The Best Chips Mayai Recipe

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Make the best chips mayai! Protein-packed, delicious, and easy to make, this French-fry omelette tastes so good, that you will always want to make it.

An overhead picture of chips mayai on a plate.

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If you have been here before then you definitely know how much I love African food! My chips mayai, Mahamri, South African Beef Stew, and Pilau Masala recipes are just a few of my favourites!

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what is chips mayai?
ingredients
useful tips and serving suggestions
more East-African recipes to love!
📖 Recipe
frequently asked questions

what is chips mayai?

Chips Mayai (also known as chipsi mayaya or zege in Tanzania), is a popular East African street food. The name is derived by combining two words; chipsi which is the Swahili name for French fries or chips, and mayai which is Swahili for eggs. Put together, the name chips mayai simply refers to a type of French fry omelette.

ingredients

Here are the ingredients you will need to make this French ries omelette:-

medium-sized onion - we normally use red onions in East Africa but yellow onions will do just fine! Make sure to finely slice or dice the onion.
one tomato - this is an optional ingredient. If you decide to use the tomato, then only use the fleshy part of the tomato. Scoop out the juicy part of the tomato BUT don't throw it away, save it to use in soups and stews such as this Kenyan beef stew recipe!
cooking oil - to make the chips as well as cook the eggs.
four large eggs.
two pinches of salt or more to taste - a pinch of salt is approximately ⅛ of a spoon. Use the first pinch for the french fries, and the rest to beat into the eggs. That way, both the fries (chips) and eggs get properly seasoned.
½ of bell pepper, finely diced - feel free to use whichever color of bell pepper you prefer.
a handful of finely chopped coriander (dhania).
4 medium-sized waxy potatoes - for making the French fries (chips).
1 sliced green or red chilli - this is optional, so feel free to omit it if making your chips mayai for kids.

useful tips and serving suggestions

Make this recipe healthier by baking or air frying your chips instead of deep-frying them. You can also par-boil them for about 5-10 minutes first. That way, you will end up requiring way less fat than you would if you were to deep fry the fries directly.
Only use the fleshy part of the tomato to prevent your French fry omelette turning soggy. Scoop out the seeds and use them in other recipes.
Stir in one or two extra finely chopped chillis if you like it spicy.
Add in your favourite spices such as garam masala, black pepper, or ground paprika for a deeper flavour dimension.

Serve chips mayai with Kachumbari, coleslaw, or your favourite bread or salad dishes. You can also serve it with some ketchup or mayonnaise.

more East-African recipes to love!

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📖 Recipe

The Best Chips Mayai Recipe - Chipsi Mayai

Kate Hahnel

Learn how to make chips mayai (Swahili for french fries and egg) with this easy East African recipe.

5 from 15 votes

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Prep Time 5

Cook Time 15

Total Time 20

Course Breakfast, brunch, Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine East African

Servings

Calories 746 kcal

Equipment

Chopping board

cutting knife

Cooking pot

10 inch non-stick frying pan

mixing bowl - to whisk the eggs

two large plates - to serve and to flip the chips mayai during cooking.

Ingredients

▢ 1 medium-sized yellow or red onion (finely diced)
▢ 1 tomato (scoop out the seeds and use the fleshy part only)
▢ 4 eggs large
▢ 2 pinches of salt (one pinch of salt to season the chips and the other one for the eggs eggs)
▢ ½ bell pepper (finely diced
▢ 4 medium-sized waxy potatoes to make the chips or fries
▢ chopped coriander
▢ 1 green or red chilli - optional (finely sliced)
▢ 1 cup cooking oil (set aside three tablespoons to fry the vegetables, and to cook the omelette)

Instructions

Peel and wash the potatoes then slice them into French fries or chips. Heat cooking oil in a medium-sized pot or pan (allow it to heat up to about 180 degrees C so approximately 350 degrees F).
1 cup cooking oil
Fry the potatoes in batches until cooked through. Use a fork to pick one chip and check whether it is tender. For a healthier version, bake or air fry your chips. Once cooked, set aside on a plate lined with a paper towel and season with a pinch of salt.
4 medium-sized waxy potatoes, 2 pinches of salt
Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat. Add two tablespoons of cooking oil and use a brush or spoon to spread it out. Next, stir in the diced onion and cook until soft and fragrant (this will take about 3 minutes).
1 medium-sized yellow or red onion
Add the tomatoes and salt, stir, then cook until soft, for about two minutes. Once the tomatoes have softened up, stir in the bell pepper, and cook for a further 1 minute. Next, transfer the now cooked vegetables from the frying pan into a bowl and set them aside.
1 tomato, 2 pinches of salt, ½ bell pepper
Meanwhile, return the same pan you had used to fry the vegetables to the stovetop or jiko, and set it under medium heat. Next, drizzle one tablespoon of oil and allow it to heat. Proceed to break the eggs into the bowl with the previously cooked vegetables, add a pinch of salt, and use a fork or whisk to beat until well incorporated.
Pour the egg-vegetable mixture into the pan then tilt the pan so the egg mixture spreads evenly. Reduce the heat and use a spatula or fork to swirl the runny bits of the egg as it cooks.
4 eggs
While the eggs are still slightly runny in the middle, carefully lay the chips on top, making sure to spread evenly. Allow to cook for a further one minute or until the top is no longer runny. Invert a large plate over the pan and carefully turn the omelet to the plate, so the cooked side is now at the top.
Use the plate to carefully slide the chips mayai back into the pan, with the uncooked side now at the bottom. Cook for a further minute or, until completely set.
Finally, top the omelette with chopped coriander and chilli (optional) then slide onto your serving plate. Serve this chips mayai warm, with a side salad.
chopped coriander, 1 green or red chilli - optional

Notes

Make this recipe healthier by baking or air frying your potatoes instead of deep-frying them. You can also par-boil them for about 5-10 minutes first. That way, you will end up requiring way less fat than you would if you were to deep fry the chips directly.
Stir in one or two extra finely chopped chillis if you like it spicy.
Add in your favourite spices such as garam masala, black pepper, or ground paprika for a deeper flavour dimension.

Nutrition

Calories: 746kcalCarbohydrates: 69gProtein: 19gFat: 45gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 6gMonounsaturated Fat: 30gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 327mgSodium: 153mgPotassium: 1842mgFiber: 10gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 1927IUVitamin C: 118mgCalcium: 111mgIron: 5mg

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frequently asked questions

How do I prevent my chips mayai from sticking to the pan?

The answer is simple, just use a non-stick pan. This will not only prevent your omelette from sticking to the pan but it will also prevent burning. Additionally, make sure to cook at medium to low heat.

How many calories are in chips mayai?

A serving has about 750 calories, comprising about 70 g of carbohydrates, 45-46g of fat, and 19-20g of protein. This is based on a fat absorption rate of 30 per cent, when making the fries. While this is clearly on the higher side in terms of calories, you can make it healthier by baking or air frying your French fries (chips). With reference to the calories, it is therefore, best if pregnant women discuss whether it is okay to have chips mayai in the course of the pregnancy with a health practitioner, such as a doula. Also, note that nutritional information will differ, depending on, for example, the type of oil used. I, therefore, recommend that you make your own nutritional calculations here, or speak to a health care professional, such as a nutritionist.

How do I make this recipe healthier?

Make this recipe healthy and reduce the calories by baking the fries or chips, instead of deep-frying them. You can also par-boil the potatoes in salty water, then, shallow fry them. This way, you end up using way less fat than you would if you fried them directly, since the potatoes are already cooked halfway before frying.