No claims here of being a chef or even being a good cook. Just think of this as a Basta sa Bahay own person list of ingredients that elevate the scrambled egg.
MOTIVATION: Eggs are awesome
Again, many articles are already out there showing how good eggs are, but here are some that I personally really like:
Good source of protein: This is very important on days that I go to the gym, but really, everyone needs their source of protein.
Makes you feel full: As many of us are watching our weight, I can attest to this. You feel full after some eggs, and it really does stop you from looking for dessert or whatever is sweet.
Adaptable ingredient: Though this is not the subject of this article, eggs can be sunny side-up, scrambled, hardboiled, put in a frittata, used in baking, etc. The list really just goes on.
Final thing to say about eggs is just another voice correcting the notion that they are bad. We have been corrected already that there is bad and good cholesterol. Bad cholesterol you will get from fried foods, fast foods, and desserts. Eggs are a source of good cholesterol, and for those scared of heart attacks, research has shown that eating whole eggs (within good reason) can be heart-protective.
Basta sa Bahay’s list of ingredients that elevate the scrambled egg
Let’s first setup the criteria. We at Basta sa Bahay like a low-effort ingredient, at least for those hectic workdays that begin early. And of course the usual: ingredients that give a distinctive flavor to eggs. Nobody likes eating the same kind of egg every day.
- The usual garlic, onion, and tomatoes: Really you can never go wrong with these ingredients. I really like the flavors of garlic and onion; really just that smell as it hits oil makes my mouth water. Tomatoes, give scrambled eggs a good texture and don’t underestimate the visual that it adds (all yellow does tend to turn off some visual eaters). I like it best when you cook these in oil or butter before the egg: it allows the flavors to seep into the oil and then into the egg as it absorbs the oil.
- Chives and leeks: The biggest advantage is that these are so easy to grow. Chives grow like grass, and leeks make these big leaves that are always too much for a meal; plus they don’t take a lot of space to grow For both, it’s a grounding thing when I wake up in the morning and cut from my chives and leeks. For both, you want to get the white part near the root as that has the flavor: this part you fry with your fat. Eggs sometimes have a bad raw after taste for me (a problem because I don’t like my eggs overcooked), but chives and leeks are great at taking away this after taste. I recently learned that you could use the green parts, but you add this towards the end of the cooking. Again, important for visual eaters. Just plus points for these as low-effort as I don’t even take out a cutting board and knife and just use a scissors into the pan.
- Mushrooms: Again, another personal favorite because I love mushrooms. Apologies as I use the canned cut mushroom stems and pieces, but this is what works for me on a busy day. Important to fry it with your fat with some salt to bring out the flavor.
- Mayonnaise: I believe this is a Pinoy trick, but yes, it makes your scrambled eggs fluffier and creamy. So on those days that you want them a bit creamy, you can use milk or mayonnaise. Just a slight warning that scrambled eggs tend to get a bit rubbery with mayonnaise if cooked for too long.
- Kimchi: I understand this may be polarizing, but the benefits of kimchi for your gut health as a probiotic are known. It’s just good as another flavor to mix up your scrambled egg game, and low effort as you just dump it into the scrambled egg mixture.
VERDICT
One of the points of scrambled is that it is really quick to cook, so it’s perfect for those of us who start work early. The point is that there are many low-effort ingredient options to help you up your scrambled eggs game. You want to go for varying flavor. How about you guys? How do you flavor your scrambled eggs?