Shakshouka

When I was in New York... I frequented a small restaurant - Hummus Place. Its a small restaurant in Greenwich Village serving Mediterranean Cuisine. They have simple and well made vegetarian dishes which feel healthy and light. I was at this place with a bunch of friends and we were ordering everything in the menu... falafel, salad, stuffed grape leaves, different preparations of hummus etc etc...I came across this very interesting dish on their menu - Shakshuka. The description was simply eggs on Mediterranean tomato stew... and I thought it would be a dish quite similar to the North Indian Egg Curry. Well it arrived in a sizzling pan with a thick tomato sauce and eggs with sunny side up....and I was instantly hungry at the sight of it. Grabbed some warm pita and dived into it. It was spicy and tangy preparation of eggs and I just loved it. I had it a couple of times more at this place and later decided to prepare it at home. Here is my version of Shakshuka...hope you would like it :)

Ingredients (for 2)

½ Big Onion – finely chopped

2 small tomatoes – coarsely chopped

3 eggs

2 table spoons of Cottage Cheese

1-2 Jalapeño Pepper

½ spoon red chili powder

1 spoon cumin powder

1 table spoon thinly sliced ginger

Olive Oil to cook

Salt to taste

Black Pepper (if you like)

Preparation (Cooking Time – 15 mins)

Pour olive oil in a shallow pan…warm it up

Put chopped onions…let them turn slightly golden brown

Put jalapeno pepper, sliced ginger, cumin powder, red chili powder and salt. Cook for a minute or two.

Put the tomatoes in…cook for a while…until tomatoes are done…and you have the curry

Put cottage cheese…cook for a minute

Now make 3 small spaces in the pan and carefully place the 3 eggs…without breaking the yolk and keep the sunny side up.

Cook for a while. Cover the pan and again cook until the eggs are done

Serve the dish in the pan used for cooking….with warm fresh pita bread...its heavenly especially if it’s raining outside :)