So here we are again with two major holidays on the same weekend. And, they’re two holidays with entirely different food requirements! One traditionally goes for brisket and matzo; the other gets lamb or ham. However, there are two common themes. The first one is eggs. Lots and lots of eggs. The second is everyone stuffs themselves silly at either one or two big dinners. But, you still have to eat something in-between all of that. Eggs with spinach and chili peppers is just the thing. It’s quick, and easy to make. And, it’s not a big, heavy meal. It’s essentially a sort of egg pancake or frittata, except with South Asian flavoring.
The other nice thing about this recipe, is it’s done in two stages, but you only need a single skillet to make it. First you cook the veggies, garlic, and ginger, then add the eggs to the same pot. Let those cook, and you’re done. Add the yogurt (or not) to serve. Depending on your affiliation, serve with toast, matzo, or just some fresh fruit. Or, you can cut it into strips and serve it rolled up inside a tortilla. If your chili is super hot, the sweetness in the fruit will also help reduce the burn from the pepper.
Oh, and a third thing. It’s ready in about 15 minutes. So, if you’re hungry, and it’s late (as it was the first time I made this), you don’t have to wait long for a hot meal.
I adapted this from Madhur Jaffrey’s Quick and Easy Indian Cooking. In addition to reducing the amounts, I replaced the coriander with spinach. I don’t particularly like fresh coriander and I know lots of other people don’t care for it either. And, since my jalapeño pepper turned out to be really, really super hot, I added a dollop of Greek yogurt to cool it off, even though that wasn’t in the recipe. I found I liked it better that way too.
Eggs with Spinach and Chili Peppers
This recipe for eggs with spinach and chilis is an easy light meal, with earthy spinach, a touch of ginger, and garlic for kick.
Ingredients
- 2 eggs
- two pinches of salt (divided)
- 1 T vegetable oil
- 1 scallion, chopped
- 1 small clove garlic, finely chopped
- 2 T chopped spinach
- 1/2 jalapeño pepper, sliced into thin rounds (keep the seeds if you prefer your food spicier, remove them if not)
- 1/4 tsp grated ginger
- Pinch turmeric
- 1/2 tsp lemon juice
Instructions
- Crack the eggs into a small bowl and beat them with a fork. Add one pinch of salt and a grinding of black pepper.
- Pour the oil into a medium size skillet and set it over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot (it will sizzle if you add a drop of water), add the scallions.
- Stir the scallions in the pan with a wooden spoon and let them cook for a minute until they brown slightly.
- Add the garlic and cook for a few seconds more.
- Once the garlic softens, add the spinach, jalapeño pepper, ginger, and turmeric to the pan and stir briefly.
- Add the lemon juice and the rest of the salt and stir that into the spinach mixture, spreading everything evenly over the bottom of the pan.
- Now pour in the eggs. Pick up the pan and swirl it around so that the eggs cover the pan from side to side. It should look like an egg pancake.
- Put a cover over the pan and turn the heat down to medium-low. Cook for two or three minutes, until the eggs are firm on the edges and cooked through. They may be slightly brown and crispy on the edges.
- Cut into wedges (like a pie) and serve topped with yogurt (if you like).
Eggs with Spinach and Chili Pepper Substitutions and Variations
- use the coriander if you like it
- add two or three sliced mushrooms to the vegetable mixture
- toss in 1/4 C diced canned tomatoes
- if you’re not a spicy food fan, replace the chili with some bell pepper
More Egg Recipes
Egg and Tomato Gratin for One Person
Fragrant with thyme, onions, and tomatoes, then topped with Swiss cheese. Perfect for a light meal (especially around big holidays).
Only four ingredients, ready in just a few minutes. Just the thing when you want something fast.
Great for breakfast, lunch, or brunch. It’s flexible too: add mushrooms or bell peppers, change the cheese, top with chili garlic sauce, or leave it as is. Delicious food without a lot of fuss.
A tortilla, a couple of eggs, some chilis, and cheese: poof, it’s a meal! And since eggs cook quickly, you don’t have to wait long to eat.