I am a big fan of quickly frying up a runny egg for burritos. I don't always eat them in the morning, but there's something about a breakfast burrito all day that just hits the spot! This week I made a Japanese-inspired quinoa with tamari and rice vinegar. Eggs tend to go really well with this kind of flavor profile. There's almost a fishiness about tamari or soy sauce. So, when combined with the creaminess of an egg, you end up with an incredibly delicious combination. And this quinoa burrito is no exception!
I added a dollop of sour cream and hot sauce on top for an added kick of Mexican food-inspired flare to go with the burrito. But there are plenty of other ingredients to go with. Eastern dishes don't tend to favor dairy products. Opting instead for more fermented and more easily preserved ingredients. It's made me think about pickling fresh ginger.
None of this is even remotely authentic, though! I think that that's part of the fun of cooking sometimes, though. As much as I like to make and appreciate truly authentic dishes and bringing age old techniques into my everyday life, there is something to be said for taking what you have on hand and making something delicious out of it! The perfect amalgam of things that don't necessarily go together, but end up combining perfectly into something new and delicious. What is on the fridge one day, ends up being the next innovation the next!
Gallery
Variations of Egg and Quinoa Burrito
I am constantly putting eggs in burritos. It's easier to eat on the go than an egg scramble or salad, but just as quick to throw together! Plus, while wrapped within a burrito shell, it's easy to actually eat on the run. Which I do happen to do with quite the frequency!
This runny egg and quinoa burrito combines Japanese-inspired tamari and rice vinegar with Latin American-inspired quinoa, sour cream, and hot sauce. It truly is a fusion of disparate, yet complimentary ingredients in a fusion of flavors that works incredibly well together. The nuttiness and almost bitterness of the quinoa is played up by the tamari and rice vinegar, but balanced out by the creaminess of the runny egg. It's the perfect pick-me-up in the morning with a little bit of a kick to boot.
Cook Quinoa w/ Ginger, Tofu, & Sprouts. This takes less than an hour and requires a rice cooker or stove. It's easy to make ahead of time and will keep for about a week in the refrigerator. I almost always have some kind of quinoa, lentil, or rice dish in the refrigerator for exactly this purpose!
Cook Tortilla
Preheat the pan on medium-high. If you aren't using cast iron, make sure to lightly oil the pan to prevent sticking.
Wet both sides of the tortilla and add to the preheated pan. Cook for 4-6 minutes, or until the bottom begins to brown.
Remove the tortilla from heat and turn the stove off. Add toppings and fold the burrito. Wrap it slightly less tightly than you ordinarily would in order to leave room for the egg later on.We're also intentionally holding off on the egg! It will need to be cooked after the tortilla is prepared so that the egg doesn't completely set and remains runny.
Turn the stove back up to medium and add the tortilla to the skillet immediately, before it preheats. Cook for about 4 minutes, or until the bottom begins to brown. Rotate until all sides are cooked.The first side will likely take longer to cook than the subsequent sides, which may toast in as little as 2 minutes. Adjust the temperature if it's cooking too quickly and burning or too slowly and cracking.
Remove from heat and set aside. It's best to cover so that it doesn't cool off to quickly. But this isn't entirely necessary.
Cook Eggs
Leave the skillet on medium heat and add oil.I use a pretty well seasoned cast iron pan to cook eggs, so I don't add any more than a spritz of oil. You may need upwards of a teaspoon for other types of pans, though. Use just enough so that your eggs don't stick!
Crack egg into the pan.It should be hot enough that the egg sizzles, but doesn't deep fry or brown immediately.
Let cook until golden brown on the bottom and you can flip the egg with ease. The whites should be fairly set on both sides, but not completely cooked.You want to cook this relatively quickly so that the egg yolk doesn't set, though. It should take about a minute or two. Turn the heat up if the egg whites don't cook quickly enough or down if the egg yolk starts to cook. Also immediately flip if this happens!
Flip and turn off the stove. Cook for another 30 seconds, or until the egg white is completely cooked. It should already be mostly set and this should take no time at all!
Immediately remove the egg from heat.
Complete Burrito
Carefully unwrap the burrito slightly and place the egg inside. Rewrap the burrito and squeeze slightly so that the egg begins to run.You don't have to break the yolk, but it will continue to cook inside of the warm burrito shell. So, if you don't, you might not get that runny egg! This will also be kind of messy and I recommend eating over a plate or wrapped in parchment paper or food storage wraps. I have a set of reusable beeswax wraps for this.
Serve immediately. Before the egg cooks!
Tips, Tricks, & Notes
For a more in-depth article on burritos, check out my article on The Fundamentals of Making Burritos. I highly suggest using cast iron and there is precise temperature that works best for cooking at that may vary slightly depending on your stovetop and type of skillet. If you're having trouble rolling the burrito without cracking, there are solutions for this as well!
Leave a Reply