Eggs - The Quickest Omelet

Previous: Eggs – Anda Bhurji

"Eggs are great Ma," Hosh said to Isha, "They are so quick and easy to make, yet so cheap and versatile."

"Yea," Isha smiled, "they are also so tasty and nutritious. Not just for us, but also for our pets. They make the coats of dogs and cats lovely and shiny!"

"Did you know there are 13 vitamins and nutrients in eggs – including Vitamin D, which is a hard one to get into you, if you have a sedentary job and work mostly indoors, away from direct sunlight."

"Even Eye specialists recommend them now, as they seem to have very important carotenoids, lutein and zeaxanthin. What they do is to help stop macular degeneration when you get older."

"An egg a day can provide complete, balanced protein for kids, teenagers, and pregnant ladies. Because eggs contain folate, iron and Vitamin B12, they are also an excellent complement to vegetables."

"Some people worry that eating an egg daily could increase blood cholesterol. But eggs have less saturated fats (up to 1.5 gm per egg), and more good fats (around 3 gm per egg)."

"So you're not really wolfing down calories, unless you serve it with calorie-rich stuff or overeat. Depending upon the size of the egg, an egg contains about 75 calories or 310 kilojoules. But it also has a significantly high satiety effect so you feel fuller for longer – good news if you are dieting."

"I know eggs make you brainy Ma," Hosh chipped in, "They contain choline which is essential for proper brain development before and after a person is born."

"Yea," said Isha, "Do you want to learn how to cook an Omelet in less than a minute?"

Hosh nodded excitedly. Isha smiled and wrote up an Ingredients List to serve one.

"For cooking more than one omelet," she tipped, "simply add multiples of 2 eggs and 2 tablespoons of water to a large bowl. Season and whisk until blended. Then scoop out one standard half cup ladle of the mixture to cook each omelet."

Hosh looked at the List. It said:

• 2 eggs per person
• 2 tablespoons of water
• 1 tablespoon of butter, margarine or oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Fillings of your choice

"What makes good Omelet fillings Ma?" he asked.

"You can use combinations," she answered, "of sliced ham, cheeses, sliced mushrooms, sliced green peppers, chopped onions, shrimp, cottage cheese, cooked bacon, cooked chicken, sliced black olives, salsa etc."

They whisked eggs, water and seasoning together in a bowl until blended. Oil was then heated in a saucepan until it was very hot but not yet smoking. Then Hosh poured the egg mixture in the pan.

Using a spatula, Isha showed him how to push the cooking mixture from the edge towards the center of the pan. She also tilted the pan so the runny mixture filled any holes she'd made.

"Repeatedly dig holes," she instructed, "and fill them around the pan until the mixture is no longer runny. It will still be moist and you would need only about 20 seconds to do all this."

"Then sprinkle your chosen fillings on one half of the omlette and fold the unfilled side over the filled side with a spatula. Then slide it gently onto a plate. Garnish and serve."

He did it perfectly, and beamed proudly back at her.

"Eggs-traordinaire!" she said, a satisfied smile dancing on her lips, "One day, I'll show you how to cook a Japanese Omlet. The most intricately made omelet ever."

Next: Eggs – Poached Perfectly