Chilis for Breakfast
July 16, 2011 3:10 AM Subscribe
Breakfast dishes that involve chili?
I have a glut of chilis (ranging from mild to weapons grade) and before the drying, pickling, jam-making, &c. begins I want to use them straight from the greenhouse in as many meals as possible.
The problem is breakfast. I only know two chili-centric breakfast dishes: huevos rancheros and nasi goreng. That's just the sort of thing I'm interested in - national/regional/traditional breakfasts from around the world with a bit of a chili kick.
I'm not so much after ideas for adding chilis to breakfasts that don't traditionally contain them - I've been chucking chilis in BLTs, bubble and squeak, and on my fried/poached/scrambled egg on toast, but the breakfast purist in me finds that sort of thing slightly disturbing!
I have a glut of chilis (ranging from mild to weapons grade) and before the drying, pickling, jam-making, &c. begins I want to use them straight from the greenhouse in as many meals as possible.
The problem is breakfast. I only know two chili-centric breakfast dishes: huevos rancheros and nasi goreng. That's just the sort of thing I'm interested in - national/regional/traditional breakfasts from around the world with a bit of a chili kick.
I'm not so much after ideas for adding chilis to breakfasts that don't traditionally contain them - I've been chucking chilis in BLTs, bubble and squeak, and on my fried/poached/scrambled egg on toast, but the breakfast purist in me finds that sort of thing slightly disturbing!
My mom used to eat baked beans and toast for breakfast growing up -- it's traditional in Maine. Would that be enough to allow your traditionalist side to eat a bean dish for breakfast? Because spicy black bean stew for breakfast, especially with a side of toast or toasted naan to dip in the stew, is *delicious*. (And not that far from my mother's traditional bean breakfasts, although my seasoning is pretty different.)
posted by pie ninja at 3:43 AM on July 16, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by pie ninja at 3:43 AM on July 16, 2011 [1 favorite]
Roti canai is one of my favourite breakfasts, and goes well with chilli in various forms. Make something sambal-y for dipping or a spicy dahl.
posted by Trivia Newton John at 3:59 AM on July 16, 2011
posted by Trivia Newton John at 3:59 AM on July 16, 2011
Chilli goes well in scrambled eggs and omelettes.
Many Asian countries have chilli at breakfast, although this often because their breakfast dishes aren't as distinct from the rest of their cuisines as western ones are. A few suggestions are Sri Lanka - string hoppers, egg hoppers and curries, India - curries and dahls, and Malaysia - the roti canai which is served with a thin curry. I suppose there's also quite a few fried egg/ noodle dishes too such as Indonesia's nasi goreng (which you mention) and Thailand's pad thai, both of which can use chillies.
posted by rhymer at 4:00 AM on July 16, 2011
Many Asian countries have chilli at breakfast, although this often because their breakfast dishes aren't as distinct from the rest of their cuisines as western ones are. A few suggestions are Sri Lanka - string hoppers, egg hoppers and curries, India - curries and dahls, and Malaysia - the roti canai which is served with a thin curry. I suppose there's also quite a few fried egg/ noodle dishes too such as Indonesia's nasi goreng (which you mention) and Thailand's pad thai, both of which can use chillies.
posted by rhymer at 4:00 AM on July 16, 2011
I sometimes eat fried potatoes and gravy for breakfast. (I usually don't fry meat, but make the gravy with soup base instead.) You can add anywhere from a little to a lot of chili to the gravy while maintaining its function.
posted by Bruce H. at 4:41 AM on July 16, 2011
posted by Bruce H. at 4:41 AM on July 16, 2011
I'm not so much after ideas for adding chilis to breakfasts that don't traditionally contain them ...
Sorry. Blew right past that.
How about cheese enchiladas?
posted by Bruce H. at 4:52 AM on July 16, 2011
Sorry. Blew right past that.
How about cheese enchiladas?
posted by Bruce H. at 4:52 AM on July 16, 2011
Home fries are good with a little chili; usually it's dried powdered chili (cayenne plus paprika) but chopped fresh chilis work too.
Here is a recipe for congee (Chinese rice porridge) with bok choy, fried garlic and green chili. I haven't tried this particular recipe but congee is a great breakfast food.
posted by Quietgal at 5:40 AM on July 16, 2011
Here is a recipe for congee (Chinese rice porridge) with bok choy, fried garlic and green chili. I haven't tried this particular recipe but congee is a great breakfast food.
posted by Quietgal at 5:40 AM on July 16, 2011
no one has mentioned huevos rancheros yet!
Hmmmm ... yum!
posted by jannw at 5:46 AM on July 16, 2011
Hmmmm ... yum!
posted by jannw at 5:46 AM on July 16, 2011
Huevos a la mexicana is eggs scrambled with jalapeno or serrano peppers, tomatoes, and diced onion (usually served with refried beans and tortillas or tortilla chips).
Huevos con chorizo is eggs scrambled with fried Mexican sausage, and since it is pretty heavy/greasy it is sometimes served with pico de gallo to liven it up -- pico de gallo is chopped tomato, onion, and jalapeno.
The Tex-Mex (not from Spain or Portugal) migas are eggs scrambled with pieces of tortilla and cheese, and a lot of other ingredients including jalapenos (recipe here).
Entomatadas are a lot like enchiladas, with a spicy tomato sauce that has jalapeno or serrano peppers. There are as many variations as there are with enchiladas, but this looks like a very good recipe.
