Egg & Spinach Bhurji
Indian scrambled eggs with tomato, green chilli and a whole bag of spinach folded in at the last second.
Why it works
Cooking the onion and tomato hard until the fat separates and pools at the edges builds the base in four minutes, long before the eggs arrive. Take the pan off the heat while the curds still look glossy and slightly loose — they carry on setting on their own. A second dry pan runs alongside for the breads, which need the four minutes the masala is cooking and nothing more.
Method
- Beat the eggs with the salt in a jug and set them beside the hob. Put a second dry frying pan on a low heat for the breads.
- Melt the ghee in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add the cumin seeds, let them sizzle 20 seconds, then add the onion, chillies and ginger. Cook 2 minutes, until the onion is translucent and just catching.
- Add the tomatoes, turmeric and garam masala. Cook 2 minutes, mashing with the spoon, until the tomatoes collapse and the ghee separates out at the edges.
- Turn the second pan up to medium and warm the chapatis two at a time, 30 seconds a side, until they freckle and puff. Stack them in a clean tea towel as they come off so they steam and stay soft.
- Tip the peas into the masala, then pile in the spinach and stir 2 minutes, until it has wilted and the pan looks dry again — wet spinach makes watery eggs.
- Turn the heat low, pour in the eggs and stir slowly, scraping the base every few seconds. After 3 minutes you will have soft, glossy curds. Off the heat, fold through the coriander and serve with the warm breads and lime.
For the toddler
Bhurji suits them well as it is. The one change worth making is the green chilli at step 2 — leave it out of the pan and let the adults add chopped chilli or lime pickle at the table. The half teaspoon of salt across twelve eggs is light enough to leave. Serve theirs with a strip of warm chapati, and chop the spinach small before it goes in.
How the toddler notes workChef’s notes
Kale needs 4 minutes rather than 2. Crumbled paneer in place of two of the eggs makes it firmer.
Chop the onion, chilli and ginger together in one go on the board, and grate the tomatoes instead of chopping. Shop-bought chapatis warm through in 20 seconds a side.
Thick yoghurt, a spoon of lime pickle, and red onion sliced thin with lemon and salt.
2 days chilled. Best cold in a wrap; reheating tightens the eggs.