Following on from our 5 Easy Egg Dinners, we have 5 egg dinners from around the world! Hitting Japan, China, Israel, France and Burma, these egg based dinners are delicious and a little bit different. All serve 4 persons. Increase quantities to serve more people.

Omurice

Ingredients

This is a popular Japanese dish where fried rice flavoured with tomato sauce is wrapped in an egg crepe and topped with more tomato sauce. It’s a funny sort of fusion dish, but is very delicious and popular with children.

2 chicken thighs
1 onion
2 tablespoons oil
4 cups of cooked white rice
½ cup of peas
2 carrots
2 tablespoons tomato sauce
salt and pepper

4 eggs
1 teaspoon mirin
1 teaspoon sake
salt
½ tablespoon of oil

more tomato sauce to serve

Method

1. Dice chicken into bite size pieces. Finely dice onion and carrot.
2. Add 2 tablespoons of oil to a shallow frying pan and place on medium head. Add onion and carrot and cook until onion is translucent and carrot is tender but not soft.
3. Add chicken and cook for 4 minutes before adding rice and cooking for a further 4 minutes.
4. Season with salt and pepper. Shift rice to one side of the pan.
5. Add tomato sauce to the vacant side of the pan and allow to cook for 30 seconds before stiring together with rice and other ingredients.
6. Add frozen peas and stir together with rice. Cook till peas and tender and heated through. Set rice aside.
7. Beat together eggs with mirin, sake and salt.
8. In a large shallow frying pan, heat the oil on medium heat. Pour ¼ of the egg mixture into the pan and swirl around to cover the surface. You’re aiming to make a crepe-like omletete that is really thin. Cook it only on one side and then slide it onto a serving plate.
9. Take ¼ of the rice mixture and press onto one half of the crepe omelette. Press gently with the back of a spoon to shape it and tidy it. Fold other side of omelette over the top.
10. Add a zigzag of tomato sauce on the top of the omelette to serve. Repeat another 3 times.

Egg drop soup

This soup is often one of the first recipes that Chinese children learn to cook by themselves. It is simple, wholesome and delicious.

Ingredients

800mls chicken stock
2 eggs
2 spring onions
1 teaspoon salt
pinch of white pepper.

Method

1. In a large saucepan add the chicken stock, salt and pepper and bring to the boil.
2. In a small bowl, whisk the eggs.
3. Finely slice the spring onion and add it to the beaten eggs.
4. With one hand constantly stirring the soup, slowly pour the egg mixture into the pot in a thin stream. Constant gentle stirring forms the stands and shreds of egg.
5. Remove from heat. Divide into bowls and serve immediately.

Shakshuka

Shakshuka is an Israeli breakfast dish of eggs baked in a tomato sauce. It is delicious served with soft bread or toast to soak up the juices. During the winter this dish is popular in Melbourne cafes, where you’ll see many versions that add different types of cheese such as feta or slices of grilled haloumi as a delicious garnish. I used to make a version of shakshuka when I was a breakfast chef but instead of baking it, it was all done on the stove. Nothing was more stressful than trying to manage 10 miniature pans of shakshuka, making sure each was cooked to perfection. This is much more fun to make in one large pan for the family.

Ingredients

1 onion
1 red capsicum
1 chilli
4 garlic cloves
3 tablespoons tomato paste
2 cans whole peeled tomatoes
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons ground cumin
3 cups chopped spinach, silverbeet or kale
8 eggs

Method

1. Finely chop onion, capsicum and finely dice garlic and chilli.
2. In your largest saucepan or skillet, add 2 tablespoons of oil and sauté over medium heat until onion is translucent and other vegetables softened.
3. Add the cumin, paprika and allow to cook with the vegetables for a couple of minutes or until fragrant.
4. Add the tomato paste and stir through. Allow to cook out for 5 minutes
5. Pour in the tinned tomatoes,bay leaf, brown sugar and salt. Allow the mixture to simmer for 20 minutes.
6. Add the chopped greens and stir through. Allow to cook for one minute.
7. Crack the eggs into the sauce. If you like make little wells with your spoon for the eggs to sit in.
8. Put the lid on and allow to simmer for 5-10 minutes or until the whites are set.
9. Remove from heat and serve with flat bread or toast for dipping.

