Crustless Quiche? Frittata? Spanish Tortilla? Western Omelette? Egg Foo Yong? Tamagoyaki? How do you differentiate between the many forms of thick, fluffy, baked egg dishes from all corners of the world?
Kai Jiao: Thailand’s entry in the global omelette sweepstakes…
I’ve been inundated by recurring, resurfacing egg recipes over the past few months. That says two things to me…
One, it took 12 to 18 months for the news to sink in that eggs are okay for you, after all. It was almost 2 years ago when science vindicated eggs of their worst dietary characteristics, proving over and over again that dietary cholesterol has no association with serum (blood) cholesterol. I’ve been trumpet-ing that since then, but the rest of the world has not caught on.
Two, the flood of new and retro egg recipes we’ve seen since the beginning of this year proves that folks still – always have – loved eggs in all their forms and functions.
And with that…
… There has, specifically, emerged a demand for more and varied egg applications that are new – at least to the younger gens. They’re the ones who are cooking at home more, developing their own 21st Century food culture that relies less on restaurants and junk food. They’re more focused on healthier foods they can save money eating by pepping them at home.
Crustless Quiche?
Yes, that’s the official, posted name of a recipe I just came across in the past few days. I’ve been digesting its implications, and that’s what’s led to this post.
There is no such thing as crustless quiche. It is, in fact, a dish separated at birth from Italian Frittata. And the separation took place back in the 16th Century when an Italian princess married the King of France. Caterina de Médici brought Italy’s elegant, advanced culinary traditions to her new home – where they had never even heard of forks prior to her arrival… Which is also why we have specific classic French and Italian quiche recipes: Lorraine and Florentine, respectively.
There are many other such dishes – most of which, curiously, have arisen in widely separated cult-ures around the same time in history…
A quick list…
I’ve done some research of my own. I’ll admit I’ve availed myself of the resources Google AI has to offer, in uncovering ‘omelettes’ I was not heretofore familiar with. But I think, in this case, the use of AI in that limited way is justified…
Frittata (Italy):
“An open-faced, thick egg dish. Cooks mix vegetables, cheese, or meat directly into the beaten eggs before cooking it on the stove and finishing it in the oven.”
Tortilla de Patatas (Spain):
“A thick, round cake made of slow-cooked eggs, potatoes, and onions. People usually serve it at room temperature.”
Western Omelette (North America):
“Classic diner fare in just one dish. With the inclusion of ham, and peppers, it’s both nutritious and flavourful.”
Egg Foo Yong (China/Global)
“A puffy, pancake-style omelet filled with vegetables and meats like pork or shrimp, often served with a savory brown gravy.”
Tamagoyaki (Japan):
‘A sweet and savory rolled omelet. Chefs cook thin layers of egg and roll them into a neat rectangular shape.”
Kai Jiao (Thailand):)
‘A crispy Thai omelet fried in hot oil until the edges are golden and crunchy while the inside stays fluffy.”
Gyeran Mari (Korea):
“A rolled breakfast egg dish filled with finely chopped vegetables like carrots and green onions.”
Menemen (Turkey):
” A soft, comforting scramble of eggs cooked with juicy tomatoes, green peppers, and rich butter. Locals eat it straight from the pan using fresh bread.” (See photo, top of page.)
My take
And that’s just what I was able to come up with in half an hour of targeted surfing… If you’re so moved, I’m sure you can find even more international ‘omelettes’ from places we’d never suspect!
~ Maggie J.