Topic: Anda Bhurji (Spicy Indian Scrambled Eggs)

[mickdabass]

A quick and easy meal.
The key ingredient is the fresh methi. They sell this in our local Asda and is readily available in all Asian stores. Dried methi will not work.

Serves four

Ingredients

6 eggs
2 Tbsp veg oil
2 medium onions
1 green chili (or to taste)
Handful of fresh methi leaves without too many stalks
1 tsp garlic paste
1 tsp ginger paste
Half tsp turmeric
Half tsp chili powder (or to taste)
Half tsp salt
Pinch of Garam Masala

Method

Whisk eggs
Chop the onions into small pieces - not too finely
Finely chop the chili
Finely chop the methi


Fry the onions, chilli, garlic and ginger paste until soft and going brown around the edges
Add all the spices except the Garam Masala and continue to fry on a medium heat for a couple of minutes

Add the eggs and methi and cover. Do not stir them at this point
When half cooked (3-4 mins?) stir and then re-cover

Cook until eggs are cooked through (another 3-4 mins)
Sprinkle with a pinch of Garam Masala and serve

[duplicate ingredient removed]

[livo]

Looks great but fresh methi may be a problem for me.  It will take some investigation and searching around to find, if it is available.  I've certainly never seen any.  Are you aware of anything that may be substituted?

Just read that Celery top leaf can be substituted at a ratio of 1 Tbsp / tsp.  Obviously wont be as good but may have to do.

Apparently sprouts very easily from seed, so I'll be trying that for sure, and also available frozen, maybe.

[Naga]

Looks great but fresh methi may be a problem for me...Apparently sprouts very easily from seed...

I can vouch for that, livo. I've grown it myself in the past from packet seed and it grows like a weed, no problem. It's a bit leggier than the stuff you can buy from the Asian grocers, but that's only to be expected given the seed is sold for consumption rather than cultivation. I'm sure I put photos up a couple of years ago.

[livo]

I live in borderline sub-tropical / temperate zone so I should be OK with it.  Add to that global warming and it can only get better.

[Naga]

I live in borderline sub-tropical / temperate zone so I should be OK with it.  Add to that global warming and it can only get better.

I live in a similar zone. Maybe a wee bit less sub-tropical up here in Scotland, mind you!

[mickdabass]

I remember seeing those photos Naga. One of my Asian friends told me that methi is very easy to grow in the UK.
When I first saw the ingredients for this recipe I thought it looked quite uninteresting; but I have to say that when I made it, the flavours really took me by surprise. In my early curry making days I tried fresh methi but found that it didnt contribute anything much to a bir type curry. However in this dish its got a sort of "toffee" tasting moreishness about it.
If you do succeed in growing some Livo, I would recommend that you use mainly the leaves. The thicker stalks have a bitter taste to them and detract from the toffe taste

Regards

Mick

[Naga]

...In my early curry making days I tried fresh methi but found that it didnt contribute anything much to a bir type curry....

Aye! I agree with that. I just tracked down the thread I posted about a version of Methi Chicken I made in 2013 and, although I wrote glowingly about the dish at the time, the dish hasn't made it to my goto list. Having a proper BIR recipe for Methi Chicken might have helped of course. At least my curries (and photography) have improved since then!

But I *will* try your recipe, Mick, when I get my hands on some more fresh methi. The combination of eggs and chilli is truly made in paradise!

[livo]

author=Naga link=topic=13894.msg120831#msg120831 date=1430984439

I live in a similar zone. Maybe a wee bit less sub-tropical up here in Scotland, mind you!

I recall reading Findhorn in my college days.

Apparently Watercress is another suitable substitute, although obviously not Methi.  I'm just wondering if Polk Salad will do the job.

[fried]

I managed to get hold of a bundle of fresh methi, so I made this for lunch. I used green chillis instead, it  was very nice, I now have to find some ways of using up the rest of the methi....

I see Naga's vahchef recipe, any chance of a link to BB's BIR version, I can't seem to find it.

I might have to do both.

[livo]

Just noticed you have put 1/2 tsp of chilli in the recipe twice.  Not that it matters.  I'm about to give this a go.