The best way to start your day is with a sumptuous egg preparation. Tired of the usual omelette, boiled, and poached egg? Then try this layered Turkish scrambled egg dish called Menemen. The addition of shredded cheese, tomato, bell peppers, and sliced sausage enhance the deliciousness quotient of the dish. Menemen is made in one pot and can be rustled up within 15 to 20 minutes. The dish can also be made as per taste preference without compromising on the essence.
Menemen facts
The name of the scrambled egg dish is derived from the town where it was invented: Menemen, which is a small, market town in Turkey. It is one of the items included in the elaborate Turkish breakfast called kahvalti, which includes a variety of dishes that are made with eggs, breads, cheese, cured meats, fresh vegetables, jams, and sauces to go with the food.
Breakfast is one of the most important meals in Turkey, and starts with the traditional Turkish bread, Simit, which is soft, circular bread embedded with sesame seeds. Simit is eaten with either eggs, cheese, meat, or jam. The other ingredients, native to the region, include spreads made with olives, molasses, and sesame seeds. Turkish Breakfast has a wide variety of items, of myriad flavours and refreshing fare that sets the tone for the day. What’s more the breakfast is savoured not with coffee or milk tea, but with black tea.
Some confuse Menemen with Shakshuka, another Turkish egg preparation, as it has almost the same ingredients. However, the essential differences between the two are that while the base of Menemen is scrambled eggs and is made with sausages, the base of Shakshuka is poached eggs and, usually, is not made with sausages.
Below is a simple recipe of Menemen:
Ingredients:
3 tomatoes
2 eggs
1 green chilli
75 grams sausage
½ cup shredded cheese
1 tablespoon butter
½ teaspoon salt
Method:
Peel the tomatoes or blanch it so that the skin becomes soft and can be easily peeled
Chop the tomatoes in medium size
Chop the green chilli
In a pan, place the butter and let it melt
Add the green chilli and sauté till soft
Add tomato and salt and mix and cover the a lid, and let it simmer till softened
While it simmers, crush the tomatoes till the excess liquid is removed
Slice the sausage and add quite a bit of shredded cheese
Whisk the two eggs and add , then cover with lid and let it cook for a few more minutes
Once the eggs are done, then add the cheese and allow it to melt
Serve
Menemen can also be garnished with seasonings such as oregano, red chilli flakes, or pepper, and is often eaten with Simit. Sometimes, though not often, onions are also added to the dish. The scrambled egg preparation is not only an ideal breakfast dish but also can be eaten for lunch and dinner.