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The world of spicy eggs

The world eats a lot of eggs.  Indeed, the annual consumption of eggs runs into the hundreds of billions.  According to the Helgi library the country that consumed the most eggs in 2018 was Kuwait with a per capita consumption of close to 22 kilograms . Khuwait was followed on a per capita basis by Mexico , Japan and China.

Some of the world's largest eggs  producers are also leaders in Chilli production. It stands to reason that you should find that these countries will have lots of spicy egg dishes. Although this is true of some of these countries ( notably India and Mexico), it is not always necessarily so. China and the USA are examples of countries that are among the biggest producers of both, yet are not notably  well-known for their egg dishes wit Chillies.

China is undoubtedly the world’s largest producer of eggs. In 2019, the country produced around 660 billion eggs. China's most notable spicy  dish made with eggs, however, is Century eggs. This dish is made by preserving eggs in clay for a couple of weeks (or longer) until the yolk becomes black. The eggs are served with tiger skin chillies. There are undoubtedly other  egg dishes where Chillies are used  in Chinese cuisine, but they are not particularly well-known

When it comes to spicy egg dishes (as in with Chillies) there are other countries that particularly stand out from the crowd. . These countries have far more ways of making  egg dishes with Chillies .   This is particularly so in countries that are known for their love of spicy food on a national level.

Where are they eaten?

India

India is probably the country where the most diversity can be found in s  egg recipes. The country produced 105 billion eggs in 2019.  These eggs were used in dishes like Muttai Thokku ( South Indian boiled egg curry), Akoori ( Indian scrambled eggs), Anda Bhurji ( Mumbai style scrambled eggs), Khagina  ( eggs cooked with vegetables), Kohlapuri Egg Curry ( hardboiled eggs cooked in Indian spices and coconut), Spicy Chettinad Egg Roast Curry  ( roasted eggs with coconut), Dim Kosha Duck Egg Curry ( duck eggs in a rich curry gravy ), Kodi Guddu Gasagasala Kura ( boiled eggs in a poppy seed sauce), Deemer Pataudi ( eggs steamed in banana leaves with spices ) and egg Chaat (egg salad)

These are just a few of the  egg dishes found in India. There are many more

Indonesia.

Indonesian cuisine has many influences that have shaped its excellent taste. These influences include Indian, Chinese and local Indonesian cuisine. When it comes to spicy egg dishes, you will find these influences in Indonesian recipes. The country uses a great deal of the over 105 billion eggs it produces annually to make some fabulous spicy dishes. These dishes include Rendang Telor ( boiled eggs in a spicy coconut sauce), Sambal Goreng  Telor. ( boiled eggs in a spicy tomato paste),   Telur Belado ( eggs in a Belado sauce)  and Gulai Telur Padang  ( eggs in spicy coconut broth).

You will find many egg recipes in Indonesia that contain ingredients like lemongrass, galangal, Chillies and other typical Indonesian spices. An example of this is Indonesian Chilli fried eggs

Mexico

Mexico produces in the region of 55 billion eggs per year. Many of these eggs are used to make spicy eggs dishes. These include dishes like  Huevos Rancheros ( Breakfast eggs in a spicy tomato sauce),  Huevos A La Mexicana (Mexican Scrambled Eggs), Huevos Ahogados  ( poached eggs in a tomato/ Jalapeno salsa and , Huevos divorciados (fried eggs in two salsas) . Other examples include Migas (Mexico scrambled egg with crispy tortilla)  and Huevos en escabeche (Mexico pickled eggs).

There are many other recipes where eggs are used to make egg dishes with Chillies in Mexico.

Finally

Other notable spicy egg dishes from around the world include Shakshuka ( eggs poached in a spicy sauce base from Israel), Kai Jeow ( Thai style omelette), Nigeran egg stew ( made with eggs, tomatoes, Chillies, onions and other ingredients), Ugandan Rolexes ( spicy egg omelette rolled in a chapatti), African scotch eggs, Devilled eggs from the  USA and Burmese egg curry.

