After returning home from a 10k run last Saturday morning, I was hungry for some good brunch food! Even though I've been vegan for over 2 years now, when I think of the word 'brunch,' I still automatically think of omelets. They were my favorite thing to order at diners, and I was a fan of brunch buffets with those 'made to order omelet bars'. While I don't crave eggs in general anymore, I admit that occasionally, I miss the comforting memories that are associated with eating them.
Anyway, since I bought that humongous package of black salt powder at the Foreign Food Mart the other week, I figured it was time I gave it a test with Isa's Tofu Omelet recipe from 'Vegan Brunch.' I had all the ingredients on hand to follow the recipe exactly- the black salt powder, the nutritional yeast flakes, the chickpea flour (another FFM purchase), and just enough turmeric. I was nervous about attempting my very first vegan omelete- there were so many things that could go wrong~ But in the end, I needn't have been so concerned because it came out beautifully!
Doesn't it look authentic? I was definitely surprised by the general ease of the recipe and how well my omelet held together- no rips or mushy clumps. The last bit of turmeric powder I had did wonders in contributing that characteristic yellow yolk color. For the filling of my omelet, I lightly sauteed some oyster mushrooms and spinach, which you can also see on the side.
And how did it taste, you ask? Ohmyholyddong, I thought I was eating a real egg omelet. For a moment, I was transported to my non-vegan days of brunching at Denny's. haha. The key ingredient was definitely the black salt which tasted so much like eggs, it was quite shocking and weirdly unnerving. Granted, it's been so long since I last ate egg that I might have forgotten what it really tastes like, but from what I remember, I reckon this came pretty darn close. Dare I say, it even tasted better than I remember real eggs to taste?
Cholesterol-free omelet!
And just as I used to do back in the day, I topped my 'egg' with a squiggle of good ol' ketchup:
Perfection.
Oh, Isa, if you're listening, my hat's off to you! Now I'm thinking of all the different fillings I could play with... olives, tomatoes, perhaps some corn... Anyone have a favorite omelet filling combination? I'd love to hear 'em. I'm sure I could also use this recipe as a base to make other popular Korean egg dishes like 'omurice' or those rolled-egg banchans.
So folks, if you miss traditional diner-style omelets and scrambled eggs, I absolutely recommend trying Isa's recipe, or even another tofu omelet version such as this one. I also recommend purchasing some of this magical black salt powder. At the FFM, it's a pricey 12,000 bag, but it will last for many many delicious breakfasts and brunches. Assah!