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The humble egg is a staple breakfast addition across the country, and most states have bustling street stalls, many of which with options that are simply too delicious to miss. The next time you are out on the streets, hurrying towards work, way too busy to prepare breakfast, grab an egg dish from the nearby office food cart. There is a reason these stalls always have people flocking to them, be it on busy weekdays or slow weekends. Make sure you reach there on time, for these tend to run out quickly, and you want to start your day right.
Egg Appam
A beloved street breakfast, both in Kerala and Tamil Nadu, egg appam tastes as amazing as it looks, and you will find this dish in restaurants as well. The appam batter is made with rice flour, coconut milk, and yeast, which is poured into a shallow, round appam pan and cooked with an egg cracked into its centre. The dish has a soft, spongy middle (often with a gooey yolk) and crisp, paper-thin edges. It is usually served with sambar, vegetable stew, or sweetened coconut milk. Sri Lanka, too, has a similar dish known as Egg Hoppers, which proves the combination goes a long way.
Muttai Kalakki
This egg dish is a semi-runny, street-style egg dish popular in Tamil Nadu, especially in Coimbatore and nearby areas. It's made by whisking eggs with a little gravy and cooking them just enough so the centre remains soft and gooey; 'kalakki' means to mix. Muttai Kalakki is also found in restaurants now. The dish is cooked with the egg being gathered in the centre to create a pocket with a molten centre. It is served fresh and eaten hot with a sprinkling of pepper and coriander leaves, best eaten on its own.
Bun Omelette
Bun omelette is a street-side classic in Maharashtra and parts of Goa, which features a spicy masala omelette (usually with chopped onions, green chillies, and coriander) pressed inside a soft, butter-toasted bun or pav. Some vendors add chutneys or sauces, giving it a tangy-spicy punch. These are easily found outside railway stations, colleges, and tea stalls. It's a beloved grab-and-go breakfast that is filling, quick to make, and it's a wholesome, real flavour punch – a favourite among students and office-goers looking for a cheap, protein-rich start to their day.
Egg Paniyaram
Egg Paniyaram is a delicious variation on the traditional kuzhi paniyaram (crispy dumplings made with rice and urad dal batter) made in a special pan with small, round moulds. They are made by street vendors, but also made at home, by pouring mixed beaten eggs with dosa batter with a simple tadka, done in special pans. Sometimes onions, chillies, and coriander are also added, and the egg paniyaram is cooked until golden and crispy on the outside, soft inside. They are usually served with coconut chutney or tomato thokku.
Anda Pav
Mumbai’s iconic egg-and-bread breakfast is a beloved street food which is found almost all over the country in different forms. It’s made by stuffing a pav with either a spicy omelette, a fried egg, or egg bhurji, depending on the vendor’s style. Often served with green chutney, ketchup, or dry garlic chutney, this humble meal delivers bold flavour in a few bites. Cooked on the same buttery tawa used for pav bhaji or vada pav, the anda pav absorbs layers of smoky, spicy deliciousness. Found at street stalls and tea joints across the city, it’s affordable, filling, and a true Mumbai morning essential.
Egg Frankie
Frankie is the heart and soul of Mumbai’s street food scene, and egg frankie in particular is a great breakfast item. It’s made exactly like an egg roll with a thin paratha outside and a fluffy egg within, cooked on a tawa. Once fully cooked, a layer of sliced onions, chaat masala, chutney, and sometimes cheese, paneer or chicken is added. The whole thing is rolled up and wrapped in paper, ready to be eaten on the go. You will find them popping up outside schools, offices, and train stations, ready to satiate the morning crowd.
Egg Dosa
Another street-side favourite, egg dosa is a South Indian speciality wherein street vendors pour the dosa batter onto a hot tawa, spread it thin, and then crack an egg (or two) right onto the surface. The egg is quickly spread across the dosa with the back of a spoon, then seasoned with black pepper, salt, green chillies, and chopped onions. Sometimes, podi or grated cheese is sprinkled on top. The dosa is folded and served hot with coconut chutney or tomato-onion chutney on the side. You will find these at street stalls, tiffin centres, and roadside carts, especially in Chennai and Bengaluru.