The list goes on! Enjoy!

Indonesian national dishes

These are some of Indonesia's favourite dishes that reflect the diversity of the cuisine. Tumpeng was voted Indonesia's top national dish.  The remaining dishes were voted in the top five Indonesian national dishes by the Indonesia  ministry of Tourism and creative economy

Nasi Goreng

Nasi goreng means fried rice in Indonesia. Rice is stir-fried with chicken, eggs, Chillies, garlic and other ingredients like ( but not limited to) bumbu, spring onions, shallots, palm sugar, turmeric and shrimp paste. It is normally eaten for breakfast with rice that has been left over from the previous nights cooking. Indeed, day old rice is preferred, as it far better for stir-frying. Nasi goreng can also be made with pork

Chicken Sate

Chicken satay ( Sate Ayam) is skewered chicken that has been grilled, that is served with a spicy satay sauce made with peanuts, lemongrass , shallots ,  Chillies, coconut milk, limes  and other ingredients. The chicken is typically grilled over a charcoal fire on bamboo skewers after having been marinated in lime juice , Kecap manis ( a sweet soya sauce )  and pepper.

Tumpeng

Tumpeng  is a cone-shaped rice dish with meat and vegetables. The cone-shaped rice is placed in the plate's middle. It is then surrounded by meat and vegetables. The accompanying dishes ( among others) may include Urap (vegetables), Ayam Goreng ( fried chicken), Semur ( a beef dish) and Sambal Goreng ( liver in Chilli sauce).

Rendang

This dish gives an example of the Indian influence on some Indonesian dishes. Rendang is a curry that is made with chicken or beef. Indian spices like coriander, turmeric and cumin are combined with typical ingredients like coconut milk, lemongrass, shrimp paste, cloves, nutmeg, and other ingredients.

Gado Gado

Gado Gado is an Indonesian salad consisting of blanched vegetables, boiled potato, hard-boiled eggs, fried tofu, tempeh, and rice. It is served with a spicy peanut sauce containing roasted peanuts, ginger and garlic, Chillies, fish sauce, Kecap Manis (sweet soya sauce). ,palm sugar ,  lime juice and kaffir lime leaves. Gado is similar to Rujak Sayur

Finally

No Indonesian food would be complete without its Sambals. The Indonesians love for hot and spicy foods is well illustrated in these Chilli sauces and paste; Sambals are made with various ingredients, but mostly with Chillies. Examples of sambals include Sambal asam (Red and green Chillies ,shrimp paste , sugar, salt, and tamarind juice). ) Sambal Badjak ( Chillies, tomatoes, onions, shrimp paste, lemon juice, garlic and candle nuts), Sambal Buah. (Chillies , shrimp paste, kemang (a type of mango) and pineapple) and Sambal Colo-Colo (Indonesian Kecap Manis, Chillies , tomato , shallots and lime ).

Not only has cooking with Chillies made its mark in Indonesia, it also spread its wings to the Netherlands. The Dutch Rijsttafel is a throwback to the Netherlands colonisation of Indonesia .  It  was the Dutch  way of showcasing many of these dishes at one sitting . A Rijsttafel consists of a selection of as many as forty Indonesian dishes that are served with rice. They  are not traditionally Indonesian. but  rather a Dutch invention. They are now not commonly made in Indonesia, but they are popular in the Netherlands.

Image Credits

Ubud Writers Festival/ CC BY 2.0/ via Wikimedia Commons

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Protein

One of the obstacles vegetarians face is how to get enough protein to their diets. According to the USDA, the recommended amount for women is about 5 ounces and between 5.5 and 6 ounces for men.

Because they are so versatile, Chillies combined with protein rich non-meat ingredients provide an easy and delicious way of maintaining the amount of protein you need on a vegetarian diet.

The top providers of non-meat proteins are eggs, cheese, seitan, Soya products like texturised Soya protein, tofu and tempeh, nut butter, beans, pulses like chickpeas and vegetables. The dish alongside - a Ugandan Rolex is an example of how easy it is to use eggs in a vegetarian diet.

