I used to call these scrambled boiled eggs, and so do many kids in Indian families.
Take some boiled eggs, onion, tomato and a few spices and you have anda chaat, another great street food from Delhi. It is a common afternoon snack, a lunch, or a simple meal. It is such a simple dish, featuring the eggs with an overlay from the tomato and onion. The coriander, lemon and chaat masala just lift the flavour.
You must not overcook this egg chaat. The onions need to have some crunch, and the tomatoes should be soft, not mushy. You need to be careful with the eggs and boil them just enough. Too little and you will get a runny yolk which doesn’t suit the dish. Mix carefully after you add the eggs, as you must not let the yolk turn to a paste.
Snacks like this are not usually served piping hot.
This is an ideal finger-food. We use individual baby cos lettuce cups to serve small portions and make it easier to hold and eat. You will see several recipes in this book that use lettuce cups to serve finger-food.
Traditionally this is served in paper cones.
Serve with tamarind and date chutney.
the recipe
ingredients
- 4 eggs - large, free range
- 1 tbsp ghee
- 1 white onion - halved and coarsely sliced
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tomato - chopped
- 1 green chilli - finely sliced
to serve
- ½ cup coriander leaves - finely chopped
- ½ lemon - juiced
- 1 tsp chaat masala
instructions
for the eggs
- Using a pin, prick the rounded bottom of each egg. Place them in a small pan and add enough cold water to cover them by about 1cm. Bring the water up to a simmer, then cook for six minutes. Remove from the heat, pour out the water, and cover eggs with cold water to stop the cooking process. You may need several changes of water to cool the eggs.
- Once cooled, carefully peel the eggs, under gently running water and set them aside.
to cook
- Heat a frypan over medium heat. Add ghee and once hot enough add the onions and salt. Cook, stirring continuously for three minutes, or until the onions start getting golden edges, but are still firm.
- Increase the heat, then add the tomatoes and green chillies. Cook for around two minutes stirring constantly, or until the tomatoes soften.
- Add the boiled eggs and break them into large pieces with a spatula or spoon. Cook for two minutes to warm through.
to serve
- Add the coriander leaves and lemon juice. Mix carefully, as you must not let the yolk turn to a paste.
- Sprinkle over the chaat masala and serve
notes
- Do not overcook this dish. You want crunchy onions and soft tomatoes.
private notes
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