Menemen is a Turkish dish of scrambled egg that is added with tomatoes, onions and chilli. The Turkish delicacy features eggs that are scrambled, but barely set. The dish takes about 30 minutes to make and is perfect for those just starting out at cooking.
Menemen is usually eaten during breakfast, and it is an essential part of the Turkish family tradition. The dish is served with olive oil, cheese and slices of crusty bread. The dish is also versatile as you can choose to add meat or any other ingredients into the recipe. You can modify the recipe to make it vegetarian or add some meat for protein.
The best chilli peppers for the dish are found in the Turkish region, such as Aleppo peppers. However, alternatives can be used if Turkish peppers are not readily available. The crucial part of making Menemen is that the eggs have to be beaten very lightly.
Want to try out a new dish to eat at home? Check out the Menemen recipe down below!
Ingredients (2 servings):
- Kosher salt
- 3 tbsp of extra-virgin olive oil
- Fresh ground black pepper
- ½ tsp of hot paprika
- ½ cup of chopped tomatoes
- ¼ tsp of dried oregano
- 4 eggs (beaten)
- Minced fresh chives (for garnish)
- 1 small onion
- ¾ cup of Chinese green long pepper (finely diced)
Directions:
- Using a nonstick iron skillet, start heating some olive oil on low heat until it is relatively warm. Proceed to add some paprika, onions, oregano and peppers. Season with salt and a decent amount of black pepper.
- Cook the ingredients by frequently stirring until the consistency becomes very soft. This usually occurs in about 8 minutes of mixing. Add some chopped, peeled tomatoes and continue cooking until the colours are darker. Remove half of the mixture and then leave it aside.
- Place the pan above the heat and then add the beaten eggs. Add some more salt and pepper. Proceed to stir the mixture until the eggs are mixed thoroughly with the ingredients. Remove the pan from the heat and proceed to add the vegetable mixture into the mix. Add a dash of chives as a garnish and then serve the dish. The dish is best served with some side of salty cheese, olives and crusty bread.