Mememen is a popular dish from Turkey that pairs eggs with a rich sauce of tomatoes and peppers seasoned with black pepper and chili. Onions may or may not be part of the sauce. It’s usually served with crispy toast for breakfast but may be enjoyed at other meals. It’s similar to Egyptian shakshouka, but the eggs are scrambled rather than poached, which is much easier to do right. Mememen is filling and satisfying, with a mildly spicy and savory flavor.
On the Ingredients
- Bell peppers are a type of sweet pepper that comes in a variety of colors (red, green, yellow, orange, chocolate, candy cane stripe, white, and purple). Like the tomato, peppers are culinarily grouped as vegetables even though they’re technically fruits (and even more technically berries). Bell peppers are 92% water and packed with vitamins and minerals. It’s one of the richest dietary sources of vitamin C and also has vitamins B6, K1, E, and A, plus potassium, folate, and several antioxidants. (Read more about bell peppers.)
- Tomatoes originated in Mexico and South America. They were enjoyed by indigenous people long before the Spanish came to the continent and were soon brought to Europe, where they became very popular. Most people now know that the tomato is a fruit, not a vegetable, but even more technically, it’s actually a berry. Tomatoes are 95% water, the rest being carbohydrates and fiber. They’re a good source of vitamin C, potassium, vitamin K1, and folate. (Read more about tomatoes.)
- Eggs are one of the true superfoods of the world. They are highly nutritious and have been a significant part of the human diet since the dawn of our species. In fact, some of the nutrients found in eggs, like choline, are rare in other foods in most modern diets. They’re rich in vitamin A, folate, pantothenic acid (vitamin B5), vitamin B12, riboflavin (vitamin B2), phosphorus, selenium, vitamin D, vitamin E, vitamin B6, calcium, and zinc. Eggs are high in cholesterol but don’t adversely affect blood cholesterol. In fact, they raise DHL, the good cholesterol. (More on the health benefits)
Mememen Turkish Scrambled Eggs
4
servings10
minutes20
minutes30
minutesMememen is a popular dish from Turkey that pairs eggs with a rich sauce of tomatoes and peppers seasoned with black pepper and chili. Onions may or may not be part of the sauce. It's usually served with crispy toast for breakfast but may be enjoyed at other meals. It's similar to Egyptian shakshouka, but the eggs are scrambled rather than poached, which is much easier to do right. Mememen is filling and satisfying, with a mildly spicy and savory flavor.
Ingredients
2 tbsp olive oil
1 large red onion (chopped)
1 green bell pepper (chopped)
1 tsp salt
3 tomatoes (chopped)
3 tbsp tomato paste
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1-2 tsp chili powder
1-2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
4 eggs
1/2 cup feta cheese crumbles (optional)
Crispy toast to serve
Directions
- Heat a large skillet over a medium flame. Add the onion oil, onions, and peppers. Season with salt and sautéed until the onions start to turn translucent.
- Add the tomato paste and tomatoes. Stir to incorporate, then add the oregano, black pepper, chili powder, and red pepper flakes. Cook for a few minutes, stirring frequently.
- Lower the heat to medium-low, then add a splash of water, cover, and let simmer for 10 minutes.
- Make a little room in the sauce and crack four eggs on top. Let the whites cook a little, then gently scramble the eggs into the sauce.
- Sprinkle the top with the feta cheese (if using), then cover and let it cook for 2 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and serve with crispy toast.
