Khagina

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Afghani Pakistani aromatic eggs!
   
     Khagina is a popular breakfast or dinner entree.  The recipe has two names.  Khagina is the name most often used for this entree in Afghanistan and Pakistan.  Egg Bhurji is the other name for this entree.  This aromatic egg entree is commonly called bhurji in Pakistan and India.  If an egg recipe like this is popular in three countries and it has two names, then it must be a great tasting egg entree!
     Khagina is made like no other egg recipe.  Since this is not a pure vegetarian entree, butter is used.  Ghee or clarified butter is not used to make khagina.  Unsalted butter is cooked to the beurre noisette or beurre meuniere stage.  In plain English, the butter is cooked, till it becomes brown and a rich nutty aroma develops.  Whole cumin seeds are added to the hot butter and they are cooked till they pop.  The complex flavor of cumin seed changes when the seeds are popped.  Care must be taken to not cook the seeds till they scorch.  Cumin seeds do not make a loud popping noise like mustards seed do.
     The vegetables are always finely chopped for a Khagina.  One Thai chile is required for this recipe.  Green Thai chile has a different flavor than red Thai chile.  Either can be used for this recipe.  I had red Thai chiles on hand, so red Thai chile it was!
     The cumin seed, onion, tomato and cilantro are required ingredients.  Green peas are optional, but they are often added for more nutrition.  Garam masala is also often added as an optional ingredient.  Khagina is usually finished with a light sprinkle of red chile powder.  Khagina is most often served with flat naan or roti breads, but rice can also accompany khagina.

     Khagina Recipe:
     Prepare all of the ingredients ahead of time.  This recipe cooks quickly after the butter is browned!
     Heat a seasoned saute pan or non-stick saute pan over medium low heat.
     Add 4 pats of unsalted butter.
     Gently cook the butter, till it nearly stops foaming.
     Cook the butter, till a rich nutty aroma develops and the butter turns a light brown color.
     Add 2 pinches of whole cumin seeds.
     Saute till the seeds pop.  (About 45 seconds to 1 minute.)
     Add 1 small handful of finely chopped onion.
     Saute till the onions turn clear in color.  (Do not brown the onions in the brown butter!)
     Add 1 finely chopped Roma tomato or plum tomato.
     Saute till the tomato becomes tender.
     Add 2 whisked eggs.
     Add 1 small handful of finely chopped cilantro and cilantro stems.
     Add 1 small handful of blanched or frozen peas.  (optional)
     Sprinkle 1 very thin sliced Thai chile pepper on the eggs.
     Add sea salt.
     Add 1 pinch of garam masala.  (Optional, but if no garam masala is used, then add 1 pinch of black pepper.)
     Lightly scramble the ingredients together.
     Use a rubber spatula to push the eggs to the center of the pan, so they form a round shape.  By doing this step, the eggs and ingredients will become taller and thicker!
     Saute till the bottom half of the khagina becomes firm.
     Flip the khagina.
     Use a spatula to round the khagina shape and to build height again.
     Cook the khagina, till it becomes firm and the eggs are fully cooked.
     Slide the khagina onto a plate.
     Serve with plain white rice, naan or roti bread.
     Sprinkle a little bit of red chile powder over khagina.  (Sprinkle the chile powder over the rice, if rice was served as an accompaniment.  Indian red chile powder or Chinese chile powder is fine for this recipe.)
     Garnish with cilantro leaves.
   
     Aromatic?  Yes!  The nutty brown butter aroma with toasted cumin seed is the first to be noticed.  The cilantro and vegetable aroma soon follows.  The flavor of this Afghani Pakistani Khagina egg recipe tastes great and it is comfortably spicy!  Yum!  ...  Shawna