Fried Eggs with Smashed Avo & Togarashi
I love a good fried egg. It’s hard to beat the combination of the crunchy, fluffy white and a soft melting yolk. If you haven’t tried the Japanese spice blend shicimi togarashi, you’re in for a real treat! But if you can’t find it, don’t worry, I’ve got you covered in the variations below.
enough for: 1
takes: 10 minutes
2-3 tablespoons coconut oil
2 – 3 eggs
1/2 large avocado (or 1 small)
1-2 teaspoons shicimi togarashi
large handful salad leaves
1. Heat a small frying pan over a high heat for a minute or so.
2. Add oil and allow to warm. Crack eggs into the pan and fry for about 2 minutes or until the white is just set. I find it helps to spoon some hot oil over the whites to help them cook more quickly. If the eggs are browning on the bottom too quickly, remove from the heat for a little while and reduce the heat.
3. Slide the eggs onto you plate. Add avocado on the side and smash with a fork. Season with salt & pepper.
4. Add salad on the side and sprinkle over togarashi. Serve with salt and pepper and extra togarashi.
Variations
no shicimi togarashi – You could try making your own by mixing some chilli powder with sesame seeds and a little orange zest. But really chilli powder or flakes on their own with a little sea salt will do. It just won’t have the fragrance and depth of flavour. If all that sounds too hard just go with good old salt and pepper and maybe a squeeze of lime for the avocado.
other uses for shicimi togarashi – see here for 6 tasty ideas.
other oils – I use a ‘cooking’ coconut oil which doesn’t have a strong flavour. Other options for cooking your eggs are ghee (clarified butter), or refined olive oil. I don’t cook with extra virgin olive oil because it isn’t stable at high temperatures.
carnivore – fry a few rashers of bacon in the pan before cooking the eggs in the bacon fat. Avocado becomes optional.
vegan / egg-free – serve the avocado with a large field mushroom that has been pan fried on a high heat until tender. Serve with a dollop of mayo to make it more substantial.
irish breakfast – slice some black and/or white pudding and pan fry in a little butter. Keep warm while you fry the eggs in the same pan. Avocado optional.
more substantial / higher fat – drizzle the cooking oil over the eggs / serve with a dollop of mayo or a drizzle of chilli oil / or scatter over some roast macadamias for extra crunch. I also like it with a smear of good quality pate for an extra boost of iron.
carb-lovers – serve with hot buttered toast.