Omelettes and Souffles are similar in that the main ingredients in both products is egg. Omelettes may be plain or foamy. The plain omelette is made without separating the yolk from white. The whole egg is beaten together with flavouring materials. The foamy omelette is prepared by beating the whites and yolks separately. The whites are beaten until stiff and then folded into the yolk mixture. For preparing foamy omelette, the omelette should not be turned on the tawa but should be folded to preserve the air cells that are formed. Foamy omelettes puff up on cooking and they are light and have a better texture due to the incorporation of air. The centre of foamy omelettes would be soft and creamy with small bubbles of air.
For making an omelette, the heat should be kept low so that the mass cooks slowly and can be heated uniformly throughout without toughening the bottom layers. The coagulation of a puffy omelette may be finished in a moderate oven.
Factors affecting omelette quality
Sometimes green color develops in the omelette. This is due to the formation of iron sulphide and when a port of the white separates and drains to the pan underneath the omlette. This can be prevented by beating the yolk with white thoroughly.
Addition of liquid to egg dilutes the protein and increases the tenderness of omelette. Omelettes made with tomato or orange juice appear to coagulate more rapidly at a somewhat lower temperature. Acidic products like vinegar with water or yomato juice give more tender omelette than water. Addition of acid products increases the beating time. When milk is added to the egg the foam formation is not obtained properly hence the addition of milk affects the quality of omelette.
Overbeating of egg results in loss of air from the foam and reduces the volume of omelette. The omelette becomes hard and leathery.
Variety in omelette can be made by using the following:
Addition of onions, tomatoes, pepper, greens.
Stuffed omelette-with vegetables.
Cheese omelette.
Addition of mutton and chicken gravy.
Bread omelette.
Egg dosa
Chapathi omelette.
Souffles: They are similar to foamy omelettes, except that they have a thick white-sauce base and contain additional ingredients such as grated cheese, vegetable pulp or ground meats. Dessert soufflés are sweet and may contain lemon, strawberry and chocolate. Soufflés are usually baked though they can be steamed. Crepes are thin, tender pan cakes containing a relatively high proportion of egg. They can be filled with a variety of items, including fish, meat, poultry, cheese, vegetables or fruits. Crepes can also be served with sweet, dessert type fillings.
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