Poached Egg & Asparagus Bowl with Ata Din Din Sauce

Sometimes, an egg can turn a couple of stray ingredients into a whole meal. But it’s the sauce and the seasonings that can really make you feel like your hurried lunch or weeknight dinner really belongs in a fancy restaurant.

That’s exactly what Ata Din Din does here. The West African caramelized red pepper sauce, simmered for hours on the stove, is syrupy and almost sticky, deeply flavored and subtly sweet. It transforms a simple bowl of whatever you might have in your pantry or the fridge into a dish you want to eat every night of the week. 

And you should dress it up -- get creative! I threw some caramelized onions into mine, but play around with whatever you have on hand. The Ata Din Din will do the rest.

Ingredients

Serves 1

½ cup rice

2 Tablespoons butter

1 large white onion, peeled and thinly sliced

1 garlic clove, peeled and minced

6-8 asparagus spears, trimmed

1 egg

2-3 Tablespoons Egunsifoods Ata Din Din Sauce to taste

Cooking Directions

1. For the rice: rinse the rice and add to a pot with 1 cup of water and ⅛ tsp of salt. Cook until all the water is absorbed, then remove from the heat and allow to stand covered for a few minutes. Fluff with a fork before serving.
2. For the onions: in a pan over medium heat, melt 1 Tbsp of butter until sizzling. Add the onion and cook until soft and just beginning to turn translucent, about 1-2 minutes. Season with salt and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook, covered, stirring often, until the onions reach the desired shade of brown, usually about 20-30 minutes. *Note: you can caramelize your onions in advance. Store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
3. For the asparagus: in a pan over medium-high heat, melt the rest of the butter. Add the garlic and asparagus and season with salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes.
4. For the egg: crack the egg into a small bowl. In a small saucepan, bring water to a simmer, then use a spoon to swirl it into a sort of vortex. Gently drop the egg in. Poach for 2-3 minutes, then remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to a clean kitchen towel.
5. Assemble the plate with rice, asparagus, onions, and the egg, and top with Ata Din Din!