Emirati Baith Tamat
Soft, fully cooked scrambled eggs folded into a jammy tomato base with cumin and turmeric; makes 4 small portions.
Preparation: 10 min · Cooking: 15 min · Total: 25 min · 4 servings
Ingredients
- large eggs — 4 — Whisk before adding to the tomato base.
- medium tomatoes, finely diced — 2
- small onion, finely chopped — 1 (optional) — Optional.
- fresh coriander (cilantro) — For garnish.
- 1 tbsp ghee or vegetable oil — Choose one; this is the total fat allowance, not an amount of each.
- 0.5 tsp ground cumin
- 0.25 tsp ground turmeric
- salt — To taste.
- black pepper — To taste.
Instructions
Measure the four-portion batch
Measure the ingredients for the selected portions. The original batch makes 4 small portions with 4 eggs, 2 medium tomatoes, 1 tbsp total ghee or oil, 0.5 tsp cumin and 0.25 tsp turmeric. Include the optional small onion if desired; keep coriander, salt and black pepper ready.
Chop the vegetables and herbs
Wash the tomatoes and coriander. Finely dice the tomatoes and chop the coriander for the garnish. Finely chop the small onion if using it. Keep the vegetables and garnish separate until their steps.
Whisk the eggs
Crack the eggs into a bowl and whisk until the whites and yolks are blended. Wash hands, utensils and work surfaces after contact with raw eggs; keep the whisked eggs away from the ready-to-eat garnish.
Soften the optional onion
Heat the measured ghee or vegetable oil in a pan over medium heat. If using the onion, sauté until soft and translucent, stirring so it does not brown or burn. If omitting it, continue directly with the tomatoes.
Cook the tomatoes until jammy
Add the diced tomatoes and cook over medium heat for 5–7 minutes, pressing them with the spoon. Let most of the liquid evaporate until the tomatoes form a thick, jammy paste; begin checking at 5 minutes and use the texture cue rather than the timer alone.
Most tomato liquid has evaporated and the base is thick and jammy.
Check the tomatoes from 5 minutes; cook for 5–7 minutes until jammy: 420 seconds
Toast the spices briefly
Stir in the cumin, turmeric, salt and black pepper. Toast with the tomatoes over medium heat for 30 seconds until fragrant, stirring so the spices do not scorch.
Toast the spices for 30 seconds while stirring: 30 seconds
Gently scramble until fully cooked
Reduce to medium-low heat and pour in the whisked eggs. Stir continuously but gently, folding them into the tomato base until soft yet fully set with no liquid egg remaining. Check that the egg mixture reaches 71°C (160°F), then remove from the heat; do not use a fixed timer as proof of doneness.
Soft but fully set curds, no liquid egg; the egg mixture reaches 71°C (160°F).
Garnish and serve hot
Garnish with the fresh coriander and serve hot immediately. Flatbread such as regag or khameer and Karak tea may be served alongside; they are serving suggestions, not ingredients included in this batch.
Tips
- Default yield is 4 small portions, one egg per portion; for a larger breakfast, allow more than one small portion per person.
- Scale the ingredient list, not the inconsistent opening ratio in the initial submission. The confirmed four-egg batch uses 0.5 tsp cumin and 1 tbsp total fat.
- Two portions use 2 eggs, 1 medium tomato, 0.5 optional small onion, 0.5 tbsp fat, 0.25 tsp cumin and 0.125 tsp turmeric; season and garnish to taste.
- Eight portions double every measured ingredient: 8 eggs, 4 tomatoes, 2 optional onions, 2 tbsp fat, 1 tsp cumin and 0.5 tsp turmeric.
- Use a larger pan for larger batches so tomato liquid can evaporate. Cooking times and the 7-minute/30-second reminders do not scale automatically.
- Ghee and oil are alternatives: use the measured total of one, not both. Oil does not remove the egg allergen, and bread served alongside may contain wheat.
Common mistakes
- Leaving the tomato base watery dilutes the eggs and changes the texture.
- Adding the spices too early or letting them burn makes the base bitter.
- Confusing soft eggs with uncooked eggs: the scramble should be fully set, not runny.
- Using the discarded per-egg cumin/fat ratio instead of scaling the confirmed ingredient list.
Substitutions
- Use vegetable oil instead of ghee at the same total quantity; omit the onion if desired.
Storage
Refrigerate leftovers promptly in a covered container within 2 hours (within 1 hour above 32°C); use within 3 days.
Reheating
Reheat gently, stirring, until the egg mixture reaches 74°C (165°F) throughout. Add only a small splash of water if needed to loosen it.
About this recipe
Baith Tamat is an Emirati home-style egg-and-tomato breakfast, often served with local flatbread and Karak tea. Onion use varies between households.
Editorial approval does not establish independent kitchen testing. Check allergens and follow safe food handling.