Khormah Maloos: Dates and Eggs

Feed Yourself, No 15

A few months ago Henry and I went to stay with my beloveds Haleh and Matti in Philadelphia. For breakfast one morning, Haleh made us dates and eggs. It is rare to come across a new combination (to me) that surprises and delights, and also makes so much sense. That feels inevitable. It felt a bit like coming late to a great party. Slight regret that I hadn’t arrived sooner, but happy to be there now. A traditional Iranian breakfast, Haleh recounted that her family would often meet on Sundays at campsites by the beach in Los Angeles where she grew up, and make this dish over an open fire, accompanied by mint tea. Perfect.

We all know that the the main reason to seek out a life partner is so that you can split a sweet and savory breakfast at a diner on Sundays in perpetuity. This breakfast solves that dilemma and protects your solitude while delivering that indescribable marriage between unctious, salty eggs, and syrupy sweetness. There is some sort of sorcery that occurs when the date is warmed through, fudge like, accompanied by the burst of nutrient dense yolk. So comforting and benevolent. You've got to try it. And if you don’t want to make zhug, it is still delicious without it, or with the hot sauce that is already sitting in your fridge. Haleh served hers with Lavash. Our neighborhood is covered in Mexican grocers so I lean tortillas, quickly warmed over an open flame, which work just as well.

Dates and Eggs

Get a non-stick or seasoned cast-iron hot. Add a bit of oil, ghee or butter to the pan. Crack two eggs per person. Each egg gets a date and a half split and fanned out. Season the dates and eggs with salt and pepper (I like Aleppo pepper),and briefly cover with a lid just to let the eggs set for 1-2 minutes. Once cooked to your preference remove from heat and drizzle with zhug. Either toast tortillas on the stove or reheat lavash in the oven.

On Purchasing Dates

When shopping for dates, look for them in the produce aisle, not the dried fruit and nut section. I find that these tend to be juicier, taste more of brown sugar, and have more life to them than the ones that are overly dried and saccharine and don’t require refrigeration. If you find dates in the produce aisle, refrigerate them at home too.