The art of making omelettes

If you love eggs, enjoy the versatility of a yummy omelette this monsoon. It is a powerhouse of proteins, vitamins, amino acids, omega-3 fatty acids and anti-oxidants. Throw in some vegetables, herbs, chicken or shrimp and you can even make an exotic meal out of it.

Whether it is the Roman ova spongia ex lacte, Spanish tortilla de patatas or the Persian kuku-ye sabzi, there are endless ways to make this delicious dish. Sangeeta Sen takes us on omelette tour around the world with her special recipes.

Ova Spongia Ex Lacte

Ingredients: Three eggs; 1¼ cups of milk; 1 tbsp each of olive oil and butter; honey and black pepper powder.

Method: Beat the eggs, milk and olive oil together to make a fluffy mixture. Melt the butter in a pan and gently pour this mixture. Fry lightly on both sides till the eggs get cooked. Finally, serve the omelette, topped with honey and black pepper.

Tortilla de Patatas

Ingredients: Two beaten eggs; 1 potato (cubed and boiled); 1 tomato (chopped); half a green capsicum (sliced); ½ a cup of green peas; 1 small onion (diced); 1 garlic clove, chopped and 2 tbsps of olive oil.

Method: In a pan, fry the onion, capsicum and garlic pieces in olive oil till they soften. Add the peas, potato cubes and tomato slices. Pour the beaten eggs over the vegetables. Now spoon this mixture into a greased medium-sized baking dish. Place it in an oven (pre-heated to about 200°C) and bake for 15-20 minutes till the mixture turns golden brown and fluffy. Loosen the edges of the omelette from the baking dish, and flip it onto a plate and serve.

French Easter

Ingredients: Four eggs; a medium-sized onion (sliced finely); chopped fresh coriander leaves; 50 gm of grated cheese; ¼ cup of chicken stock; 1 tbsp of water; salt to taste and olive oil.

Method: Sauté the onions in a pan till they soften. Add the chicken broth. Cover and let the onions simmer in the stock till all the liquid dries up. Set these onions aside. Next, heat a little olive oil in the pan. Beat together the eggs, chopped coriander leaves, water as well as salt and then, pour the mixture into the pan. Cover and cook until the eggs are set. Gently sprinkle the onions and the grated cheese over the omelette. Finally, fold the omelette, cover and cook till the cheese melts. Serve hot.

Spanakopita

Ingredients: Two beaten eggs; a bunch of spinach leaves (chopped and boiled); 50 gm of mint leaves (coarsely chopped); one spring onion (thinly sliced); 50 gm of crumbled paneer; 2 tbsps of olive oil, black pepper and salt to taste.

Method: Mix the spinach, spring onions, paneer and mint leaves with salt and black pepper in a bowl. Heat some olive oil in a pan and cook the beaten eggs. Once the eggs begin to set, pour the spinach mixture over them and continue cooking for a few minutes more until the eggs are done. Transfer the spanakopita onto a plate and serve hot.

Kuku-ye Sabzi

Ingredients: Two beaten eggs; 50 gm each of finely chopped coriander, dill, kasuri methi and lettuce; 1 spring onion (chopped); 1 tsp of crushed walnuts; 1 tbsp each of baking soda and flour; 2 tbsps of olive oil and salt to taste.

Method: Combine the beaten eggs, baking soda, flour, crushed walnuts and salt in a bowl. Stir fry the herbs, lettuce and spring onion ends in olive oil. Cool the mixture and add it to the eggs. Spoon this mixture onto a greased baking dish. Place it in an oven (pre-heated to about 200°C) and bake till the edges turn golden brown. Finally, flip the omelette onto a plate and serve.