Beid Meza’lil is hard boiled eggs fried in ghee. It is an iconic Egyptian holiday egg dish that surfaces on Copts’ Christmas and Easter tables to break a long fasting.
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What is Beid Mazalil or Fried Boiled Eggs?
Beid meza’lil is simply hard boiled eggs fried in ghee (or butter). The sizzling ghee torches the eggs skin, gives it a beautiful golden hue, makes it irresistbly crispy, and imparts it with a unique caramelized flavor note.
Festive Beid Meza’lil (Fried Hard Boiled Eggs) is a Coptic Tradition
I was raised and bred in a coptic (Christian Egyptian) family in Egypt. My parents were devout christians who observed a vegan fasting/diet, that could go as far as seven weeks. During which, Copts (including my parents) abstain from eating animal products including eggs.
To break our Coptic fasting my mom would prepare for Christmas night or Easter, a large array of meat dishes, a large plate of Egyptian Fatta, a cheese tray, and of course Beid Mezalil (fried hard boiled eggs).
When I left Egypt and immigrated to the US, I kept dearly the same tradition of serving Beid Meza’lil on Christmas and Easter eve, yet I tweaked the traditional egg. Meaning, I cook it the same way, but I take its seasoning up a notch, so it would appeal to the palate of my western kids and guests.
Beid Meza’lil Benefits
Compared to the constantly increasing prices of organic protein (meat and chicken), eggs remain an affordable source of protein in times of significant inflation.
By the time of writing this article, 24 organic and range free eggs from Costco ( U.S wholesale retailer) cost less than $7 + taxes. Meaning, that you can build an entire egg dinner feast on eggs, cheese and bread and it would cost no more than $20.
Being fried in ghee, beid meza’lil is also an excellent KETO superfood that the KETO crowd can greatly appreciate and cherish.
In the realm of hip breakfast ideas, I believe that beid mezalil is a lovely upgrade from mundane scrambled eggs and a practical alternative to laborious poached eggs.
Although being an ancient Egyptian tradition, beid meza’lil with its crispy white and creamy yolk has a great potential to be an exotic and trendy egg dish that garners the appreciation of adults as well as kids. So let us learn how to make it!
How to Make Egyptian Beid Meza’lil
Egyptian beid meza’lil is so simple to make. It just needs some precision in getting the eggs hard-boiled right, without turning the yolks too runny nor overcooked.
Time when boiling eggs is crucial! So set your timer once you dip your eggs in the water.
- Hard Boil The Eggs
In a sauce pan, add tap water at room temperature and the eggs on medium heat. Bring the water to a rolling boil for 10-12 minutes max. Turn off the heat.
- Peel The Eggs
For easy shell peeling transfer the eggs to a deep dish filled with iced water, leave them in 3-5 minutes, them remove and shell the eggs.
- Fry The Eggs
In a frying pan, add the ghee and heat it on low heat. Beware of the hot ghee splatters, as they are sudden and painful.
Carefully add your eggs in the hot ghee. Extend your arms and keep your body and face away from the hot pan.
Roll the eggs in the sizzling pan by spinning the pan, or using a wooden spoon to roll the eggs. Once the eggs skin turns golden, turn off the heat.
- Season & Serve
With a serrated knife, cut through the crispy skin and half the eggs lengthwise. You can just Sprinkle the eggs with salt and pepper or you can go one step further in dressing up the eggs.
Generously grate parmesan cheese over the eggs, sprinkle with a dash of sumac or a flutter of smoked paprika, freshly ground pepper, and Himalayan salt. For some heat, Aleppo pepper is a perfect match with beid Mezailil.
Serve Beid Meza’lil with Style
Beid Meza’lil platter could be a stylish appetizer, breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
No matter when you decide to serve it, leverage the esthetic hues of Beid Mezalil and arrange them on a beautiful platter.
Slice the eggs quickly before they cool off and arrange them on a wooden or marble tray, next to briny feta and slices of parmesan cheese, and ideally hot pita bread and lavash.
Check Out More Egyptian Egg Recipes On My Blog
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Beid Meza’lil (Egyptian Fried Boiled Eggs)
INGREDIENTS
- 6 eggs, preferrably free range and organic
- Tap water
- 2 tablespoons ghee, or more if necessary
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika or sumac
- 3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan
DIRECTIONS
- Hard boil the eggs: In a sauce pan, add tap water at room temperature and the eggs and set the pan on medium heat. Bring the water to a rolling boil for 10-12 minutes max. Turn off the heat and remove the eggs.
- Peel the eggs: For easy shell peeling, transfer the eggs to a deep dish filled with tap water and place them in the freezer for 2-3 minutes and then shell the eggs. They will come off easily without scratching the surface of the eggs.
- Season & Serve: Half the eggs lengthwise with a serrated knife and then sprinkle them with salt and pepper. Optionally, you can add freshly grated parmesan and a dash of sumac or smoked paprika.
NERMINE’S NOTES:
- Using a serrated knife to cut throughout the crispy golden skin of a fried hard boiled egg is the only way not to damage the skin.
- Beware of the hot ghee splatters. Extend your arms to roll the eggs in the hot ghee while keeping your body away.