"Egg oh egg, in all your might
Cook in seconds, and bind everything tight
Baked or fried, breakfast or lunch
You're pretty darn famous, that's my hunch!
Curries, salads & more, you have a special way
Asparagus might come & go, but you just stay.."
One of my biggest discoveries after moving to the US was how conscious people are about what they eat.
At first I thought it was a fad. But as I scanned grocery aisles, read unfamiliar brand names and suffered a few allergic reactions, I began to understand why people were so particular. Unlike Asia, where packaged food still has limited use in households and is very much limited to commercial dining, the US pretty much runs on it. And with that comes the safety associated with food labels. Thus, I'm always on a mission to create at home all that we see & love at restaurants - like these delectable mini taco shells!
Eggs, unfortunate for me as others say, have never been my favorite. Call it a grudge I carry from boarding school, or the sharp unique smell that has me staying miles away. But I do like experimenting with them - because they're so versatile, amazing in baking & can be adapted to taste. I noticed that if you sneak in a little masala into a regular egg recipe, it makes them much more [for me that is] palatable.
In the past I have baked a few brownie bites, scrambled some in my weekday fried rice, whipped up some quick macaroons, made my husband's favorite brunch frittata & even made a jar of mayonnaise, but these bite-sized appetizer with a filling of subtly spiced boiled egg salad made me reach for seconds. Yes, me!
You could just be lazy and use store-bought taco shells, but the marriage of slightly Indian [almost samosa like!] crust with a spiced eggs is one that, I believe, will make it through the tough times.
But hey, don't take my word for it. Try the recipe and decide for yourself!
Ingredients
For the Tacos [I made my own but you could just use store-bought]
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon carom seeds
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Water to knead
Oil to fry
For the Egg filling
2 large eggs, boiled
1 teaspoon Sriracha
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1/4 teaspoon cumin powder
1/4 teaspoon red chili powder
2 tablespoons fresh coriander, finely chopped
Salt & pepper
Make the Tacos
Mix the flour, salt, soda & carom seeds. Add the oil and mix with your fingers till it reaches the consistency of course sand. Add water, little at a time, and work into a smooth dough. Cover with a damp cloth and let it rest for 30 mins. Roll out the dough into a thin round and cut out 2-3" circles using a cookie cutter [the size depends on how large you'd like your tacos to be]. Coat with a little oil and line them up on a wire rack [see pic] so as to let them bake in a taco shape. Bake at 400 F for 10 minutes, till the shape is retained, and then drop into the hot oil for a quick fry. Drain on a paper towel and keep aside.
Make the filling
Mash the eggs well with a fork and mix with the remaining ingredients. Adjust seasoning and then add a dollop of the mixture into the taco shells. Sprinkle with paprika before serving.
A simple & delicate way to entertain a crowd. The recipe works so well for a canape brunch, or a simple cocktail party!