Machacado is eggs scrambled with shredded, dried beef. Here's a recipe (the first ingredient is translated literally -- what's meant is the beef)
posted by Houstonian at 5:54 AM on July 16, 2011
Huevos con chorizo is eggs scrambled with fried Mexican sausage, and since it is pretty heavy/greasy it is sometimes served with pico de gallo to liven it up -- pico de gallo is chopped tomato, onion, and jalapeno.
The Tex-Mex (not from Spain or Portugal) migas are eggs scrambled with pieces of tortilla and cheese, and a lot of other ingredients including jalapenos (recipe here).
Entomatadas are a lot like enchiladas, with a spicy tomato sauce that has jalapeno or serrano peppers. There are as many variations as there are with enchiladas, but this looks like a very good recipe.
Machacado is eggs scrambled with shredded, dried beef. Here's a recipe (the first ingredient is translated literally -- what's meant is the beef)
posted by Houstonian at 5:54 AM on July 16, 2011
I had roti with some kind of scrummy hot chutney and natural yogurt for breakfast in India....it's one of my favourite food memories of a trip that had many memorable food moments!
posted by koahiatamadl at 6:09 AM on July 16, 2011
posted by koahiatamadl at 6:09 AM on July 16, 2011
Hey, I think Hungarian food traditions also might have something for you. Here's a Hungarian omelet with a quarter of a hot pepper in it.
posted by krilli at 6:34 AM on July 16, 2011
posted by krilli at 6:34 AM on July 16, 2011
eggs anywhichway with chilli on them is delicious. I like them poached the british way on a bed of steamed spinach with a dash of chilli on the yolk.
posted by the fish at 6:34 AM on July 16, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by the fish at 6:34 AM on July 16, 2011 [1 favorite]
breakfast burritos (flour tortilla with hash browns, scrambled egg, cheese, bacon and red or green chili sauce) are one of the great food items on the planet. you can also just add charred mild chilies to them ( called rajas, or rags)
actually, New Mexican food in general (of which breakfast burritos are a part) will be right up your alley
posted by genmonster at 7:10 AM on July 16, 2011
actually, New Mexican food in general (of which breakfast burritos are a part) will be right up your alley
posted by genmonster at 7:10 AM on July 16, 2011
The gringo version of machacado, machaca, is quite popular for breakfast in AZ. It's made with shredded, slow-cooked beef instead of dried, so the ingredients are easy to find. It's typically made beforehand and then cooked with scrambled eggs, usually served as a burrito or at least with flour tortillas on the side.
posted by TungstenChef at 9:14 AM on July 16, 2011
posted by TungstenChef at 9:14 AM on July 16, 2011
Response by poster: Wow, thanks everyone! So many great suggestions. I think I'll work my way through Mexico before heading off in the direction of Asia - roti canai, egg hoppers and congee all sound fantastic - with a quick stop in Hungary (I could even make paprika from last years dried crop).
Since people put pics of their pets on AskMe, I guess it's okay to link to a snap of some beautiful Capsicum annuum 'Masquerade' basking in the afternoon sun.
posted by jack_mo at 9:41 AM on July 16, 2011 [3 favorites]
Since people put pics of their pets on AskMe, I guess it's okay to link to a snap of some beautiful Capsicum annuum 'Masquerade' basking in the afternoon sun.
posted by jack_mo at 9:41 AM on July 16, 2011 [3 favorites]
Hold up! Do not even consider marking a best answer until you try Çılbır. Turkish poached eggs in yoghurt and chili butter. I make my chili butter using the Heston Blumenthal recipe, but really smoked paprika and chili are all you need.
posted by roofus at 10:08 AM on July 16, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by roofus at 10:08 AM on July 16, 2011 [1 favorite]
I made some chili based breakfast by mistake. I made carnitas (shredded bits of fried, then simmered, then fried pork) with chilis from my garden and the recipe said that after the liquid had all boiled off, the lard (yeah, lard) is fine to reuse. I kept it, thinking ahead to the next delicious batch of carnitas, but found myself wanting to make biscuits instead. I hadn't counted on the whole "lard used to make spicy food is spicy" factor, so what I ended up with were flaky wonderful spicy hot biscuits.
They go great with eggs fried with diced chilis.
posted by Ghidorah at 12:38 AM on July 17, 2011 [1 favorite]
They go great with eggs fried with diced chilis.
posted by Ghidorah at 12:38 AM on July 17, 2011 [1 favorite]
You can put chilli in kedgeree
posted by fire&wings at 1:44 AM on July 17, 2011
posted by fire&wings at 1:44 AM on July 17, 2011
For breakfast, I often have a type of chili hot chocolate inspired by Cocoa Camino's mix: cocoa or dark chocolate, chili, cinnamon, sugar.
posted by skermunkil at 12:58 PM on July 17, 2011
posted by skermunkil at 12:58 PM on July 17, 2011
In Thailand you can buy fresh pineapple all chopped up, accompanied by a little bag containing a mixture of salt, sugar and chilli.. I think they use chilli flakes but we have made an approximation with fresh chili. Anyway, it's *delicious*.
posted by 8k at 4:51 AM on July 18, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by 8k at 4:51 AM on July 18, 2011 [1 favorite]
what 8k says with green mango! Also, since you mentioned nasi goreng, rujak, spicy fruit salad. There are many, many recipes, but the one linked, looks authentic enough and with ingredients that must be available. My grandmother ate this with raw crispy veggies, also.
posted by ouke at 3:58 PM on July 18, 2011
posted by ouke at 3:58 PM on July 18, 2011
This thread is closed to new comments.
Savory, not sweet, and delicious my friend, delicious. Go China.
posted by krilli at 3:32 AM on July 16, 2011