Chef Sanjeev Kapoor shares 10 fun and creative ways to enjoy eggs

Eggs are considered to be a rich source of protein and other nutrients. From nutritionists to medical science, everyone has talked about the benefits of eating eggs regularly. And even chefs like Sanjeev Kapoor keep promoting easy and healthy ways of enjoying eggs. As per chef Sanjeev's post on eggs on his website, eggs have an amazing power to turn even a simple meal into something special. With a little imagination, they can go from everyday breakfast to a full-on flavour adventure. Take a look at his ten fun and creative ways of enjoying eggs at home.

Ingredients: 4 eggs, 2 boiled eggs, roughly chopped, 2 boiled eggs, quartered for garnish, 3 cups cooked basmati rice, salt to taste, 3 tbsps oil, 2 tbsps butter, 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste, 1 tbsp red chilli paste, 1 large onion, 1 large tomato, 1 tsp red chilli powder, 1 tsp coriander powder, ½ tsp turmeric powder, 1 tbsp pav bhaji masala, 1 medium green capsicum, and 2 tbsps coriander leaves

Method: Break in the eggs in a bowl. Add salt and whisk well with a fork. Heat oil and butter in a non-stick wide pan. Add ginger-garlic paste and red chilli paste and sauté for 1-2 minutes. Add onion and sauté till translucent. Add tomato, mix and cook for 3-4 minutes or till soft and pulpy. Add red chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, and pav bhaji masala and sauté for a minute. Add ¼ cup water, mix and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add salt, mix and cook for a minute. Stir in the whisked eggs and mix well. Cook for 2-3 minutes. Add capsicum, mix and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add basmati rice and mix until well combined. Add coriander leaves and sprinkle ¼ cup water and mix well. Squeeze the juice of half a lemon and mix with a light hand. Garnish with boiled egg quarters and coriander leaves. Serve hot.

Ingredients: 8 boiled eggs, 3 tbsps hung yogurt, 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste, 1 tbsp red chilli paste, 1 tbsp garam masala powder, 2 tbsps dried fenugreek leaves powder (kasuri methi), salt to taste, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tbsp mustard oil, 1½ tbsps roasted gram flour, melted butter for basting
Method: Preheat the oven at 200˚ C. Grease a baking tray with melted butter. In a bowl, add hung yogurt, ginger garlic paste, red chilli powder, garam masala powder, dried fenugreek leaves powder, salt, lemon juice, mustard oil, and gram flour. Mix well. Prick boiled eggs with a fork and add to the prepared mixture. Gently mix and keep aside for 10-15 minutes. Cut the marinated eggs into halves and place them on the baking tray. Apply the remaining prepared mixture on the eggs. Brush butter on top and bake for 10-12 minutes. Drizzle more butter on top and transfer on a serving plate. Garnish with mint and serve along with green chutney, onion rings and lemon wedge.

Ingredients: 2 eggs, 3 cups cooked basmati rice, 1½ tbsps oil, salt to taste, crushed black peppercorns to taste, 2 spring onions, 1 tbsp light soy sauce, and 2 spring onion greens
Method: Heat ½ tbsp oil in a non-stick pan and break eggs into the pan. Add salt and crushed black peppercorns, scramble and cook till fully done. Set aside. Heat remaining oil in the same pan. Add spring onion bulbs and sauté for a minute. Add rice and mix well. Add light soy sauce, salt and crushed black peppercorns, mix well. Add the scrambled eggs and spring onion greens, mix well and sauté on high heat for a minute. Take it off the heat. Transfer to a serving dish, garnish with spring onion greens and serve hot.

Ingredients: 4 eggs, 8 pavs, 1 medium onion, 1 tbsp coriander leaves, 1 tsp red chilli powder, ¼ tsp turmeric powder, salt to taste, butter as required, and processed cheese as required
Method: Break eggs in a bowl and whisk well. Add onions, coriander leaves, chilli powder, turmeric powder and salt and mix well. Heat some butter in a non-stick pan. Add half the egg mixture, spread into a large disc and cook till evenly done from both the sides. Cut into quarters and remove from heat. Similarly, prepare another disc from the remaining egg mixture. Heat some more butter in a non-stick pan. Add some chilli powder and coriander leaves, mix and sauté for a few seconds. Place halved pavs in pairs and roast till evenly done from both the sides. Top the base halves with the cooked egg quarters and heat for a few seconds. Grate cheese on top and serve hot.