Combining high protein non-meat ingredients into one dish is a great way to get more protein into your vegetarian diet in one meal. With a bit of planning, you can ensure that at least one of your meals is very rich in proteins, and the others are supplementary to making up the recommended amount for a healthy diet. Doing this with Chillies is not only easy, because they are so tasty, but they are also great  for our health.

Other great spicy protein-rich dishes with chilli include:

Seitan

Probably the number one replacement for meat for vegetarians. It is a product made with wheat gluten, which, when cooked, resembles meat remarkably. It combines particularly well with Chillies in dishes like spicy Seitan Satay and vegetarian spicy fried chicken.

Cheese.

Besides grilling cheese in dishes like grilled Halloumi, cheeses like Feta cheese, Brie, and Camembert can be baked with Chilli flakes for great tasting meals. Chillies and peppers can also be stuffed and baked with cheese in dishes like Chiles Rellenos (which also includes eggs).  Additionally, firm cheeses like mozzarella can be coated with spicy breading and fried

Curries.

Great tasting curries can be made with eggs, cheese, vegetables, pulses, tofu and tempeh. The chickpea is widely used in Indian cooking to make dishes like Channa Chat (a chickpea salad) and Chana Masala (a chickpea curry). Fantastic curries can also be made with Soya protein chunks.

When it comes to cheese, once again, there are great possibilities. Dishes like Kadai Paneer (paneer curry) and Saag Paneer are fantastic examples.

Beans.

Can be used in dishes like vegetarian tacos or spicy bean burgers. Other fantastic dishes include vegetarian Chili con carne and Rajma Dhal (kidney bean curry).

Nuts and nut butter

Nut butters like cashew and peanut butter, are delicious and make great nut sauces. Nuts can be used as an ingredient in many vegetarian curries.  Thai and Indonesian dishes like Rujak Sayur (a salad made with peanuts, tofu and tempeh) are also examples of where nuts are used. Another idea is to make a nut sandwich with peanut butter, vegetarian yeast spread (like Vegemite or Marmite) with hot sauce or Chilli flakes. Absolute bliss

Eggs.

Are another great source of protein in a vegetarian diet. Not only can they be used in curries, omelettes, but they can also be used to make dishes like Shakshuka, spicy Frittata, Ugandan Rolexes and Kimchi Bokkuembap (Kimchi fried rice with eggs),

Finally

It shows that there are many ways that Chillies can make your vegetarian meals exciting and delicious. With just a little imagination, these ideas can be built upon for even more taste and flavour

One of the things many coeliacs miss when first being diagnosed is fish and chips. Okay, there may be a couple of chippys that make gluten-free fish and chips, but there are not many. So why not make your own?  With the availability of great gluten-free flours out there, this is easy to do.   To make your fish and chips even better, make them spicy with chillies. This fail-safe recipe for great fish and chips every time is always a hit.

Make sure that if you want to achieve the perfect fish and chips that you use the freshest ingredients you can get. Where possible but your fish fresh from a fishmonger or the fish counter of a reputable supermarket chain. It may cost more than using frozen fish, but the results will be worth it. For two people, you will need the following ingredients:

For the chips

• Maris piper potatoes   - two large
• Vegetable oil spray
• Paprika – 1 teaspoon
• Chilli powder – 1 teaspoon
• Garlic powder – ½ teaspoon
• Black pepper – ½ teaspoon
• Salt  - to taste

For the fish

• Haddock fillets -  2    ( any firm flesh fish can be used, e.g. Hake)
• Gluten-free flour  100  grams ( plus a little more)
• Egg – one medium
• Milk -125 ml
• Chill powder -1 teaspoon
• Black pepper – ¼  teaspoon
• Curry powder – ½ teaspoon
• Salt - to taste
• Oil for frying

Pre-preparation

To make this great meal will need some pre-preparation that will need to be done. This step adds to the time it takes to make this dish, but the end result will be worthwhile.

