Spiced egg and tomato flatbreads

You can use any leftover dal or curry you have on hand for this satisfying breakfast recipe from Nabula El Mourid. A flavour combination you won’t know you needed until you’ve tried it!

Spiced egg and tomato flatbreads. Credit: Hardie Grant Books / Rob Palmer

• serves

  4

• prep

  25 minutes

• cook

  15 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• ½ tsp ground turmeric
• ½ tsp chilli flakes (optional)
• 1 green chilli, finely chopped (optional)
• 2 tomatoes, diced
• 125 ml (4 fl oz/½ cup) tomato coconut dal or other leftover dal or curry
• 8 eggs, beaten and seasoned with salt
• 7 g (¼ oz/¼ cup) coriander (cilantro) leaves, chopped, plus extra to serve (optional)
• 4 store-bought flatbreads or ½ quantity home-made flatbreads (see below)

Yoghurt sauce

• 15 g (½ oz/¼ cup) mint leaves
• 15 g (½ oz/¼ cup) coriander leaves (optional)
• 120 g (4½ oz/½ cup) Greek-style yoghurt

Home-made flatbreads (optional)

• 600 g (1 lb 5 oz/4 cups) wholemeal (whole-wheat) self-raising (rising) flour
• 500 g (1 lb 2 oz/2 cups) Greek-style yoghurt
• ½ tsp salt
• 1-2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

Freezing time (if making homemade flatbreads): 60-90 minutes

Instructions

1. For the homemade flatbreads, if making: Combine the flour, yoghurt and salt in a large bowl until it comes together (see Hints). Turn it out onto a bench and knead the mixture until a smooth dough forms, about 5 minutes.
2. Divide the dough into eight equal portions and roll each portion into a ball. Lightly flour a clean surface and roll each ball into a flat round, about 5 mm (¼ in) thick. Place the flatbreads on a baking tray lined with baking paper, layering baking paper between each one.
3. Freeze the tray for 60–90 minutes, until the flatbreads are firm, then cook or transfer them to a reusable ziplock bag or airtight container. Store the flatbreads in the freezer for up to 3 months, ensuring they’re well wrapped to prevent freezer burn. The flatbreads can be cooked from frozen.
4. Heat a dry frying pan (or barbecue) over medium–heat. Brush each side of the flatbreads with olive oil, then place them on the hot frying pan (or barbecue). Cook for 2–3 minutes on each side, until puffed and charred in spots.
5. For the flatbread topping: Heat the olive oil in a non-stick pan over medium heat. Add the cumin, turmeric and chilli flakes, and green chilli if using, and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the tomato and cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Add half of the dal and stir until warmed through. Pour the eggs into the pan, stirring gently with a spatula to create soft curds. Continue to stir until the eggs are softly scrambled but not dry. Remove from the heat and stir in the coriander (if using).
6. To make the yoghurt sauce, place the mint, coriander (if using) and yoghurt in a food processor and blend until smooth.
7. Warm the flatbreads in a dry pan or microwave, if necessary.
8. Spread the remaining dal on the flatbreads, then spoon the tomato scrambled egg on top, garnish with extra coriander (if using) and serve immediately. Alternatively, roll the filled flatbreads up and wrap them in baking paper for an on-the-go breakfast.

Hints

• If the flatbread dough is too sticky, add a little more flour, a tablespoon at a time, until it’s manageable.
• For a flavour boost, mix some chopped herbs like rosemary or thyme into the dough before kneading.
• For extra flavour, sprinkle some crumbled feta over the scrambled egg before wrapping.
• Add a handful of spinach to the scrambled egg for some extra greens.

This is an edited extract from The Weekly Grocery Shop by Nabula El Mourid (Hardie Grant Books). Photography by Rob Palmer.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.