Moroccan · Breakfast
Cumin Fried Eggs (Baid bel Kamoun)
This is the everyday Moroccan fried egg: cooked in a little olive oil and dusted while still soft with cumin, salt and a whisper of paprika, so each bite carries the warm, earthy spice. Eaten straight from the pan with bread to mop the runny yolk, it is a two-minute breakfast that tastes unmistakably Moroccan thanks to the cumin.
- Prep
- 2 min
- Cook
- 5 min
- Total
- 7 min
- Serves
- 2
- Level
- Easy
Ingredients
- 4 eggs
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 3/4 tsp ground cumin
- 1/4 tsp sweet paprika
- Salt, to taste
- 1 tbsp chopped coriander (optional)
- Warm khobz, to serve
Method
- 1
Heat the oil
Warm the olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat until it shimmers but does not smoke.
- 2
Fry the eggs
Crack the eggs gently into the pan and cook until the whites set and the edges just begin to crisp, keeping the yolks soft.
- 3
Season while soft
Sprinkle the eggs generously with cumin, paprika and salt while they are still cooking so the spices toast slightly in the oil.
- 4
Finish and serve
Scatter with coriander if using, and slide straight onto a plate. Serve with warm bread for dipping into the yolk.
Chef's tips
- Add the cumin while the eggs are in the pan so the heat blooms it rather than leaving it raw and dusty.
- Keep the yolks runny — the point is a spiced yolk to soak up with bread.
- A pinch of chilli or a smear of harissa on the bread turns it into a spicier breakfast.
Frequently asked questions
Why cumin on eggs?
Cumin with eggs is a deeply Moroccan pairing, the same combination used on hard-boiled eggs sold in the souks with little twists of cumin-salt. It gives plain eggs an instantly Moroccan flavour.
Can I make it in a tagine?
Yes. A small clay tagine or cast-iron pan holds heat well and lets you serve the eggs sizzling at the table, which is how they are often eaten.