1. Wash the potatoes and cut them into chip wedges. There is no need to peel the potatoes, but if preferred, do this.
2. Bring a medium-sized pot of water to the boil.
3. Add the potatoes and cook for two to three minutes
4. Remove the chips from the water and drain in a colander
5. Place the  chips in  the fridge for an hour

Making the chips

1. Spray an oven tray with the oil spray
2. Place the chips on the tray
3. Spray them with vegetable oil until all the chips are well coated ( 7 to ten sprays)
4. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, garlic, paprika and Chilli powders
5. Bake in a hot oven (200 degrees) for approximately 45 minutes until golden brown and crispy. Turn the chips during this period.
6. If you want your chips to be crisper, increase the cooking time by five to ten minutes.

Frying the fish

1. Add all the dry ingredients into a bowl. Mix well
2. Add the egg and fold in
3. Gradually add the milk. Stir together to form a batter.
4. Bring the oil to frying temperature (about 200 degrees Celius) in a deep frying pan
5. Dry the fish fillets and dust with a little gluten-free flour.
6. Dip the fillets in the batter and then fry for five to six minutes until golden brown.
7. Serve with chips and some Chilli infused vinegar or Chilli mayonnaise.

If you want to make this recipe for more than two people, simply pro-rata the ingredients to the number of portions you want to produce. Enjoy

Many meals are made with Chillies, where it has its main purpose as a spice rather than a vegetable. Here its role changes from being a main ingredient to something that complements the main ingredient it is served with maize, which is a staple food in many countries. It is the most consumed grain in the world, with millions of people eating it every day. As with rice, with so many people eating it, many ways have been developed to cook with it

Many countries in Africa, where maize is a staple, have their particular recipes for preparing it.  Many of these recipes are based on it being served with a  spicy sauce or gravy with the main ingredient.  For example, in South Africa, Phutu or Krummel pap is eaten with fiery tomato relish or Chakalaka in Shisa Nyama. In Angola, maize is used to make a dumpling called Fufu served with Muamba da Galinha  (spicy Angolan chicken curry with Chillies). In Nigeria, it is eaten with Egusi soup.

Other countries in the world where maize is often combined with Chillies include -  India, the USA, and  Mexico. In India (where it is called Makai ka atta), Maize and Chillies are combined to make Methi paratha ,Tikkar and Methi Makai dhebra.  ( deep-fried bread with fenugreek)

Mexico is a country where maize is combined with Chillies, including making tortillas, Tamales, and corn soup. Similarly, in the USA, maize (or corn as it is called there) is found combined with Chillies in dishes like spicy shrimp and corn grits. Spicy corn dogs, seafood chowder and corn on the cob

More main ingredients

Chillies combine wonderfully with almost every ingredient used in cooking. In particular, any dish that contains tomatoes will benefit from the addition of Chillies. Similarly, Chillies combine particularly well with chocolate.    Other main ingredients often included in dishes made with Chillies are:

Eggs

Are very popular in countries that like spicy food. There are lots of dishes made with Chillies and eggs like the following

In India, eggs and  Chillies are found in a host of egg curries,  omelettes and scrambled egg dishes. This combination is also used to make Shakshuka from Isreal, Heuvos rancheros from Mexico, Ugandan Rolexes, spicy Scotch eggs from Scotland, Devilled eggs from the USA, and various dishes from Thailand, Indonesia and Korea.

Goats meat

Very similar to lamb when young, goat's meat can be found in a variety of dishes with Chillies, including Goat's meat curry from Jamaica, Asun from Nigeria, Chivo Guisado Picante from the Dominican Republic and   Ghosh Biryani from India.

Squashes and Gourds

Evidence was found that Chillies and squash were being eaten together more than 7000 years ago in the Guitarrero Cave. This means that these two have had a lot of time to become acquainted.   Just how good this relationship is can be found in dishes like Kaddu Ki Subji ( spicy squash from India), Spicy butternut soup, Crema de Zapallo  ( Peruvian pumpkin soup) and Calabacitas ( Mexican sauteed squash).

