Akuri (Parsi Eggs)
By Lee Jackson ↣ Published on: November 16, 2020
For a fragrant start to the day, Akuri (Parsi Eggs) is pure perfection. Soft scrambled eggs, Indian style with a mild spiced warmth in every bite.
I'm a big fan of eggs at any time of the day, but obviously breakfast is one of the best times to indulge. I first ate Parsi eggs (Akuri) in Mumbai in a wonderful Parsi cafe. I'd been pre-informed that the best item on the morning menu was the scrambled egg. I'll always order eggs, so to know that they came with glowing reviews sealed their fate. All I can say, is that when I tasted these eggs, I declared them the tastiest in my life! The first version I ate in India actually featured ground lamb, cooked and stirred through the soft eggs. They were truly life changing! So amazingly flavourful and the addition of lamb (my second favourite after eggs) was a revelation.
The second time, I sampled the eggs, I order the lamb-free version and I can conclude they were also a triumph. It's THIS Akuri recipe that I share with you.
What are Parsi Eggs (Akuri)?
The Parsi community of India are descendants of the Persian settlers from the 8th-10th Century. Their dwindling community can still be found all over India, and particularly in Mumbai. Their cuisine is notably different from standard Indian cookery, taking influences from Iran and the Middle East. The Parsi people celebrate all manner of foods, but eggs is one of their most celebrated. And I am in full support!
This Parsi Akuri is often compared to another dish called Bhurji Eggs - to the layperson, there is no difference between Akuri and Bhurji. I'm happy to be corrected if you know better!
Why it works?
It's a quick, easy and satisfying start to the day - for something a little different in the morning this mildly spiced egg plate will get your day off to a great start. The great news is that it's quick too - a matter of minutes and you'll be scrambled and ready to eat!
Stuff You'll Need
There's nothing too difficult to get together for the parsi eggs, a few fresh ingredients and minimal spicing is all you'll need. The only thing you might need to hunt out are fresh curry leaves. Any Indian deli will have these - if you can't find them, don't worry - just leave them out. Don't bother using dried curry leaves, they have little to no flavour.
- Eggs
- Fresh ingredients - curry leaves, garlic, ginger, spring onion, tomato and fresh cilantro will bring all the fresh fragrance to the eggs. If you want your eggs spicy, then add 1-3 hot green chilli peppers (chopped with the seeds in).
- Spices - cumin seeds, ground turmeric, chilli powder and ground coriander are the only spices. If you want it heat-free add paprika instead of chilli powder. Season with a little salt and pepper too.
Step by Step
Here's a step by step guide to getting your delicious parsi eggs on a plate.
- Step 1 - Heat a little ghee or oil in a small pan over a medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and curry leaves and cook briefly.
- Step 2 - Add the garlic and ginger and fry briefly
- Step 3 - Add the spring onion and again fry briefly
- Step 4 - Add the spices, salt and pepper and stir fry for about a minute.
- Step 5 - Add the beaten eggs and stir for 15 seconds over a lower heat.
- Step 6 - Add the chopped tomato and cilantro to combine everything. Remove from the heat and the eggs will finish cooking in the residual heat.
Serve with a warm naan bread or roti or just crusty bread or soft morning rolls brushed with warm ghee. You could also squeeze over. little fresh lime juice too to add a citrusy zing.
Pro Tips
Have all your ingredients prepared as it's a fast and meal to put together. The eggs should be eaten as quickly as possible so the bread should be waiting too.
You can add other spices to your eggs but minimal spicing is best as it's a morning dish and you don't want to overpower the flavour. If you do want to spice up the eggs, then I suggest fresh green chillies they'll give you the heat, and a lot of freshness too.
Storage Suggestions
Akuri is a dish best enjoyed hot and right away, but in the event that you have some leftovers, then they'll be good for a day in the fridge. Eat cold or very gently reheated. They'll lose most of their personality, but they'll still be tasty.
I don't recommend freezing akuri at all.
Ready to get cooking?
If you're looking for something a little different for breakfast (or indeed a light lunch) then Akuri (Parsi Eggs) are just the ticket. Quick, simple and incredibly satisfying, even if you're not that into spicy food, you'll definitely warm to akuri - it's definitely fragrance over spice and is adaptable to leave out the spice completely. I hope you enjoy!
More breakfast recipes
If you're looking for more impressive breakfast recipes from around the world, try one of these delicious options.
Any Questions? (FAQ)
Have a question about Akuri (Parsi Eggs)? Let me know in the comments.
Traditionally, Akuri is a milder spiced dish, as it's served in the morning. But that said, you can make yours as hot as you like - if you need your taste-buds woken up, then up the amount of chilli powder or add some fresh chopped chillies. If you want no heat, just omit the chilli powder completely and replace with a sweet paprika. I like mine to have the slightest of spice, so choose a mild chilli powder and use it sparingly.
Traditionally egg akuri is served with pav bread (a soft bread roll - like a dinner roll), I prefer mine with a simple roti, chapati or naan. I'll also go Western on occasion and serve it with a couple of slices of crusty toasted sourdough for hybrid 'Akuri on toast'. Again, you can decide! Whichever you choose, it will act as the perfect vehicle to the soft, fragrant eggs - a silky, spiced treat, to get your day off to the perfect start.
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Video Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp ghee or oil
- ½ tsp cumin seeds
- 4 curry leaves (fresh)
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 spring onions (finely sliced)
- 1 tsp ginger (minced)
- ¼ tsp turmeric powder
- ¼ tsp chilli powder
- ¼ tsp coriander powder
- 2 tbsp cilantro (chopped)
- 1 tomato (diced)
- 4 eggs (beaten)
- 1 lime (cut into wedges)(optional)
Instructions
- In a frying pan, over a medium heat, heat the ghee/oil until hot. Add the cumin seeds, curry leaves, pepper and salt and let them sizzle for 30 seconds.Add the spring onion, ginger and chilli and fry for about 1 minute.Add the turmeric, chilli powder and coriander powder and sizzle for 30 seconds.Pour in the eggs and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring to create a soft scramble. Just before it's fully set, Stir in the tomato and cilantro and then remove from the heat.Serve immediately.Serve with chapati or crusty breads and squeeze over lime if you like.
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