Name: Chips Mayai (Zege)-Tanzania Street Food
Prep time: 1 min
Cook time: 5 min
Ingredients: 1 serving French fries (chips); 3 medium Eggs; 2 tbsp Vegetable Oil; 1/2 medium Red Onion; 1 medium Tomato; 1 pinch Salt & Pepper; colored bell peppers, spring onion leaves, preferred spices & seasonings (OPTIONAL)

Chips Mayai is basically a french fries omelet. It is as simple as beating eggs, mixing in french fries and any vegetables or aromatics you desire, and cooking everything like you would a normal omelet.

In this post, we will do exactly that but stepwise.

Chips mayai in Tanzania is also known as zege and it is a renowned street food. At home, you can make this as a snack; and in my experience, it is the best way to utilize leftover fries, that would instead go to the food bin.

Table of Contents

Ingredients

1 Serving, French Fries (Chips)
3 Eggs
2Tbs, Vegetable Oil
1/2 Red Onion
1 Medium, Tomato
Salt
Pepper
Colored Bell Peppers(Optional)
Spring Onion Leaves(Optional)
Prefered spices & seasonings(Optional)

Tools

Stainless Steel Pan or Non-Stick Pan
Flat Plate or Lid

What I love about chips mayai is; that it utilizes already available ingredients, and you do not have to go out of your way to secure something.

Also, you can choose to make your own fresh french fries from scratch, use leftovers, or just buy some from the food stall.

Obviously using your own freshly made fries will yield the best result, especially texture, but there is no food police so use whatever is easily available for you.

Procedure

Prepare everything ready for the action, start by beating eggs into a bowl and dicing onions and tomatoes, if you use peppers and spring onions just do so at this point as well

Whisk your eggs, add salt and spices at this point, and mix thoroughly till it is all homogeneous.

Now add the vegetables in and mix till evenly distributed in the mixture. Then add french fries, let them soak up the egg mixture but not for so long till the fries start breaking off, 2 minutes maximum will do it.

Occasionally stir around but delicately, (not to mash the fries), stirring will ensure even coating.

Heat on, and pan on- It is recommended to use stainless steel for the best texture, but non-stick is fine.

I went with stainless steel here, the downer to it is; that it is notorious for sticking food, so to mitigate that, we heat the pan till is warm enough, and then do the mercury ball test. Add a drop of water, if it spreads away then the pan is not hot enough, allow time and try again.

You know your pan is ready when the drop rolls away when you tilt the pan. And if you add the drop and it immediately vaporizes then your pan is too hot, so let it cool for a while before proceeding.

If you are using a non-stick pan, then you don’t have to deal with those stainless steel shenanigans, JUST PROCEED!

Now that your stainless pan is ready add oil and swirl it to coat every surface, 10 seconds later add your fries-egg mixture on low heat and swirl again to distribute it evenly on the pan surface, allow everything to set and cook, the key here is to cook on medium-low or low heat to prevent burning.

When everything is set and the top has dried a little(not all the way dry), use a spoon to scrape the edges in case there is anything around the pan circumference that is stuck. This is in preparation for the next step which is flipping over the omelette.

To do this use a flat plate or a lid hold the lid against the pan, and flip the pan. Your chips mayai, then now use the lid to slide the uncooked part facing the bottom of the pan.

Cook to your desired doneness and take off the heat, allow to rest and cool before serving as the insides are very hot and can cause burns.

Slice like you would a pizza and enjoy with a cold beverage or dip in your favorite sauces.

Chips Mayai (Zege)-Tanzania Street Food

Chips Mayai, a Tanzanian street food staple, combines crispy French fries(chips) with a savory omelet.

Fries are spread in a hot skillet and covered with seasoned beaten eggs, then cooked until solid bound and golden.

Served with ketchup or chili sauce, this simple, hearty dish offers a taste of Tanzania's streets.

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Prep Time 1

Cook Time 5

Course Snack

Cuisine AFRICAN, TANZANIAN

Servings 2 people

Calories 420 kcal

Equipment

1 Iron Skillet

Ingredients

1 serving French fries (chips)
3 medium Eggs
2 tbsp Vegetable Oil
1/2 medium Red Onion
1 medium Tomato
1 pinch Salt & Pepper
colored bell peppers, spring onion leaves, preferred spices & seasonings OPTIONAL

Instructions

Dice the red onion and tomato (and optional vegetables if using).
Beat the eggs in a bowl.
Whisk the eggs with salt, pepper, and optional spices.
Mix in the diced vegetables.
Add the French fries to the egg mixture, and soak for up to 2 minutes.
Heat the oil in a pan over medium-low heat.
Pour the egg and fries mixture into the pan, spreading it evenly.
Cook until the bottom is set and the top is slightly dry.
Flip the omelet using a flat plate or lid.
Cook until done, then remove from heat.
Let it cool slightly, slice, and serve.

Notes

Leftover Fries: This dish is a great way to use up leftover French fries. Freshly made fries will give the best texture, but leftovers work just as well.
Pan Type: A stainless steel pan provides the best texture but requires careful heating to prevent sticking. Non-stick pans are easier to use and require less attention.
Vegetable Options: Feel free to add any vegetables or aromatics you like. Popular additions include bell peppers and spring onions.
Seasoning: Customize the seasoning to your taste. Common choices include salt, pepper, and your preferred spices.
Heat Management: Cook on medium-low or low heat to avoid burning the omelet.
Flipping the Omelette: Use a flat plate or lid to flip the omelet for even cooking. Ensure the top is slightly dry before flipping.
Serving Suggestions: Let the Chips Mayai cool slightly before slicing. Serve with your favorite sauces or dips and a cold beverage.