In conclusion

Once again, this list is hardly all-encompassing. There are many more combinations of meals with Chillies with other ingredients just waiting to be discovered. Venison, insects (believe it or not) and rabbit are just a few of the possibilities. Certainly, something to be explored!

When you are feeling you are on the run, nothing beats street food to fill in the gap. Many food vendors worldwide make their living every day by preparing food in a street-side stall, sometimes just consisting of a wok, some utensils, and their ingredients

These people are really good at making some fantastic food. Indeed, their livelihoods depend on it. They want their customers to return. A lot of the food they make is pungent, with Chillies being used in abundance. It just seems that the two go together with numerous recipes, having a spicy theme selection purely on what a single food vendor can offer. They can choose from various stalls, all competing

In some markets, like the hawkers markets in Singapore, you can sit at tables and can have your food fetched for you  by " runners " . These are on commission  waiters that will give you advice on what the best food is, provide menus  and once you have placed your order, they will fetch your food  for you. This of course is done on the understanding that they will receive a tip for  providing the service

Here are some great examples of some of the best street  food that can be found at these types of markets around the world.

Ugandan Rolex

It's not hard to figure out how the Rolex gets its name. Everyone virtually eats these spicy rolled up omelettes in Uganda. Cabbage, chillies, tomatoes, onions, and spices are cooked in an omelette, wrapped in a chappati

Israeli salad

Israeli salad is probably the best known Israeli street food besides Scharmas and Felafel. It may be served along with these or with Pita bread as a stand-alone dish. This great-tasting dish is made with tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, olive, lemon juice, peppers and  Chillies

Nasi Manado

A fiery dish from the Indonesian city of Manado. This is a part of Indonesia where virtually everything gets eaten with Chillies – even bananas. Nasi Manado gets made with rice and typically skipjack tuna. It contains more than 50 percent of Chillies and is really hot.

Pad See Ew

From Thailand, this dish is made with Chilies, Flat noodles, Chinese broccoli, chicken and eggs in a sauce made with soya, fish and oyster sauces. Pad see ew is a stir-fry

Chicken Pho

Chicken Pho is a Vietnamese soup made with Chillies, Chicken, Spices, Ginger and garnished with spring onions, mung beans, cilantro and mint (plus some more Chillies if wanted)

Jjampong

Korean dish made with seafood and vegetables in a hot soup made with Gochagaru ( Korean Chilli Flakes). It can also be made with pork, squid and mussels

Chole Bhature

This Indian street food combines Chana Masala (chickpea curry) and hot Bhature ( a fried bread made with wheat flour). It is virtually found throughout India. It's super cheap and great tasting

A final note

Other examples of spicy street foods include Tacos and Nachos from Mexico, Banh Mi from Vietnam, Satays from Indonesia, Spicy  chicken feet from China, Chicken wings from Australia, and Samosas and Tikki Chat from India.  Whatever the meal type, there is always something made with Chillies

This list does not even begin to cover how many street foods are available, but certainly illustrates how widespread they are. Once again, a common theme in many of these is the use of Chillies

Is that a dip or dipping sauce?

In some parts of the world, a dip might mean something you immerse crisps or tortilla chips into while watching television. This type of dip can also be found at a cocktail party, typically surrounded by breadsticks, flatbreads or crudités,  etc. They are considered to be there for nothing more than for filling a gap. In other words, a snack.

In other parts of the globe, dips may instead be understood to mean something that accompanies a meal as part and parcel of a dish.  The purpose here is to add flavour to a dish that forms part of a meal, either as a starter or main course.

Comparing the types of dips found on snack tables at a cocktail party and those that come with a  Risjttafel illustrates the point well.

The idea with snack table dips is that the accompanying breadsticks or crudités, such as carrots or celery, will be immersed in the dip and then eaten (quite often, there and then).  At a Rijsstafel, individual skewered items like meat, seafood or cheese are dipped, and are more likely to be eaten while sitting at a table. Individual pieces are consumed from the skewers after they have been immersed in the dipping sauce.

