~ An Indian Masala Omelette w/Crispy Fried Onions ~

When it comes to breakfast I am a "savory", not a "sweet" girl.  While I won't turn my nose up at a well-made waffle or pancake,  I much prefer traditional eggy, savory fare:  any type of egg with bacon and toast of some sort, an egg and sausage bagel sandwich, or, an omelette.  For the record, I do not like cheese with breakfast, but Joe does, so, it is available upon request.  On weekdays, Joe and I rarely sit down to breakfast together.  He stops for coffee and a muffin on his way to the office, and I, well -- let's suffice it to say, a glass of iced tea and a slice of cold pizza suits me just fine (which contradicts my statement that I don't like cheese with breakfast)!  

Today is Sunday:  we always cook and eat a nice breakfast together on Sunday!  

This past week, I've cooked and posted some wonderful Indian food. Just click on the Related Article links below to get my recipe for ~ Easy Indian Chicken Curry in a Hurry w/No Worry ~, and, ~ Indian Chicken Biryani:  Demystified (& Simplified) ~.  I also made ~ Indian Barista (Crispy, Deep-Fried Onions) ~, which is a tasty staple common to Indian kitchens.  They are used as a crispy, savory, topper for any type of biryani, curry, soup, salad or sandwich.

"I'll bet those would taste great on an omelette." ~ Joe Preschutti

Genius.  So, I proceeded to make Indian-style masala omelettes for breakfast this morning.  I say "Indian-style" because I combined my method for making American-style fluffy omelettes (as oppossed to custardy, French-style folded omelettes) infused with Indian flavors and spices, namely garam masala, hence the name:  masala omelette.  I also prepared my omelette "egg pancake-style", a common practice in Chinese and Indian cooking.  Read on:

In China, the finished egg pancake (pictured just above) is shredded and added to dishes like moo shu pork and fried rice.  In India, the egg pancake (pictured below) is cut into squares and sometimes simmered in curry sauce.  As for using the barista (crispy, deep-fried onions) to top our omelette this morning, I have absolutely no idea if that is common practice in an Indian kitchen, but, in my American kitchen:  they were the frosting on the "egg pancake" omelette cake!

Just in case the word "fritatta" is rattling around in your head, yes, this is similar but not quite. Fritatta is similar in that it is a flat or open-faced Italian-style omelette (not folded).  Generally speaking, fritattas, or at least the ones I make, are thicker, similar to that of a quiche, and, they are often completely baked in the oven or finished cooked in the oven.  The "egg pancake" is thin enough to slip between two slices of bread or flatbread for a delicious snack sandwich too!

For the masala omelette:

6  large eggs, at room temperature

6  tablespoons water

1/4  teaspoon cracked black pepper

1/4-1/2  teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon garam masala

1/4  teaspoon ground ginger

1/4  teaspoon Madras curry powder

1/4  teaspoon turmeric

3/4  teaspoon sea salt

 

6  tablespoons finely-diced (1/4") cilantro leaves

6  tablespoons finely-diced (1/4") shallots

6  tablespoons finely-diced (1/4") green pepper

6  tablespoons finely-diced (1/4") white mushroom caps

6  tablespoons finely-diced (1/4") seeded tomato

1-2  tablespoons canola, coconut, corn, vegetable, peanut or sunflower oil, just enough to thinly-coat the bottom of skillet, not olive oil 

~ Step 1. Place the eggs in a medium mixing bowl, add the 6 tablespoons of water and set aside.

Place all of the spices in a small bowl, add 1 tablespoon of water to them and stir to combine.

~ Step 2. Using a hand-held electric mixer or a whisk, beat the eggs until very frothy.

Add the spices and beat or whisk again until very frothy.  The frothier the better.

~ Step 3. Using a large rubber spatula, one at a time, fold all the vegetables into the eggs.

~ Step 4.  In a 10" nonstick skillet, heat the oil over low heat.  Briefly restir the egg mixture, add it to the pan and increase heat to medium.

                                         ~ Step 5. Using a thin spatula, push the egg solids towards the center of the skillet as they form around the perimeter, tilting the pan in various directions to allow the liquids to flow to the bottom via the perimeter of the skillet. Continue until almost no liquid remains on the top of the omelette, 3-4 minutes.

~ Step 6.  When almost no liquid remains on the top of the omelette, turn the heat off and place a lid on the skillet for about 1 minute.  This rest will give all of the ingredients time to "become one big piece".  

Remove the lid, place a plate over the top of the skillet and invert the omelette onto the plate.

~ Step 7. Immediately slide the omelette, cooked side up, into the hot pan, to allow the bottom to cook over medium heat, about 45-60 additional seconds.  

Note:  Inverting the omelette onto a plate and sliding it back into the skillet is easy and takes about 10-15 seconds.  Don't be squeamish. Be fearless and just do it!

~ Step 8.  Slide the fully-cooked omelette from the skillet onto a serving plate or platter.  

To insure perfect slices, allow to rest and cool slightly, about 2-3 minutes, prior to slicing.

Slice and serve immediately garnished with tomato slices, cilantro leaves, barista (crispy, deep-fried onions) and warm flatbread or toast:

An Indian Masala Omelette w/Crispy Fried Onions:   Recipe yields 1, 9" omelette or 4-6 servings.

Special Equipment List:  cutting board; chef's knife; hand-held electric mixer or whisk; rubber spatula; 10" skillet w/lid, preferably nonstick; thin spatula; 9"-round plate or platter

Cook's Note: In my recipe for ~ Chinatown's Famous Moo Shu (Shredded) Pork ~, their version of the "egg pancake" gets shredded and stir-fried into the shredded pork.  You can find it in Categories 2, 3, 13 & 19!

"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti

(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2014) 

Related articles

~ Easy Indian Chicken Curry in a Hurry w/No Worry ~

~ Indian Chicken Biryani: Demystified (& Simplified) ~

~ Making Indian Birista (Crispy Deep-Fried Onions) ~

~My Poached Egg & BLT Cheddar Biscuit Sandwich~

~ My E-Z Creamy-Dreamy Folded French Omelette ~