Omelette Curry, or Indian Omelette in Sauce/Gravy with Green Peas and Bok Choy

Does an omelette soaked in spicy tomato sauce speak to you? It certainly did to me! When I found it while looking for Indian egg recipes, I couldn’t believe my eyes! What a genius idea! Apart from the eggs, many recipes called for potatoes, but I wanted to eat the dish – and clean the plate ! – with my homemade chapatti, so I thought the meal would be too heavy with both. I opted for green peas and… bok choy, a typical Indian vegetable (just joking!). To make the matters worse, instead of following one source, I took inspiration from different recipes, making the seasoning and sauce as easy and quick as possible. I hope this dish can still be labelled as Indian because for me it tasted Indian and it smelled definitely Indian. The first bite felt like the quintessence of home comfort food (which was surprising, given my origins). I know it will be perfect for any time of the day (imagine such a luxurious late breakfast!) and I already see its endless versions, changing according to seasonal vegetables… (I did prepare it afterwards with potatoes too and it was sensational).

TIPS: Before you start panicking about the number of “exotic” ingredients, let me assure you that if you cook Indian from time to time, you probably already have most of them and if you intend to cook at least three Indian dishes in your life, you’ll need all those spices anyway and they’ll keep for quite a long time. (Moreover, you can use them in non-Indian dishes too!).

The great news for this dish is that you can make the omelette the day before and then finish the whole dish the following day. You can obviously change the vegetables according to seasons and to your fridge content.

If you decide to prepare this dish with potatoes, slice them and then cut into bite-sized pieces. The cooking time will be much longer though.

If you have homemade chicken or vegetable stock, add it to the omelette. If you have it only powdered or in cubes, just skip it and add more milk or cream.

Don’t be tempted to heat the omelette and peas for more than 5 minutes. The peas will become mushy!

Preparation: about 40 minutes

Ingredients (serves two):

Omelette:

4 medium or big eggs

3 tablespoons milk or cream 

3 tablespoons homemade stock (if you don’t have it, add more milk/cream)

1-2 fresh green chillies, finely sliced or chopped

1/4 teaspoon turmeric

salt, freshly ground pepper

(2 tablespoons of green onion stalks or chives (chopped) )

Remaining ingredients:

1 teaspoon of black mustard seeds

1 big onion or four big shallots, cut in two and then finely sliced

2-3 fresh green chillies, sliced (if you use small ones, you can cut them in four lengthwise)

1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped or grated (you can use ginger ad garlic paste instead of grating/chopping)

1 teaspoon chilli powder, I’ve used here Kashmiri chilli powder (or less/more, depending on its heat level and you preferences)

1/3 teaspoon turmeric powder

1/2 teaspoon cumin powder

2 medium tomatoes, diced or about 100 ml canned tomatoes or tomato salsa

2 small bokchoys/pakchoys (remove the leafy part, unless you really like it), cut into bite-sized pieces

6 tablespoons fresh or frozen green peas (if using frozen, don’t thaw them before using)

salt to taste

First break the eggs and mix them with the omelette ingredients.

Heat some oil in a pan (I have used a 28 cm pan) and fry the omelette at low heat, covered, until the top part is almost set. Flip it over and fry for 10 more seconds.

Fold the omelette in two and put aside.

(You can make this step many hours before making the whole dish and even the day before).

Heat some oil in a pan, stir-fry the onion/shallots and the chillies, stirring, until the onion is golden brown.

Add the ginger and the garlic and stir-fry for one minute.

Put the pan off the heat and add the powdered spices (chilli, turmeric and cumin). Stir well.

Now add the tomato, let it simmer until the tomato breaks into a thick sauce or, if using tomato sauce, just warm it up for 5-10 minutes. Season with salt to taste.

Add the the bok choy and let the whole dish simmer for about 5 more minutes.

Cut the omelette in four equal parts and delicately put on top of the sauce with bok choy.

Add the peas, cover and let the dish simmer for about 5 minutes (until the omelette is well reheated).

You can serve this dish sprinkled with fresh coriander, fresh green chilli or chives/green onions (and also with fresh dill).

14 Replies to “Omelette Curry, or Indian Omelette in Sauce/Gravy with Green Peas and Bok Choy”

  1. For a long time, I have enjoyed shakshuka (the Middle Eastern tomato gravy with baked eggs) so I know, whatever you would call this beautiful dish, I would love it. Omelettes are by far, my favourite eggs and the richly flavoured curry that your eggs are bathed in would be an amazing accompaniment for sure. The blend of flavours in the spice mix sound sublime. Your recipe, dear Sissi, is created much the same way that I cook, inspiration from here and there; I don’t often make a recipe verbatim, it is frequently for personal taste and preferences but mostly from what I have in the pantry or refrigerator. The bok choy provides an wonderful texture, while the peas add an interesting crunch and sweetness. AI love your idea to use your chapati to clean the plate!

    1. Hi Eva, I also love tomato sauce with eggs (but I know the Italian version, with eggs which are poached in the sauce). Thank you so much for the kind words and all the compliments! I do sometimes cook the exact recipe (such as for example curry masalas or Thai curry pastes), but I always adapt the amount of spices and/or ingredients. It depends on the cuisine; I think one needs to cook lots of exact Indian recipes for example to be able to play with flavours afterwards without losing the Indian character. It’s much easier to play with Italian or even Japanese cuisine…
      I know freeze mu chapatti portions (by two), so whenever I make an Indian dish they are waiting in the freezer! (I don’t like basmati rice, bread is a bit boring as an Indian dish company…. so chapatti or naans are my favourite).

  2. Wow, so those lovely and distinctive triangles I’m looking at are your segmented omelette? I am in awe. I can’t even make an omelette much less a pretty one ;D. That would be a big yes to the eggs served over a spicy tomato sauce – and, I have the ingredients! (although definitely not exotic, when I was a kid I would eat warmed up tomatoes with Worcestershire sauce and rice for snack – I love tomato bases and your Indian inspired one sounds especially delicious).

    1. Thank you so much, Kelly. You are too kind!!! My omelette was far from being neat and pretty. This dish is excellent because the omelette(s) can be prepared even the day before and the whole dish finished the following day.

  3. What an inviting picture, it makes me hungry. I was already thinking about making it right now, I have to see how I can replace the bok choi, I don’t have that in the house! Maybe some frozen spinach… and the potatoes as well, I don’t have any Indian bread either. 🙂

  4. I did cook this yesterday, Sissi, with the changes I’ve mentioned: spinach instead of bok choy and potatoes. And less chili because of the kids. We loved it, even the children ate everything without any word of complain. My husband was thrilled with having omelette pieces in a stew, he even mentioned it to friends later. 🙂

    1. Hi Adina, thank you so much for this kind message! I’m so happy to learn you and your family liked this recipe! This is what I love most with food blogging: sharing my favourite recipes and hoping someone else will enjoy them… I am sure your modifications didn’t change the deliciousness factor 😉 I also found it amazing idea to cook an omelette in a spicy sauce! So obvious, but who thinks about it apart from Indian cooks??? Thank you again for coming back and talking about your experience!

  5. This is unique! I’ve never heard of smothering an omelette in tomato sauce – chile sauce, yes – but not tomato sauce. 🙂 I do love the idea and your photograph makes it very appetizing. Lots of great seasonings. And you’re right…even though I don’t cook Indian much, I do have all of the ingredients except for the black mustard seeds. Nice dish!

    1. Thank you so much, MJ. Chile sauce and an omelette sounds fabulous (have I missed this one on your blog???). Forget the mustard seeds… just skip them if you don’t have them. The remaining spices bring moche more flavour difference than the mustard.

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