More dipping sauces

The Rijsttafel style of dips with Chillies is commonly found throughout South East Asia. Indeed. The Rijsttafel had its origins in Indonesia when the country was under Dutch rule. Other countries that have this style of eating include (among many others) Indonesia, Korea, Thailand. Vietnam, Malaysia and Laos Examples of these sauces include  Nam Jim Jaew and Nam pla wan (from Thailand), Jaew bong (from Laos), Cincalok (from Malaysia), Mắm nêm (from Vietnam), Sambal Badjak from Indonesia and  ssamjang from Korea

Dips with Chillies may be hot or cold. Hot dips with Chillies include Spicy Queso dip from Mexico and  Chicken Satay from Indonesia. While not traditionally spicy, there is no reason that Chip Shop curry sauce ( a hot dip  from the United Kingdom)  cannot be made with Chillies added

Hot Chips are dipped in various adding sauces  around Europe, but particularly in the Netherlands and Belgium. Andalusian (a Belgian sauce made with mayonnaise, tomatoes, garlic, shallots, and spice). Other typical Belgian Frites (hot chips) sauces are Samurai (made from mayonnaise, ketchup and harrisa) and Pili Pili ( a dipping sauce made with Chillies, with or without mayonnaise)

Finally

Some other iconic dipping sauces and dips with Chillies are closely associated with particular countries. Guacamole from Mexico, Sriracha from Thailand, Aji Verde from Peru and Molho apimentado from Brazil  are good examples

Gun powder spice mix

Gunpowder is a blend of finely ground rice, lentil and chickpea flour and spices.  Use it to sprinkle over foods to give them the “magic bullet” of spicing. They are a  favourite in South India, where the recipes are closely guarded secrets. . They are an everyday seasoning in many households, where they get sprinkled over many other foods, including Dosas ( pancake made from a fermented batter of rice, chickpea flour and Idlis (spicy rice cakes).  Another important use for gunpowder is to sprinkle it over rice that has ghee ( clarified butter) added to it

Gunpowder is a spicing that you will want to have as part of your Indian cooking arsenal. Where at all possible make it at home – for it to be at its best

To make the  gunpowder spice mix, you will need the following

Ingredients for the gunpowder spice mix

• Black lentils ( Urad dal) – 170 grams
• Split Chickpeas ( Chana dal) – two tablespoons
• Idli rice – 85 grams
• Black peppercorns – two teaspoons
• Whole cinnamon – one stick
• Dried Kashmiri Chillies – seven whole
• Dried curry leaves – 15 whole
• Green cardamom pods – three
• Sesame seeds – one teaspoon

Salt – to personal preference

Making the Gunpowder spice mix

When making this spice blend, you will need o dry roast the ingredients to add flavour to the proteins, so that spices release their essential oils. Be careful whilst doing this. Keep the heat of the pan at medium heat and continue t shake whilst roasting to ensure heat is distributed evenly for even roasting.

Procedure

1. Place a large frying pan on a cooking plate on the stove, set to medium
2. Add the lentils, rice and split chickpeas. Dry roast for two to three minutes. Remove from the pan and allow cooling.
3. In the same pan, add the Kashmiri Chillies. Gently dry roast for 3o seconds.
4. Remove from the pan and add to the roasted proteins and dried curry leaves. Mix together and allow the flavour to intermingle for about thirty minutes.
5. Add the remaining ingredient  to the proteins, Kashmiri Chillies and Curry leave
6. Place everything into a grinder or a pestle and mortar.
7. Grind to a powder. It should be slightly coarse, rather than fine
8. The place requires amount in a bowl or shaker for immediate use.
9. Place balance in an airtight container
10. Use as required.

Finally

Additional ingredients like garlic granules or dried coconut flakes can be added before grinding. Doing this will make another variation

Gunpowder is very good when added to cooked and stir-fried vegetables (e.g. brinjal)  in the same way as Chilli flakes might be used.  Also great on scrambled or boiled  eggs and, with cheese

Read more :    How Chillies are used in India