Ingredients: 6 hard-boiled eggs, 3 tbsps oil, 2 medium onions, 1 inch ginger, 10-12 garlic cloves, 1 cup grated dried coconut, 1 tsp cumin seeds, 1 tsp fennel seeds (saunf), 8-10 cloves, ½ inch cinnamon stick, 10-15 black peppercorns, 1 tbsp white sesame seeds, ¼ cup coriander seeds, 1 cup fresh coriander leaves, 1 medium onion, 2½ tsps red chilli powder, ½ tsp turmeric powder, 2 tbsps kanda-lasoon masala, salt to taste, and coriander leaves

Method: Heat oil in a kadai. Add onions, ginger and garlic and mix well. Cook till the onions turn translucent. Add dried coconut, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, cloves, cinnamon stick, black peppercorns, white sesame seeds, and coriander seeds and mix well. Cook till the mixture turns golden brown. Add coriander leaves and mix well. Cook for 1 minute. Switch the heat off and allow it to cool slightly. Put the roasted mixture into a blender jar and add ¾ cup water and blend to a fine paste. To make the gravy, heat oil in a pan. Add onion and mix well. Cook till golden brown. Stir in the blended paste and cook till the oil separates. Add red chilli powder, turmeric powder, and kanda-lasoon masala and mix well. Pour in 3 cups of water and mix. Cook till the mixture comes to a boil. Add salt, coriander leaves and slide in the eggs and mix. Cook for 4-5 minutes. Transfer into a serving bowl, garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with steamed rice and salad.

Ingredients: 4 eggs, 200 grams refined flour, 5 grams yeast, 1 tbsp castor sugar, ½ cup milk, 1 egg white, oil for cooking, Hollandaise sauce for topping, crushed black peppercorns to taste, paprika for sprinkling, and chopped parsley for sprinkling
Method: To make English muffins, put yeast in a bowl. Add sugar and milk and mix well. Add flour and mix. Add egg white, mix and knead into a soft dough. Set aside till the dough turns double its size. Divide the dough into equal portions and roll out into thick discs. Heat some oil on a non-stick tawa. Place the discs on it and cook for 7-8 minutes on both sides. Heat sufficient water in a non-stick pan. Break eggs, one by one, in it and let them poach. Drain on an absorbent paper. Place the English muffins on a serving platter. Place a poached egg on each and top with a spoonful of hollandaise sauce. Sprinkle crushed peppercorns, paprika and chopped parsley and serve.

Ingredients: 8 eggs, 10-12 spinach leaves, 6 tsps oil, 1 tsp butter, 1-2 green chillies, 1 small onion, 6-7 button mushrooms, 1/3 cup sweet corn, salt to taste, 2 tsps burnt garlic, ½ tsp mustard paste, 1 tsp black pepper, and grated processed cheese as required
Method: In a bowl, break eggs, add salt and whisk well with a fork. Set aside. Heat 2 tsps oil in a non-stick pan, add butter and let it melt. Add green chillies, onion, and sauté till translucent. Add mushrooms, spinach, sweet corn, salt and burnt garlic. Mix well and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add mustard paste, mix well and cook for 1 minute. Transfer in a bowl and set aside. For one portion, heat 1 tsp oil in the same pan, add the egg mixture and spread it evenly. Freshly crush the black peppercorns and add it on top of the eggs. Let the base cook for 1 minute. Add a portion of the prepared spinach mixture on the side of the eggs and sprinkle some cheese on top. Loosen the edges and start rolling the eggs starting from the stuffing. Roll it and let it cook on both sides for a minute. Cut the prepared wrap into 4 pieces and transfer to a serving plate. Serve hot with tomato ketchup.

