Everyone has their own way of doing scrambled eggs. Akoori is the Parsi way. The Parsis are Iranians who, fleeing persecution, arrived in India in AD 936. Their mantra is “good thoughts, good words, and good deeds,” but they might as well tag on “good eggs” because they know a thing or two about them.
This dish has been a Sunday-morning family favorite for years. It’s especially loved by Dad, as the short list of pantry ingredients means he never has to pop out to grab anything.
Serves 4 for breakfast
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
8 eggs
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 red onions, finely chopped
2 ripe tomatoes, chopped
1½ Indian green chiles, finely chopped
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons cilantro, finely chopped
Coarsely crush the cumin seeds in a mortar and pestle and leave to one side. Crack the eggs into a bowl and lightly beat with a fork, then leave to one side too.
Next, put the butter into a frying pan over medium heat. When melted, add the crushed cumin and the red onions and fry for 12 to 15 minutes, until the onions are soft, golden, and caramelized. Then add the tomatoes, green chiles, salt, and black pepper.
Toss the tomatoes around for 30 seconds to a minute, then turn the heat to low and pour in the eggs. Keep stirring continuously. Don’t worry if it takes a while to cook them: they will be all the creamier for it. When the eggs start to clump but are still soft, take off the heat and stir through the chopped cilantro.
Serve with buttered toast and chai.
