Fall Shakshouka

After Green, White & Red…. Here I am with a seasonal twist on my brunch staple Shakshouka - Poached Eggs on a Coconutty Orange and Butternut Squash Sauce with Sambal Vinaigrette and a delectable Curry Leaf Oil.

Half moon autumnal squash slices are braised in spices and orange juice until soft then thickened with coconut cream to form the base. Poached eggs are nestled in that rich aromatic sauce. Finished with a Sambal paste infused zingy vinaigrette for the acidity kick and Curry Leaf Mustard infused oil for the pizzazz. Tested and raved by many of my Instagram followers and friends, this one will soon become your fall favorite 🧡

Ingredients (serves 3-4 as Main)

Sauce

2.5 tbsp Coconut Oil (substitute with Olive Oil)

1 lb Butternut Squash, thinly sliced as half moons

1 Jalapeño, de-seeded and thinly sliced

4 scallions, julienned; whites and greens separated

3 garlic, finally chopped

1.5 tsp ground Cumin

1/2 tsp ground Cayenne 

1/2 tsp ground Turmeric

1 tsp Salt

1 tbsp Tomato Paste

150ml Fresh Orange Juice (increase the quantity if looking for a looser consistency)

75ml Coconut Cream (NOT coconut milk)

Sambal Vinaigrette

2 tbsp Fresh Orange Juice

1 tbsp Lime Juice

1/2 tbsp Lime Zest

1 tbsp Sambal Oelek (substitute with sriracha or your favorite hot sauce, but it won’t be the same)

1 tbsp Olive Oil

Curry Leaf Oil

1/2 tbsp Olive Oil

1 tsp Mustard Seeds (substitute with caraway or cumin seeds)

8-10 Curry Leaves (substitute with Basil)

4-5 eggs

*Fried Shallots (optional)

Directions

💥Whisk all vinaigrette ingredients until well emulsified. Keep it aside

💥Heat up coconut oil in a large skillet (I have cast iron here but nonstick or stainless steel are fine too); add jalapeño, scallion whites and garlic. Fry for 1 min, then add Butternut Squash, salt and spices. Stir everything until really so that the squashes look well coated. Continue frying on a medium flame for 15-16 mins or until it starts caramelizing and sticking to the pan

💥Now add tomato paste and cook for a minute. Then add half quantity of Orange Juice (to deglaze the pan) and continue cooking for 5 mins. Add coconut cream and give it a good mix. Tip remaining orange juice while stirring everything so that the base sauce looks relatively homogeneous. Add more juice at this stage for a looser consistency. Cook for 2 mins, then make 4-5 indentations in the Sauce

💥Crack Eggs into each cavity and generously mix the whites into sauce (use a fork to do that). Let them cook uncovered until whites are set (about 9 mins). Meanwhile, combine all curry leaf oil ingredients in a small pan.  On medium flame fry for 1 min to 90 seconds (until it starts sputtering)

💥Once the eggs are done - Drizzle curry leaf oil and scatter reserved scallion greens on top. Divide into serving bowls, spoon some vinaigrette on top and serve alongwith Flatbreads (Scallion Pancakes are my favorite with this) or Rice. Enjoy!

Green Shakshuka with Fried Garlic & Harissa

A staple from the early days of my recipe development that has graced several brunch parties in my home and also has led many of my current Instagram followers to my feed. For almost a year it continued to be the most made recipe from my feed - an OG Umami from Scratch recipe that I still make for Sunday Breakfast or for fridge cleanup before travels. You can find the video demo over here

I wouldn’t skip the final flourish of Harissa paste (buy a Mild variety by the Mina brand for less kick but my go to is the Tunisian one from Trader Joe’s), but if in a rush then feel free to squiggle some Sriracha on top.

Ingredients
3 tbsp Olive Oil
1 Thai green Chile, thinly sliced (optional)
1 stalk of leek, edible portion - thinly sliced
4 scallions, thinly sliced; whites & greens separated
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground cayenne
1/2 bulb of fennel, thinly sliced
1 tsp sweet paprika
3/4 tsp fine sea salt
15g Parsley, coarsely chopped
25g dill (tough parts removed), coarsely chopped
200g baby spinach
110ml heavy whipping cream
50g frozen green peas, thawed
50g crumbled Feta
4 large eggs

Topping
1 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
1 tbsp chopped basil
2 tbsp chopped mint
reserved sliced greens of scallions

Directions
🍳Heat up 2 tbsp oil in a skillet, add Thai chile (if using) & sauté for 1 min then add leeks & continue to sauté for another 2 mins. Add scallion whites, cumin & cayenne; fry for 2 mins then add fennel & fry for 4 more mins

🍳Now add parsley, dill & spinach along with 1/2 tsp salt. Keep frying for 4-5 mins or until mostly wilted. Add paprika, followed by cream & cook for 3 mins

🍳 Sprinkle peas and feta all over, make 4 indents & carefully crack eggs into them. Swirl the whites in the base & cook for 8-9 mins or until whites are just set. Meanwhile, in a small pan combine & fry all topping ingredients for 90 sec-2 mins (don’t want the herbs to lose too much color or the garlic to burn)

🍳 Once done, finish the shakshuka with garlic topping. Serve with some crusty bread or hot Pitas and enjoy!

