Some breakfast dishes made of eggs are so delicious that they are perfect for any time of day. In fact, some restaurants serve popular breakfast dishes from around the world for lunch and dinner as well. At the Singaporean chain of restaurants, Wild Honey, diners can choose from poached eggs in hollandaise, New York-style scrambled eggs, a decadent French toast made with brioche, delicious versions of the shakshuka and so much more.
The shakshuka — a mouth-watering one-dish meal of Mediterranean origin, made with finely-chopped onions, peppers, garlic and tomatoes and cooked until the tomatoes turn pulpy with the addition of cayenne pepper or paprika, cumin powder and lots of fresh herbs like parsley and coriander — would definitely fit into the ‘comfort foods’ category.
What’s special about this particular egg dish is its versatility. I’d been cooking this dish even before I knew its name and my original recipe used dried thyme and red chilli powder as flavouring. Of late, depending on what’s available, we add home-grown basil, fresh coriander or even feta or hung curd. The accompaniments have been just as eclectic as the flavours. When eaten for breakfast, the best option would be crusty bread. But, for dinner, we’ve experimented with couscous, garlic noodles, flavoured rice and a good baguette. No matter what we choose, this particular meal never fails to hit the spot.
Tomatoes and eggs are such a no-fail combination that one feels free to experiment. Olives, jalapeños, green chillies, chorizo sausage, county corn kernels are some options. The deliciousness lies in the coming together of the tomatoes and spices and also in the manner in which the eggs are cooked. After being covered and left to poach in the tomato mixture, they taste best when the white has turned opaque and the yolks are beginning to thicken but are still soft. As the molten yellow goo flows over the spiced tomato base, it adds a rich creaminess to balance out the taste and texture. When cooked in an iron skillet, not only does it offer natural health benefits, but it also cooks evenly and looks visually appealing.
Whether you want to cook for one or 12, the shakshuka remains a great meal.