This dish typifies Middle Eastern cookery. Like a Spanish tortilla, it has the same basis of spuds and eggs, but is a much lighter, greener meal – and it's ideal for packing into your lunchbox.
Serves 6
1 large potato, suitable for mashing
6 free-range eggs, beaten
2 big handfuls of fresh herbs – ideally parsley and coriander, but add some dill and mint if you have some too, roughly chopped
100g baby spinach, roughly chopped
½ a regular onion, or 4 spring onions, finely chopped
4 cardamom pods
2-3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
30g butter
Salt and black pepper
1. First make your mash in the time-honoured way: peel the potato and dice it into large chunks, cover it with cold water, add a pinch of salt, simmer in a large saucepan for 20 minutes, drain and then mash.
2. Preheat the oven to 180C/gas 4. While the potatoes are on, do all your chopping and put all the greenery and the onion into a bowl with the beaten eggs.
3. Gently bash the cardamom pods with the side of a big knife and pick the little seeds out. Chuck out the husks.
4. Whisk the garlic, cardamom seeds and quite a bit of seasoning into the eggs. Once the spud is done, beat that in too.
5. Melt a little butter in a frying pan and let it run all round the inside, or alternatively, grease a Pyrex dish. Pour in the egg mix and bake in the oven until the middle is just set, probably about 20–25 minutes, depending on the depth of your pan.
6. Leave it to cool. Serve on its own, or with a bit of salty cheese such as feta, a bunch of radishes and some yoghurt.
Adapted from Economy Gastronomy
