An authentic taste of Turkey: How menemen became my household favourite

After the first bite of this scrambled eggs dish, I discovered something about its unique taste that I liked. Today, I make this Turkish specialty at home, not just for myself. The other household members have fallen in love with it, too!

Vacations abroad mean relaxing by the sea, sipping umbrella drinks on a lounge chair, and exploring local cuisine. While I have nothing against all-inclusive resorts, I believe that hotel food does not indeed reveal the authentic flavours of national specialties. That's why, in Turkey, I ventured out for breakfast to find a charming spot in one of the streets of Belek serving traditional Turkish scrambled eggs called menemen.

What is menemen? I must admit I wasn't sure at first. Of course, I could taste stewed vegetables, but I wasn't sure which ones. It turned out that Turkish scrambled eggs don't hide any surprises. The classic recipe includes eggs, tomato, onion, and pepper. From what I've learned, this local specialty is enjoyed for breakfast and lunch. It didn't surprise me much, as menemen kept me full for several hours!

Below, I present a sample recipe for this scrambled egg dish. It's worth trying, and it's really delicious!

Ingredients:

• 5-6 eggs,
• 2 tomatoes,
• 1 onion,
• 1 pepper,
• olive oil,
• salt, pepper,
• parsley or other greens.

Preparation:

1. Peel the tomatoes using boiling water or a regular peeler. Then, cut them and the pepper into small cubes. Chop the onion into small pieces.
2. Sauté the onion and pepper in a small amount of olive oil. After a few minutes, add the tomatoes. Gently stir and sauté until the vegetables start to break down, about 8-12 minutes.
3. Crack the eggs into the pan and mix everything. Cook until you reach the desired consistency. I prefer my menemen to be quite runny.
4. Serve with parsley. Done!