When dal, meat and veggies get boring as ingredients, eggs come to the rescue. Healthy and versatile, they can be used to prepare a variety of dishes that range from scrambled to boiled. Given the vastness of India and its culinary diversity, different egg dishes can be found in different states. Some of these come in curry form, while others encase eggs in fragrant, spicy coverings. Here are five egg preparations from around India that you must try:
Egg Roast
Also called nadan mutta roast, egg roast is essentially a Kerala-style egg curry. The eggs are boiled and the gravy is made with tomatoes, ginger, garlic, onions, chillies, curry leaves and a bit of coconut milk. Egg roast is best enjoyed with hot, fluffy appams and usually eaten for breakfast. To make the dish, incisions are made on the boiled eggs so that the masala can seep in. The eggs are stir-fried in the masala for a few minutes to give them flavour.
Egg Bonda
Native to Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, egg bonda is commonly found as street food in these regions. It is made by covering hard-boiled eggs in a spicy besan batter and then deep-frying them. The resulting dish is soft on the inside and crunchy on the outside, and makes a great snack to go with tea. Make sure to add some red chilli powder and hing to the besan batter before coating the eggs in it as it adds a nice kick to the dish.
Ros Omelette
Ros omelette, typically found in Goa, is made up of an omelette that has a chicken or coconut milk based gravy drizzled over it. To make the omelette, eggs are beaten with tomatoes, onions, coriander and chillies. The dish can be found at street food carts across Goa and is served topped with finely chopped onions and some lime juice. It is accompanied by pao, which can be used to mop up the gravy (in Konkani, “ros” means gravy).
Khageena
Hailing from Andhra Pradesh (and also Pakistan), khageena is a traditional dish of scrambled eggs. Cooked in butter, khageena uses beaten eggs, tomatoes, onions, green chillies, ginger, garlic, red chilli powder and turmeric powder. It’s a quick and easy dish that’s eaten for breakfast and can also make up lunch or dinner. To make khageena, onions and tomatoes are sauteed in a pan and then the eggs are added and cooked until they scramble.
Deemer Pataudi
Originating in West Bengal, deemer pataudi is made by coating boiled eggs in a paste of black or brown mustard seeds, covering them with rice, wrapping them in banana leaves and steaming them. Fresh, grated coconut and spices may also be used in the coating. “Pataudi” refers to the cooking of fish, eggs and other ingredients in mustard sauce and steaming them in a banana leaf. Deemer pataudi are like desi Scotch eggs.