Introduction
Want an egg recipe that comes together in 20 minutes and goes well with all kinds of bread? Khagina doesn’t taste like a quick fix of scrambled eggs. This is a very flavorful version of Pakistani breakfast eggs. Try it, you’ll love it! It can make a wonderful breakfast or lunch or dinner.
Khagina is a Hyderabadi and Pakistani version of a spicy and aromatic egg recipe. As far as ingredients are concerned, it is very similar to a masala omelette. It tastes juicy, tangy and spicy. It is usually served with crusty roti or paratha.
Well, the origin of Ande ka Khagina(pronounced as kha-gi-na) is due to the Persian influence in Mughal cuisine. The word Khagina itself is derived from the Persian egg dish Khagineh. The recipe for Khagina is also featured in the Mughal Recipe Collection of 1834. Read more in The Economic Times.
The original recipe was without chillies and tomatoes which came to the subcontinent later but I can promise that the recipe I am sharing is the best and authentic Pakistani version.
We love to eat khagina with pao for sehri during Ramadan. Check out more Ramadan recipes here.
Why this recipe taste so good?
It just tastes yum. I learned this from my friend. And he told me that the secret to the best khagina (also known as egg khagina) is to fry it and add curd which keeps the dish moist and juicy. So without much ado, let’s move on to the recipe.
Ingredients
The ingredients for khagina are as seen in the picture above which are eggs, ginger, garlic, chilli, onion, tomato, oil, curd, spices and cayenne pepper. I used organic eggs which taste better than farm eggs. But I have made it hundreds of times with farm eggs.
How to make it?
Making khagina is easy. Just be patient and look for visual cues. Don’t rush and add all the ingredients at once. You will lose a lot of the texture and flavour.
Step 1
Fry the chopped onion in a pan on medium heat for 7 minutes until it turns light golden. We don’t want the onion to brown.
Step 2
Then add the wet spices to it, which includes ginger garlic and chilli paste, and stir for a minute.
Step 3
Add the remaining dry spices and stir.
Step 4
Add the chopped tomatoes or puree, mix well. Cover and cook for another 7 minutes, until the oil separates and the tomatoes are well cooked and melted.
Step 5
Protip: Overcooked tomatoes will melt quickly, while undercooked tomatoes will take longer to cook. Add a few tablespoons of water if needed, but cook the tomatoes before adding the beaten eggs.
Step 6
When the oil separates from the sides of the pan and the tomatoes are cooked. Remove the lid, then add the whipped curd.
Step 7
Cook for some more. Meanwhile, beat the eggs and add them to the pan. Keep stirring so that the eggs cook evenly and no large lumps of egg form. Also, keep pushing the eggs that stick to the sides of the pan back into the center without burning them.
Step 8
Add chopped chillies and coriander. Cook and keep stirring till most of the water dries up. Protip: We want the eggs to give off a raw aroma but we don’t want to overcook the eggs and dry them out.
Step 9
Cook till you see some oil glistening on the sides of the pan. Your khagina aka masala eggs is ready to eat.
Khagina Recipe (Pakistani breakfast)
- ⅓ cup oil
- 1 cup onions, finely chopped
Spices
- 1 tablespoon green chilli paste
- 1 tablespoon garlic paste
- 1 tablespoon ginger paste
- ½ tablespoon coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon red chilli powder
- 1 teaspoon Kashmiri chilli powder, or paprika for color
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper powder
- ½ teaspoon salt or more to taste
Other
- 1 cup tomatoes, chopped or puréed
- ¼ cup yogurt
- 6 eggs, beaten, preferably organic
- 3 green chillies, sliced (optional)
- 3 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves
Instructions
- Fry the onions in a pan or wok for 5-7 minutes until very soft and golden.
- Add the spices and fry for a minute.
- Then add the tomatoes. Simmer for 5 minutes until the oil separates and the tomatoes are soft.
- Now add the beaten curd and continue cooking.
- Then add the beaten eggs and mix well. Keep stirring occasionally until the eggs are cooked, while stirring, also break the eggs into pieces.
- Finally sprinkle chopped coriander and green chillies. Mix well and let it soak for a few minutes until the oil separates.
Notes
Cook in non-stick pan or wok for easy cooking. Serve fresh for best taste.
If you want to know more about khagina
Nutrition Information
Calories: 270kcal ,Carbohydrates: 12g ,Protein: 9g ,Fat: 21g ,Saturated Fat: 3g ,Trans Fat: 1g ,Cholesterol: 200mg ,Sodium: 200mg ,Potassium: 385mg ,Fiber: 3g ,Sugar: 6g ,Vitamin A: 1050IU ,Vitamin C: 18mg ,Calcium: 89mg ,Iron: 2mg