Asparagus Breakfast Eggs
Photo: Ajna Jai / Contributor
Being allergic to them for the first 10-15 years of my life turned me away from eating eggs for a long time. My mother would hide them in a sandwich, convinced that if I did not know about the eggs, my body would not react to them. Though I outgrew the allergy eventually, even the smell of eggs would continue to nauseate me well into adulthood.
Knowing breakfast was going to be a big part of the restaurant, a couple of years before opening Pondicheri, I knew it was time to reconcile with my egg phobia. I started experimenting, testing different combinations to quash the eggy flavor and discovered that I actually loved eggs as a binder for vegetables and spices. As a result, we created the vegetable masala that goes into every egg preparation at the restaurant, from omelet to a scramble.
At home, eggs have become the canvas for whatever may be in season. Fresh leeks and spring asparagus spiked with cumin seeds, ajwain and garlic add just the right touch of flavor to eggs. Ajwain, a cousin of celery seeds with strong notes of thyme, complements the earthy asparagus. If not asparagus, try green beans or cabbage — but I assure you eating vegetables for breakfast is one of the best ways to start the day.