Egg Curry (Anda Curry)
SERVES
4
PEOPLE
PREP TIME
15
MINUTES
COOKING TIME
45
MINUTES
CUISINE
COURSE
Main
Method
Measure out your spices into four separate small bowls: one bowl for the turmeric and paprika for the eggs; one for the whole spices; one for the ground coriander, paprika, cumin, turmeric and mace or nutmeg for the curry; and one for the garam masala to finish.
Prepare and measure out all the remaining ingredients before you start cooking so that everything is ready to go and the spices don’t burn.
To hard-boil the eggs, place them in a medium saucepan and add enough cold water to cover them by about 1cm. Bring the water to the boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 6 minutes for a softer yolk and 7 minutes if you like it to be cooked through. As soon as they are cooked, drain and cool them rapidly under cold running water before peeling and leaving whole.
Lightly score each peeled hard-boiled egg three or four times on one side with a small sharp knife, then place in a bowl with a pinch of turmeric and paprika and toss to coat. Heat the tablespoon of oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the eggs and cook for 2 minutes just to give them a bit of colour and to crisp up the outside a bit. Set aside.
Heat the oil in a large heavy-based saucepan over a medium heat. Add the cardamom pods, cloves, bay leaves, red chilli and cumin seeds and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
Add the onions and salt and cook for 5-8 minutes, until softened. Add the green chilli, ginger and garlic and cook for 2 minutes more.
Add the ground spices and 50ml water so that the spices don't burn. Cook for 1 minute, then add the tomatoes and cook for a few minutes more, until they've started to soften. Stir in the tomato purée and cook for 1-2 minutes to cook out its raw flavour, then pour in another 400ml water and stir to combine.
Simmer for 15-20 minutes, until the sauce has reduced and thickened a little, then blend briefly, including the whole spices and halved chillies, with a hand-held blend blender. You don't want it to be completely smooth; there should still be plenty of texture. This curry is also quite thin because it's traditionally served with lots of rice.
Stir the cream into the curry, then add the eggs and simmer for a few minutes, until they've heated through. Add a squeeze of lemon, then fold in the chopped fresh coriander and a pinch of garam masala. Remove the pan from the heat and allow the curry to settle for 5 minutes.
Serve with plain boiled basmati rice and warm naan (shop bought or homemade).
Ingredients
4-8 eggs
pinch of ground turmeric
pinch of paprika
1 tbsp vegetable oil
50ml vegetable oil
3-4 green cardamom pods
2 cloves
2 bay leaves
1 fresh or dried red chilli, halved lengthways
½ tsp cumin seeds
2 large red onions (300g), finely diced
2 tsp fine sea salt
1 fresh green chilli, halved lengthways
1 tbsp grated or finely chopped fresh ginger
1 tbsp grated or finely chopped garlic
1 ½ tbsp ground coriander
1 ½ tsp paprika
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground turmeric
pinch of ground mace or nutmeg
2 large ripe tomatoes (200g), chopped
1 tbsp tomato purée
40ml cream
1 lemon wedge
handful of chopped fresh coriander
pinch of garam masala
Method
Measure out your spices into four separate small bowls: one bowl for the turmeric and paprika for the eggs; one for the whole spices; one for the ground coriander, paprika, cumin, turmeric and mace or nutmeg for the curry; and one for the garam masala to finish.
Prepare and measure out all the remaining ingredients before you start cooking so that everything is ready to go and the spices don’t burn.
To hard-boil the eggs, place them in a medium saucepan and add enough cold water to cover them by about 1cm. Bring the water to the boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 6 minutes for a softer yolk and 7 minutes if you like it to be cooked through. As soon as they are cooked, drain and cool them rapidly under cold running water before peeling and leaving whole.
Lightly score each peeled hard-boiled egg three or four times on one side with a small sharp knife, then place in a bowl with a pinch of turmeric and paprika and toss to coat. Heat the tablespoon of oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the eggs and cook for 2 minutes just to give them a bit of colour and to crisp up the outside a bit. Set aside.
Heat the oil in a large heavy-based saucepan over a medium heat. Add the cardamom pods, cloves, bay leaves, red chilli and cumin seeds and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
Add the onions and salt and cook for 5-8 minutes, until softened. Add the green chilli, ginger and garlic and cook for 2 minutes more.
Add the ground spices and 50ml water so that the spices don't burn. Cook for 1 minute, then add the tomatoes and cook for a few minutes more, until they've started to soften. Stir in the tomato purée and cook for 1-2 minutes to cook out its raw flavour, then pour in another 400ml water and stir to combine.
Simmer for 15-20 minutes, until the sauce has reduced and thickened a little, then blend briefly, including the whole spices and halved chillies, with a hand-held blend blender. You don't want it to be completely smooth; there should still be plenty of texture. This curry is also quite thin because it's traditionally served with lots of rice.
Stir the cream into the curry, then add the eggs and simmer for a few minutes, until they've heated through. Add a squeeze of lemon, then fold in the chopped fresh coriander and a pinch of garam masala. Remove the pan from the heat and allow the curry to settle for 5 minutes.
Serve with plain boiled basmati rice and warm naan (shop bought or homemade).
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