Ingredients: 2 boiled eggs, 250 grams puff pastry dough, 1 tbsp oil, 1 tbsp butter, 1 tsp cumin seeds, 2 medium onions, 2 medium tomatoes, 1 tsp red chilli powder, 1 tsp coriander powder, 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste, 1 tsp garam masala powder, 1½ tbsp coriander leaves, and 1/2 tsp chaat masala powder
Method: Heat oil and butter in a non-stick pan. Add cumin seeds and let the seeds change colour. Add onions, mix and sauté till lightly browned. Add tomatoes, mix and cook soft and pulpy. Add chilli powder and coriander powder, mix well and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add ginger-garlic paste and mix well. Add some water, mix and cook till the oil separates. Add garam masala powder and 1 tablespoon coriander leaves and mix well. Add chaat masala powder and remaining coriander leaves and mix well. Remove from heat and set aside. Preheat the oven to 180º C. Grease a baking tray with some butter. Roll out pastry dough into a slightly thick sheet. Cut into rectangles and place a portion of masala on one end of each rectangle. Halve eggs, place one half over the masala on each rectangle. Apply water on edges, bring the other end over and press the edges to seal. Grease a baking tray and place these puffs on it, brush some butter over them. Put the tray in the preheated oven and bake for 15-20 minutes. Serve hot with tomato ketchup.

Ingredients: 4 eggs beaten, 4 boiled eggs, 3 cups readymade dosa batter, salt to taste, oil, 4 tbsp chopped onion, 6 tbsp spring onion greens, 2 tbsp chopped green capsicum, 2 tbsp tomatoes, 6 tbsp coriander leaves, 4 tbsp Schezwan chutney, 8 tbsp melted butter, and 8 tbsp processed cheese
ethod: Add salt to the dosa batter and mix well. Heat a non-stick dosa tawa and brush some oil. For each dosa, pour ¾ cup dosa batter, spread into a thin disc and cook for 1-2 minutes. Pour ¼ beaten eggs on top and spread evenly. Top with 1 tablespoon onion, 1½ tablespoons spring onions, ½ tablespoon green capsicum, ½ tablespoon tomato, ¼ roughly chopped boiled eggs, salt, 1 tablespoon coriander leaves and 1 tablespoon Schezwan chutney. Mash well. Drizzle 2 tablespoons melted butter and 1 tablespoon cheese and mash once again. Add remaining cheese and ½ tablespoon coriander leaves, fold and press. Serve hot with green chutney.

Ingredients: 6 eggs, 3 tbsps butter, 2 tsps oil, 1 tbsp chopped garlic, 6-8 button mushrooms, 1/2 tsp chopped fresh oregano, salt to taste, crushed black peppercorns to taste, 1 medium onion, ¼ tsp red chilli flakes, 5-6 chicken sausages, ½ tsp paprika powder, 2 tsps chopped chives, 5-6 cherry tomatoes, 50 grams mozzarella cheese, 5-6 fresh basil leaves, 1/4 cup refined flour, and a pinch of baking powderMethod: Preheat the oven at 180ºC. Heat 1 tbsp butter and 1 tsp oil in a nonstick pan. Add garlic and sauté till golden brown. Add mushrooms and sauté for 2 minutes. Add oregano, salt, crushed peppercorns and sauté for a minute. Take the pan off the heat and set aside to cool down. Heat remaining oil in a nonstick pan. Add onion, salt, red chilli flakes and sauté till onions are translucent. Add chicken sausages and mix well. Add paprika and mix well. Cook for 2 minutes. Add chives and mix well. Take the pan off the heat and set aside to cool down. Take cherry tomatoes in a bowl. Add mozzarella cheese, salt and crushed peppercorns. Tear basil leaves roughly and add and mix well. Take refined flour in a bowl. Add crushed black peppercorns, salt, baking powder, remaining butter and mix. Break eggs one by one and whisk well. Place a portion of all the mixture in individual cupcake moulds and top up with egg mixture. Bake for 10-12 minutes, and garnish with chives and serve hot.