Egg Curry (Masala Anda Curry)

 

Hello readers!

Welcome to easy cooking blog no.12

I hope you all are keeping well and staying safe!

 

Introduction

Today I am going to share a recipe for egg lovers who love to eat eggs in different forms and thus like to explore different ways of making it. The egg recipe I have brought today is very simple and straightforward but quite different from the traditional scrambled eggs or omelettes.

 

This recipe is known as Egg curry. Yes, you heard it right, eggs can be eaten as a curry. This curry is a spicy, flavourful thick curry prepared using boiled eggs mixed with the traditional onions and tomato gravy. End number of spices can be used to make this curry, but I am going to show you my version of it that requires commonly used spices and herbs and are readily available in our kitchen. However, any spices and herbs can be used depending on their availability and one’s taste preference. 

 

This egg curry can be prepared in two different ways in two different seasons. The procedure is almost the same, except for a few ingredients that we need to add or omit depending on the flavor, taste, and health preferences. For example, during winters, whole dry spices like cloves, cinnamon, black cardamom, etc., can be used to produce heat inside the body and keep us warm. During summers, the usage of these whole spices can be avoided. The rest of the procedure and ingredients are the same. 

 

In India, winters are freezing when the temperature drops to even zero in some parts of the country, particularly in the northern region. During this time of the year, we tend to cook herbs-rich meals which keep our body warm and helps to cope with the extreme cold weather. All these herbs and spices have immense health benefits and help us fight cold and flu, which are the most common and opportunistic winter season problems. 

I like to make this curry when we have our non-vegetarian friends over as they find it quite delicious and almost equivalent to any chicken or lamb curry. It can also be a hit for parties and other similar occasions based on its simplicity and taste. I think I have explained it thoroughly now allow me to reveal its ingredients and procedure. 

You can check out some other interesting recipes as well Punjabi poha  Baingun bharta

Hers is a list of ingredients we need to make the egg curry.

 

Ingredients                                     Qty

Boiled eggs                                    5-6

Onions                                           2 medium-sized

Tomato                                          2 medium-sized

Ginger                                           as per taste 

Garlic                                            4-5 big pods

Green chili                                   as per taste

Whole spices

Bay leaf                                       2

Cinnamon stick                       1 medium-sized

Black pepper pods                  5-6

Green cardamom                    2-3

Cloves                                         2

Black cardamom                     1

Cumin seeds                            1 tbsp

Coriander seeds                     1 tbsp

 

Dry spices

Turmeric                                                                       1 tbsp

Red chili powder                                                         as per taste

Kasoori methi                                                              1tsp

Kitchen king/ meat masala (optional)               1/2 tsp

Salt                                                                                  as per taste

Oil

Garam masala                                                             1/2 tsp                                                          

Gravy thickener

Coconut milk                                                             Note: use any one of these, as per your preference. 

Fresh cream 

Cashew paste 

 

Cooking time: under 60 minutes (including boiling of eggs). 

You can also try recipes for Soyabean curry 

Baigun Bharta (eggplant curry)

 

Procedure: It is effortless to make. You can prepare this curry beforehand and store it in a fridge and add freshly boiled eggs before serving it. 

 

Step 1: Boiling and preparation of eggs

Place the eggs in a deep pan filled with water. Add a pinch of salt and start boiling the water.

Let the eggs boil for 10-12 minutes. Once the eggs are boiled, drain the hot water and fill it with fresh cold water. It makes the removal of eggs shell easy. Now cut each egg into two halves with a knife. Poke each half with a toothpick or fork, so they absorb all the flavours and spices when added to the curry in the last step.

 

Step 2: Chopping of vegetables

Make a nice paste of onions, ginger, garlic, and tomatoes in a mixer. The paste of these vegetables offers a smooth texture and good consistency of the curry. Alternatively, you can finely chop or grate everything instead of making their paste. It is suitable for those who like to have a nice crunchiness in curries. The taste of curry is not compromised either way.   

Step 3: Gravy preparation

Take a deep heavy bottom pan, turn on the heat and add some oil of your choice. However, avoid using olive oil as it is not ideal for cooking due to its low smoke point. 

Once the oil is hot enough add, coriander and cumin seeds let them sputter. Then add onions and cook them until translucent, followed by chopped ginger, garlic, green chilies (or their paste), and sauté them for about 10 minutes until their raw smell fades away. 

Now add the tomatoes and let them cook until they are soft and mushy. Once the tomatoes are cooked well, add the turmeric, red chili powder, salt, and Kasuri methi and mix everything for about 5 to 8 minutes. If you find the gravy bit dry after adding spices, sprinkle some water and cook it. Otherwise, the dry spices can be burnt. Cook it until the oil starts oozing from the gravy. 

                   

                                                                   

Once you get nice, cooked gravy, you can either add water and cook it if you are one of those who watch their fat intake and want the curry to be simple and healthy. Or go ahead and add some fresh cream, coconut milk, or cashew paste to the gravy to make the curry thicker and rich. Then, cook it for 5 minutes or so, and then add boiled water slowly. Please do not add water at once; it is up to you how runny or thick you want your curry. Adjust the addition of water accordingly. Cook the curry on high heat until you get the desired consistency. 

 

Now add the boiled eggs (before the addition of eggs, do not forget to prick the eggs with a toothpick or fork so that the eggs can absorb all the spices and flavours of the curry), then some garam masala and mix everything well and cook it for another 5 minutes on low heat. 

Sprinkle some fresh coriander or spring onions leaves and serve it with roti or steamed rice. 

Note: Add the boiled eggs when about to serve the curry. 

 

 

Garnishing

Garnish the egg curry with fresh coriander and spring onions. 

You can choose fresh cream to sprinkle over your curry if you wish to; otherwise, you can use cashew paste, a healthier replacement for fresh cream. 

 

Serving suggestion

This curry goes very well with roti, naan, butter naan, missi roti, pulao, paratha, rumali roti, plain steamed rice, jeera rice, biryani, or even lightly toasted bread. 

 

Tips and tricks

Always add some salt to the water while boiling the eggs. 

Do not over boil the eggs, as excessive boiling will lead to denaturation of proteins.

Always poke the boiled eggs with a toothpick or fork so that they can absorb all the spices and flavours nicely. 

You can either chop the vegetables for extra crunchiness or can puree the vegetables for an extra smooth texture for gravy. 

It is your wish what whole spices you want to add. Without them, even the curry will taste equally good. 

To make the curry extra rich and smooth, coconut milk, fresh cream, or cashew paste can be used. 

Do not make the curry too runny, so add water gradually and check the consistency after few boils. 

Do not forget to cut the boiled eggs into two half.

Make the gravy beforehand and when about to serve it, add the boiled eggs and warm it a bit. 

That is it for today’s blog.

 

I hope you like this recipe. Do share your thoughts and comments in the box below. 

I look forward to hearing from you guys!

Thank you! Take care!

Neha