Although called an omelette, this beloved Persian breakfast dish is closer to scrambled eggs due to the silky texture from the amount of tomatoes used. Sometimes referred to as Omelette Irani (The Iranian Omelette), it is the most commonly eaten egg-based breakfast in Iran whether in people’s homes or in cafes.
The Persian Equivalent of Shakshuka
Omelette Gojeh Farangi is made by cooking eggs in a rich tomato sauce. The sauce is flavoured with aromatics and spices – garlic, cumin, turmeric and chilli. The tomato to egg ratio is quite high so the resulting texture is creamy.
It is usually eaten at breakfast or as a brunch option but can also be eaten as a lunch or dinner option.
How to Serve Omelette Gojeh Farangi
Serve this dish with flatbread; feta; a sprinkle of fresh herbs, such as coriander or parsley; and Persian pickled cucumbers for an authentic Persian breakfast experience. You can also eat it with rice or chips when serving it at lunch or dinner.
Other Breakfast Recipes…
- Panir Bereshteh – Persian Scrambled Eggs with Feta & Dill
- Nargessi (Persian Spinach & Eggs)
- Persian Eggs Recipe (Borani Esfenaj with Poached Eggs and Aleppo Butter) | Kitchn (thekitchn.com)
Omelette Irani
Persian tomato omelette
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium onion (finely diced)
- 4 cloves garlic (crushed / minced)
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp dried red chilli flakes
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 10 g fresh coriander (leaves and stalks chopped finely)
- 1 tbsp tomato purée
- 500 g cherry tomatoes (halved)
- 125 ml water
- 2 tsp balsamic vinegar
- Salt and pepper (to taste)
- 8 free range eggs
- Chopped fresh coriander leaves to sprinkle as a garnish
Instructions
- Take a large frying pan, add the olive oil and place over medium-high heat.
- Add onions and cook until they turn golden.
- Add garlic, all the spices and herbs and stir until their aromas are released.
- Then add tomato purée, stir into the mixture and cook for a few more minutes.
- Add the halved cherry tomatoes, followed by 125 ml of water and stir. Once the mixture starts to bubble, reduce heat to low-medium to allow to simmer, stirring occasionally. Once the cherry tomatoes have broken down and the mixture is looking like a sauce, add the balsamic vinegar and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Take 4 of the eggs and crack them into a bowl and beat them. Then pour into the tomato mixture in the pan and stir in gently to distribute evenly. You want the beaten eggs to be mixed into the tomatoes but not completely scrambled or cooked through.
- Make 4 holes evenly distributed in the tomato mixture. Crack the remaining eggs into the holes.
- Cover the pan and cook over medium-low heat for about 5 to 7 minutes, depending on how runny or cooked you prefer the eggs. Once the eggs are cooked to your liking, turn the heat off.
- Season the eggs with a pinch of salt and pepper and sprinkle some chopped fresh coriander leaves on the dish prior to serving with flatbreads, Persian pickled cucumbers and / or fresh herbs.