Balaleet, Vermicelli & Omelette

📝 Ingredients

• 120 g dried wheat vermicelli
• 15 g unsalted butter (10 g for the vermicelli, 5 g for the omelette)
• 300 ml hot water
• 30 g caster sugar
• ½ tsp ground cardamom
• 1 tbsp orange blossom water
• 4 eggs
• 2 tbsp semi-skimmed milk
• 1 pinch of turmeric
• 15 g flaked almonds
• 2 pinches of salt (1 for the vermicelli, 1 for the omelette)

🍴 Utensils

• Sauté pan with lid
• Non-stick frying pan
• Spatula
• Bowl
• Whisk

📖 Steps

1. In a sauté pan, melt 10 g butter over medium heat. Add the vermicelli and stir constantly with a spatula for 3 to 4 min, until evenly golden and smelling nutty. Watch closely: they go from golden to burnt very quickly.
2. Pour in the hot water all at once (watch out for splashes), then add the sugar, cardamom and 1 pinch of salt. Stir, bring to a simmer, cover and cook for 6 to 8 min over low heat, stirring halfway through, until the water is absorbed and the vermicelli are tender.
3. Off the heat, sprinkle with orange blossom water and gently toss with a fork to separate the vermicelli. Cover and leave to rest for 5 min: they finish swelling without sticking together.
4. Meanwhile, dry-toast the flaked almonds in a non-stick frying pan over medium heat for 2 to 3 min, stirring, until lightly golden. Tip them onto a plate straight away to stop them cooking.
5. In a bowl, whisk the eggs with the milk, turmeric and 1 pinch of salt until the mixture is smooth, bright yellow and slightly frothy.
6. Melt 5 g butter in the same pan over medium-low heat. Pour in the eggs and tilt the pan to spread them in a thin layer. Cook for 2 min without stirring, then cover with a plate for 1 min, until the top is just set but still glossy.
7. Divide the warm vermicelli between two shallow bowls. Cut the omelette in half, slide each half over a portion like a lid, scatter with the toasted almonds and serve straight away.