Simple Quiche Lorraine

Quiche is ubiquitous in bakeries and cafes around Australia, but this humble version of the Lorraine region of France does not have cheese, unlike popular modern versions. You can add a cup of Gruyere cheese or cheddar if you like.

Ingredients:  Pastry
455g plain flour
300g butter
150mls cold water
1 teaspoon salt

Ingredients:  Filling
200g smoked bacon or speck
8 eggs
80mls cream
100mls milk
½ grated nutmeg

Method

1. In a large bowl combine flour and salt. Chop cold butter in small pieces.
2. Add into flour and use your hands to cut the butter into the flour.
3. Once the largest pieces of butter are no larger than chunky breadcrumbs, make a well and add the cold water. Stir to combine and form into smooth dough. This dough should not be wet or sloppy.
4. Flour your bench top and knead the dough for 5 minutes until smooth. Wrap in cling film and place in the fridge to chill for at least an hour.Alternatively you can easily make this dough in a stand mixer or food processor.
5. Once the dough has rested, cut into 4 pieces. Wrap the other 3 and reserve for another day.
6. Roll out the pastry o a thickness of no more than half a centimetre.
7. Once rolled out, slide your hands under the dough and gently loosen up by moving your fingers. This allows your dough to pre-shrink before you line your dish, so that it won’t shrink in the oven
8. Line your dish or mould with the dough and trim the excess. Place in the fridge to rest.
9. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celcius
10. Dice the bacon or speck.In a fry pan, add a slug of oil and place on medium heat. Fry the bacon until before it starts to colour.
11. When the oven is at temperature, line the pastry case with baking paper and fill with baking beads or old beans and chickpeas. Bake for 10 minutes or until the pastry is set but not colouring. This prevents getting a soggy bottom. Once baked remove the paper and baking beads/beans carefully.
12. Whisk together the eggs, cream, milk, grated nutmeg and ½ a teaspoon of salt and some black pepper.
13. Scatter the bacon at the bottom of the pastry. Slowly pour over the egg mixture.
14. Reduce oven temperature to 160 degrees Celcius. Place quiche in the oven and bake for 20-30 minutes.
15. Allow to cool to just warm before serving as it will be quite fragile.

Golden Egg Curry

This Burmese dish is a little more complicated than the other egg dishes listed here, but your reward is a rich and spicy curry full of crisp-skinned eggs that have first been boiled and then fried. The spicy, sweet sauce is delicious over rice and also wonderful to sop up with flat breads.
Adapted from the sbs.com.au recipe.

Ingredients

5 eggs
1/3 cup of rice bran oil or other neutral oil
¼ teaspoon turmeric
pinch of chilli powder
1 onion
2 garlic cloves
4 tomatoes
2 teaspoons fish sauce
2 green chillies
salt and pepper
4 cups of cooked basmati rice to serve (2 cups uncooked)

Method

1. In a medium saucepan, put the eggs in and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil and cook for 8 minutes. You’re aiming for firm boiled eggs. Drain and place eggs in cold water; this helps make them easy to peel. When they are cool enough to handle, break the shell and carefully peel them. Set aside.
2. Clean and dry the same saucepan. Add the oil and place on medium-high heat.
3. Add the turmeric to the oil and stir. When the oil is hot, add the boiled eggs and fry until the outside is golden. Turn over and allow the other sides of the egg to fry also. Remove the eggs from the oil and set aside.
4. Use a couple tablespoons of the oil and reserve the rest for later.
5. Finely chop the onion and finely dice the garlic. Also roughly chop the tomatoes. Slice the chilli into thin strips, if using. Cut the boiled and fried eggs in half lengthways.
6. Bring the oil to heat and gently sauté the onion and garlic. Add the chili powder and allow to cook for a minute.
7. Add the tomatoes and allow to simmer for 10 minutes or until softened.
8. Add the fish sauce and season with salt and pepper the taste.
9. Add the chilli and the eggs, cut side down. Allow to cook for another 5 minutes.
10. Stir in the fish sauce and salt, then taste and adjust the seasoning if you wish. Raise the heat to medium-high, add the chile strips, and stir. Place the eggs cut side down in the sauce and cook until the oil sizzles, about 3 minutes. Serve hot or at room temperature.
11. Serve hot with rice, and with crisp flatbreads if you like.