Chettinad Egg Curry

 

 

 

Ingredients

1. Eggs – 5, hard-boiled (Make slits on the eggs)

2. Oil – 1.5 – 2 tbsp (Coconut oil or vegetable oil)

3. Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp

4. Dry red chilly – 1

5. Onion – 1 large, chopped

   Green chilly – 1, slit

   Curry leaves – 1 sprig

6. Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp

7. Tomato – 2 small, finely chopped or ground in a mixie  

8.  Masala powder – About 1.5 – 2 tbsp (Recipe below)

9.  Salt – To taste

10. Thick coconut milk – 1/4 cup (Optional)

11. Cilantro –  3 tbsp chopped, to garnish

To roast and grind – Masala Powder Recipe

12. Oil – 1/2 tsp

     Coriander seeds – 1.5 tbsp

     Whole dried red chilies (vattal mulaku) – 2 (This is a spicy curry, add chilies according to your spice tolerance)

13. Poppy seeds (khus khus) – 1 tsp

     Fennel seeds – 1/4 tsp

     Cumin seeds – 1/4 tsp

     Cardamom – 2

     Cloves – 3

     Cinnamon stick – 1/4 inch stick

     Whole pepper corns – 1/4 tsp

     Dried coconut powder – 2 tbsp (You can use fresh grated coconut instead)

Heat a pan at medium-low or  medium heat. Add coriander seeds and dried red chilies. Stir continuously for about 3 minutes until raw smell of coriander seeds are gone and dried red chilies turn crisp. Now add all the remaining  ingredients numbered 13. Stir for a minute. Switch off. Set aside to cool. Grind to a fine powder.

Method

1. Heat 1.5 tbsp oil in a heavy-bottomed pan at medium heat. Splutter mustard seeds and fry dry red chilies. Next add finely chopped onion, slit green chilly, few curry leaves and little salt. Saute until onion turns golden.. Add turmeric powder and mix well. Next add the tomato pieces. Saute until it gets mashed up and oil separates.

2. Add ground masala powder(recipe above). Mix everything well and stir for a minute at low heat. Add 1 cup hot water. Cover and cook at medium heat for 5 – 6 minutes until oil floats on top. Add hard-boiled eggs and cook at low heat for 2 minutes. Finally add 1/4 cup thick coconut milk and cook for 1 minute at low heat (adding coconut milk is optional). Switch off.  Keep covered until ready to serve. Garnish with chopped cilantro. Serve with idiyappam/ appam/ rice/ chapathis/ porotta etc.