Indian Scrambled Eggs with Pappadams

Makes 4 Servings
Hands-On Time: 20 Minutes
Total Preparation Time: 20 Minutes

Suggested Accompaniments
roasted asparagus or green beans

Ingredients
1/4 c vegetable oil (preferably grapeseed)
Four 8-inch pappadams (see source and alternative below)
1/2 small onion
One 1-inch piece fresh ginger
3 T unsalted butter
1 large serrano chile
3/4 t ground cumin
1/2 t ground turmeric
8 large eggs
1/3 c plain low-fat or full-fat Greek style yogurt
Kosher salt
1/2 pound plum tomatoes (about 2 medium)
1/2 c fresh cilantro or basil leaves
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions
1. Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat until hot; add 1 pappadam, press it down with a metal spatula, and sauté for about 30 seconds, or until it begins to brown and puff slightly. Turn the pappadam and repeat the procedure for about 30 seconds more, until it is bubbly and opaque. Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining pappadams, adding vegetable oil as needed.

2. Finely chop the onion (about 1/4 cup) and peel and Microplanegrate the ginger (about 1 teaspoon). Heat the butter in a medium skillet over medium heat until hot. Reduce the heat to medium-low; add the onion and ginger and cook for 5 minutes or until the onion
has softened. Finely chop the chile (about 1 tablespoon). Add the chile, cumin, and turmeric; cook, stirring for 1 minute.

3. Lightly beat the eggs with yogurt and 1/2 teaspoon salt; reduce the heat to low. Add the eggs to the onion mixture and cook, stirring frequently, until the eggs are creamy and just set, about 12 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, seed and finely chop the tomatoes (about 1 cup). Chop the cilantro (about 1/4 cup). Stir in the cilantro, tomatoes, and salt and pepper to taste. Mound one-quarter of the scrambled eggs on to each pappadam and serve.

Cook’s Notes

Pappadums: You can find them at specialty food stores or by mail order from Kalustyan’s.

If you can’t find them you can substitute pita crisps. Just take some pitas, split them crosswise, brush them with a little vegetable oil, sprinkle on some salt, and bake them at 400 F for 5 minutes or until golden and crispy.

Grapeseed oil is currently my favorite vegetable oil to cook with. It has absolutely no flavor so it is perfect as a cooking medium when you want the other ingredients to stand out. If I am making a Mediterranean meal I reach for olive oil, If I am making any other kind of meal, I reach for grapeseed oil.

When you are cooking with eggs the fresher they are the better (except when making hard-boiled eggs). So it is very important to keep them well chilled. After you bring them home from the supermarket put them in their closed carton in the back of the fridge. Do not put them in that little open egg container on the door of the fridge (the door is the warmest place in the fridge and should only house high salt/acid/sugar items like jams, hot sauces, and pickles.)

Fresher eggs have more viscous whites and firmer yolks, which means that they will produce more volume, particularly in desserts and souffles. As the egg gets older an air pocket develops between the membrane of the egg and the shell. This is a useful thing when making a hard-boiled egg. It makes them much easier to peel.