Equipment
Ingredients
Aromatics
- 30 g red onion, finely chopped
- 1 green chilli, finely minced
- 5 g fresh coriander, finely chopped including tender stems
Eggs and Spices
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 g salt, fine
- 1 g turmeric powder
- 1 g red chilli powder
- 1 g garam masala
Cooking Fat
- 10 ml ghee
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 269 kcal
- Protein
- 15 g
- Carbohydrates
- 6 g
- Fat
- 21 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
- Sugar
- 2 g
- Sodium
- 967 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 10 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 7 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 3 g
- Cholesterol
- 435 mg
- Potassium
- 303 mg
- Calcium
- 79 mg
- Iron
- 2.9 mg
- Magnesium
- 22 mg
- Phosphorus
- 237 mg
- Zinc
- 1.7 mg
- Vitamin A
- 295 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 16 mg
- Vitamin D
- 2.2 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 2.0 mg
- Vitamin K
- 19 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.3 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 1.0 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.06 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.54 mg
- Niacin
- 0.4 mg
- Folate
- 62 mcg
- Water
- 120 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Using a chef knife and cutting board, finely chop the red onion, mince the green chilli, and chop the fresh coriander. Set aside.
Crack the large eggs into a mixing bowl. Add the salt, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, and garam masala. Beat vigorously with a fork until frothy. If serving vulnerable populations, ensure pasteurized eggs are used to prevent foodborne illness.
Add the prepared red onion, green chilli, and fresh coriander to the egg mixture. Stir briefly to distribute the ingredients evenly.
Place the non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat and add the ghee. Heat to approximately 175 C / 350 F, swirling the pan so the melted ghee coats the entire bottom and slightly up the sides.
Pour the egg mixture into the hot pan. Gently swirl the pan to ensure the vegetables are in an even layer. Let it cook undisturbed for 1 to 2 minutes until the edges begin to crisp and pull away from the pan.
Slide the spatula under one half of the omelette and carefully fold it over the other half. Cook for another 30 seconds to ensure the center is completely set and reaches a safe internal temperature of 74 C / 165 F. Slide onto a plate and serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- Beating the eggs until they are very frothy incorporates air, resulting in a significantly lighter and fluffier omelette.
- Do not overstuff the egg mixture with too many vegetables, as the structural integrity of the omelette will fail during the fold.
- For an extra layer of flavor, lightly sauté the onions and chillies in the pan for 1 minute before adding the egg mixture, rather than mixing them in raw.
- Always chop your aromatics extremely fine; large chunks of raw onion will not cook through in the brief time it takes an omelette to finish.
Storage
Refrigerator: 1 day — Store in an airtight container once cooled.
Reheating: Microwave on medium power for 30 to 45 seconds until heated through.
Troubleshooting
Omelette breaks completely when attempting to fold
Cause: The pan was not sufficiently preheated, or the omelette was flipped before the bottom had properly set.
Fix: Use your spatula to break the eggs apart completely, converting the dish into a spiced Indian egg scramble known as Anda Bhurji.
Prevention: Ensure the ghee is hot before pouring in the eggs, and do not rush the folding process; wait until the edges are firm.
Omelette is burnt on the outside but runny inside
Cause: The cooking temperature was too high.
Fix: Cover the pan with a lid, turn off the heat, and let the residual steam finish cooking the center for 1 minute.
Prevention: Lower the heat to medium once the eggs hit the pan.
Cultural Context
The masala omelette is a quintessential Indian street food and home breakfast staple. Often served tucked into heavily buttered pav (soft bread rolls) or alongside hot parathas, it reflects the Indian culinary philosophy of layering robust spices to transform simple, everyday ingredients. While every region and household maintains its own unique variation, the holy trinity of crisp red onion, fiery green chilli, and fragrant coriander remains universally beloved.