Chile Bean Tomato Breakfast Eggs with Salsa and Tortilla Chips

Born from my partner’s love for red chilaquiles and mine for shakshouka! The sauce is built with a chipotle spiked roux that’s cooked with charred poblano and onion then bulked up by broth, cannellini beans and tomatoes. A good sprinkling of Cotija cheese then followed by eggs being cracked into sauce pockets, cooked until whites are set and finally topped with lots of fresh cilantro. Served with a hyper addictive bean-jalapeño salsa that is an absolute must to complete the dish. We typically dunk tortilla chips, grilled tortillas or the @traderjoes bean chips (shown in the photo). Don’t get bogged down by the long list of ingredients, trust me it’s all worth it!

Ingredients (serves 2-3)
Salsa
1/2 shallot, finely chopped
4 breakfast radishes, diced
1/2 jalapeño, diced (de-seed to reduce heat)
125g canned Canellini beans (roughly half can)
1.5 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground cayenne
1/2 tbsp lime zest
1.5 tbsp lime juice
1/2 tsp fine sea salt
Pinch of sugar
4 cherry tomatoes, quartered
2-3 stalks (both leaves & stem) of cilantro, finely chopped

Sauce
2 tbsp Plain or All Purpose Flour
2.5 tsp ground Chipotle Chile Pepper
2 tsp ground Cumin
1 tsp dried Oregano
2 tbsp Olive Oil
1 Large Poblano Pepper, slit
1/2 shallot, quartered
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tbsp Tomato Paste
200ml vegetable stock (substitute with just water or any stock of your choice)
160g canned Tomato Sauce
1 tsp fine sea salt
150g canned Canellini Beans (roughly half can)
8-10 Cherry Tomatoes, halved
4-5 tbsp crumbled Cotija Cheese

4-5 eggs, at room temp
2-3 stalks (both leaves & stem) of cilantro, roughly chopped
1 lime cut into wedges
Avocado Slices (optional)

Directions
🥣 Make salsa - combine everything except tomatoes & cilantro, let it marinate for at least 30 mins

🥣 Charring - Heat up a skillet, once smoking lay out poblano and quartered shallot. Using tongs char until both are aromatic & soft (about 9-10 mins). Once cool enough, roughly chop & keep it aside

🥣 Make Sauce - whisk flour, chile, cumin & oregano until well combined. Heat up olive oil in a skillet, add flour-spice mix into it & cook gently for 3 mins or until smells smoky/toasty. Quickly transfer chopped poblano & shallot and cook for 2 mins. Now splash some stock to deglaze & add tomato paste, cook for 1 min

🥣 Gradually add stock & cook for 4 mins or until the contents are beginning to thicken, now stir in the tomato sauce. Mix well, season with salt & cook for 2 mins

🥣 Add remaining canned beans & halved cherry tomatoes into the skillet, give it a good mix & cook for 2 mins. Sprinkle cheese, lower the flame & make 4-5 indentations. Crack Eggs into each cavity & generously mix the whites into sauce. Let them cook uncovered until whites are set (about 9 mins)

🥣 While eggs are cooking, add quartered tomatoes & cilantro into the salsa bowl & give it a good mix (season if required). Now sprinkle cilantro on top of eggs and serve with tortilla chips, bean salsa & lime wedges

White Shakshuka with Garlicky Herb Topping

Loosely inspired by the Turkish Çilbir , here I have my white Shakshouka with a flavorful herby topping - eggs cooked on a bed of thick Greek-yoghurt & Feta sauce then finished with a fried garlic, spices & soft herbs concoction. This one has been voted by several friends and family as the “Breakfast of Champions”

Ingredients(serves 3-4)
Base
2 tbsp Olive Oil
1 large red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 tsp fine sea salt
530g (2 cups), full-fat thick Greek Yoghurt
165g crumbled Feta
4-5 large eggs

Topping
1-1.5 tbsp Olive Oil
3 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
1 tsp Coriander Seeds, lightly crushed
1 tsp Cumin Seeds, lightly crushed
1/2 tsp Red Pepper flakes
Pinch of salt
50g (1/2cup) Green Peas
3g Basil Leaves, shredded
2g Mint Leaves, shredded

Garnish
3g Sweet Basil, shredded (adjust to taste)
2g Mint, shredded (adjust to taste)
1 tsp Rose Harissa (optional)

Directions
🍳 Heat up 2 tbsp oil in a skillet, add onions sauté for 5 mins then add salt & sauté for one more minute. Add yoghurt, using a silicone whisk give it a good mix and reduce the flame to low. Let it cook for 5 mins

🍳 Now sprinkle feta on top (don’t mix) and let it cook on low flame for 18 minutes. Make 4-5 indentations in that yoghurt-feta base, crack eggs into those. Using a fork or spatula generously mix the whites into the base.

🍳 While the eggs are cooking, combine all topping ingredients in a small pan. Fry everything on low heat for 5 mins

🍳 The eggs should be done in 9-10 mins, add the topping & garnish with fresh herbs (dot it with some Rose Harissa, if using) and serve with a side of crusty bread.