnish the dish with coriander leaves(cilantro).

Ingredients:

5 eggs

10 shallots(small onions) sliced thin

1 big tomato/2 small tomatoes finely chopped

2 green chillies finely chopped

1 1/2 tsp garlic paste

Turmeric Powder- 3/4 tsp

Ground pepper - 1/2 tsp(or more, according to your taste buds)

Chicken masala or Garam masala- 3/4 tsp(or less, depending on your choice of spiciness)

Milk- 2 tsp

Salt to taste

Coconut oil for cooking

Cilantro(Coriander leaves) for garnish

Method:

• Beat eggs with milk well until they turn frothy. Keep aside.
  
• In a pan heat about 1 tsp coconut oil and saute small onions and green chillies until onions turn medium brown.
  
• Add garlic paste and saute until onions turn brown.
  
• Add chopped tomatoes and cook till it turns mushy.
  
• Add turmeric powder, ground pepper, chicken masala(or garam masala) and salt, mix well and saute till raw smell goes.
  
• Add the beaten eggs, mix well and saute until the eggs are cooked. Note that you need to stir continuously after the addition of eggs. Cooking has to be continued until the egg mixture is no longer mushy/soggy or until the scrambled egg pieces are separated and fluffy.
  
• Remove from heat and garnish with coriander leaves(optional).
  

Pooja.

Other egg dishes: