My Yaay’s Omelet Recipe
3 Large Eggs
1 Small Sweet Yellow onion
½ cup of peanut oil
1 tablespoon Brown Vinegar
Salt
¼ of a Madji Cube, ground
Black pepper
French Baguette (to serve)
Mayonnaise (to serve)
Background
I remember the first real street food item that I had was an omelet. Now, when I hear omelet, I automatically picture eggs with different meat, cheese, and vegetable combinations. One day, after a long afternoon spent in Tivouone study Wolof, I was famished. I hopped off at the bus stop in my village of Tabia Ndiaye, and I was determined to find something to eat. While strolling up and down the dirt roads of Taiba, I came across a small one room restaurants. It was there that I had my first Senegalese omelet. A Senegalese omelet is very simple compared to the omelet depicted in my mind. Its main ingredients are eggs, onions, and seasoning. It is very flavorful and normally served on a french baguette with mayonnaise. My Yaay would make me a omelet every Friday night because that was Cere/Lax night, and I would not eat Cere or Lax.
Directions
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Crack all three eggs into a small bowl and wisk together. Add the ¼ Madji cube, salt and pepper into the eggs. Set aside.
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Take your onion and cut it into small slivers. If you want, add another ¼ of the Madji cube to the onions for more flavor. My Yaay would always be upset if I did this. She would say, Die Astou, dafa bari!”, or “Die Astou, that’s too much!”. Set the onions aside
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Pour the oil into a skillet and place it on mid-high heat.
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Once the oil is hot, sprinkle the onions in and allow them to cook for 30 seconds before pouring the egg mixture in. After the onions and egg mixture are frying, pour the brown vinegar into the skillet.
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***WARNING*** This next step may be a bit difficult. By now, the omelet is starting to form into a large egg patty. Check the cooking side of the patty by lifting up a side to see if it’s brown. If brown, it’s time to flip. My Yaay used a colinderic spoon to do this, or you can break the patty in half and flip each side, one at a time.
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Once the omelet patty is flipped, allow the other side to be equally brown. Remove the omelet from the skillet and place it on a paper towel to drain.
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Grab a french baguette and lather some mayonnaise onto it. Place to omelet into the french baguette, and pare nag (you’re finished!). Na ress ak jamm sama xarit (Eat in peace my friend).
