Chipsi Mayai

Servings4

Time to Cook15 minutes

Time to Prepare15 minutes

This African inspired dish called Chipsi Mayai is essentially an omelette with peppers, tomatoes, and French fries! While you can make your own French fries fresh for this recipe, feel free to use oven fries or even leftover take-out fries!

Ingredients

Kachumbari

1 tomato, finely chopped (approx. 1.5 cups)
½ medium red onion, finely chopped (approx. 1/2 cup)
1 green or red chilli pepper, diced (optional)
2 tbsp ( 30 mL ) chopped cilantro
2 tbsp ( 30 mL ) lemon juice
1/4 tsp ( 1 mL ) smoked paprika
1/4 tsp ( 1 mL ) salt, or to taste
1/8 tsp ( 0.5 mL ) black pepper, or to taste

Omelette

2 tbsp ( 30 mL ) vegetable oil, divided
¼ large onion, finely diced (approx. 2/3 cup)
1 small red bell pepper, diced (approx. 1 cup)
1-2 green or red chilli peppers, diced (optional)
1 small tomato, diced (approx. 3/4 cup)
6 large eggs
Salt and pepper to taste
Roughly 2 cups cooked French fries (see note)
1 tbsp ( 15 mL ) chopped cilantro, for garnish

Instructions

Kachumbari

In a bowl, combine tomato, onion, chilli pepper (if using), cilantro, lemon juice, paprika, salt, and black pepper. Set aside until the omelette is ready.

Omelette

In a 10-inch non-stick frying pan over medium heat, add 1 tbsp of the oil and the diced onions. Cook until onions are translucent and fragrant, about 2 to 3 minutes.
Add the bell pepper, and chilli pepper (if using); sauté for a minute. Add the diced tomatoes and salt; cook for an additional 2 minutes.
Place the sautéed veggies in a bowl and set aside.
In a medium sized bowl, whisk eggs. Stir in the sautéed veggies, cilantro, and a pinch each of salt and pepper.
Heat a 10-inch non-stick frying pan over medium heat (you can re-use the pan used for the veggies), and add the remaining 1 tbsp of oil.
Pour the egg and veggie mixture into the pan and reduce the heat to medium-low.
While the eggs are still runny, carefully place the cooked potato chips on top of the omelette, spreading out evenly.
Cook covered until the top is just set, another 10-15 minutes. Flip the omelette. Don’t panic! Here’s how: place a plate on top of the pan. Flip the pan over to turn out the omelette onto the plate, then slide the omelette back into the frying pan so the cooked side is now on top. Cook for another two minutes.
Remove from the heat and cut into wedges. Place each portion of the chipsi mayai on a plate and top with the Kachumbari. Serve hot on its own or with a side salad, if desired.

Notes

Fries

While you can absolutely deep fry your own, you can also used baked fries, or take-out fries instead! To make your own French fries you’ll need:

2 medium potatoes
Oil for deep-frying
Salt, to taste

Wash and cut the potatoes into thin or slightly thicker French fries. Soak in cold water until ready to fry.
In a heavy bottomed pot, heat cooking oil to about 350°F (180°C).
Remove potatoes from cold water, and pat dry.
In batches, carefully fry the potatoes in the hot oil until golden, crispy, and cooked throughout. This will take about 5 to 7 minutes depending on the thickness of the fries.
Remove from the oil and place on a paper towel-lined plate. Season the hot fries with salt to taste and set aside until ready to use.