Galayet bandora with eggs

Name: Galayet bandora with eggs
Prep time: 11 min
Cook time: 7 min
Total time: 18 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Levantine
Ingredients: 4 tomatoes; 4 eggs; 3 cloves garlic; 1 hot green chilli; 2 tbsp olive oil; 1/2 tsp salt; 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Tomatoes cooked with olive oil, garlic and chilli, with tender eggs set directly in the sauce.

Vegetarian

Cooking time: 18 min
Hands-on time: 11 min
Free time: 7 min
Difficulty: Easy
Cuisine: Levantine
Calories: 290
Contains: Eggs

Qalayet bandora is a quick Jordanian and Palestinian home dish; adding eggs turns the same tomato skillet from a bread dip into a complete meal.

Before you start

Before turning on the heatUse very ripe tomatoes and dice them small; firm, large pieces will not reduce in time.
The twenty-minute promiseThe clock runs from the first cut to serving. There is no hidden soak or marinade and no pre-cooked ingredient unless it is clearly labeled canned or ready to eat.

Ingredients

4people

Amounts follow the number of people

For the skillet

4 tomatoes — ripe and finely diced
4 eggs — at room temperature
3 cloves garlic — crushed
1 hot green chilli — finely chopped; omit for a mild dish
2 tbsp olive oil — for cooking
1/2 tsp salt — then adjust to taste
1/4 teaspoon black pepper — ground

To double the recipe, use a wider pan or bowl and adjust salt, acid, and spices by tasting rather than arithmetic alone.

Equipment

Nonstick skillet with a lid — The nonstick surface lets the eggs set gently without tearing.
Small bowls for preparing the eggs — Set it out before starting so the recipe stays within its short cooking time.

Method

Dice the tomatoes and chilli, crush the garlic, and crack the eggs into a separate bowl without whisking.
3 min
You’ll know it’s ready when
The vegetables are ready and the eggs are cracked with their yolks intact.
Tip: Crack each egg into a small cup first so it can slide into its well without breaking the yolk.
Heat the oil, stir the garlic and chilli for half a minute, then add the tomatoes, salt, and pepper.
4 min
You’ll know it’s ready when
The tomatoes are bubbling and their juices have begun to reduce.
Tip: Cook off vegetable moisture before adding the eggs so the dish does not turn watery.
Make four wells in the tomatoes and slide one egg into each.
2 min
You’ll know it’s ready when
The egg is distributed through the filling and no longer runny at the edges.
Tip: Lower the heat after adding the eggs; high heat dries the surface before the center sets.
Cover the skillet and leave it over the lowest heat.
7 minYou can walk away
You’ll know it’s ready when
The whites are opaque and set while the yolks still wobble gently.
Tip: Lift the lid only once near the end so heat is not lost every minute.
Finish with black pepper and serve the skillet with bread.
2 min
You’ll know it’s ready when
The eggs are tender but set and the dish is ready to eat at once.
Tip: Take the eggs off before they look dry; residual heat finishes the last moment of cooking.