Eggs are by far, my most favourite item on the breakfast table. The ability to turn the same egg into an omlette one day, a french toast the next day and a poached one on the third is something that never fails to impress me. We, Indians, also have our own way of making scrambled eggs i.e. the desi version called bhurji. While that’s all about breakfast, during the day time and dinner meals, we often resort to curries and gravies. Generally, vegetables as well as meat are dunked in a thick to semi-thick curry which gives it a nourishing flavour. In fact, Indian cuisine is known for their diverse variety of curries worldwide.
The good news is, they haven’t even spared the egg. Egg curry, for the unversed, is a dish consisting of boiled and/or fried egg which is thrown in a tomato and onion gravy. At my house, my mother also adds a few diced potatoes to the gravy and thus, it becomes a perfect whole curry to be served with either roti or steamed rice. Did you know that egg curries are also of various types? From Goan to Bengali and Kerala-style curry, egg takes some unique forms and flavours as it travels from region to region.
If a classic version is on your mind, here are some things that you need to know. To make the perfect spicy yet balanced egg curry, these tips and tricks will come in handy.
1. Purity Of The Puree
The heart of the dish lies in the curry. For a delish egg curry, the ingredients of the curry paste need to be meshed along well and be smooth. Tomatoes and onions are used in the preparation of the gravy and it is best to use fresh ripe tomatoes so as to avoid tangy taste. Another thing to keep in mind is that while preparing the mix, allow the tomatoes and onions to be sautéed properly for a couple of minutes before water is added to it.
2. Quick Cooking Hacks
Microwave slightly slit tomatoes for a few minutes and then see how they cook. The onions also cook quickly if you add some salt to them while cooking. If your onions are chopped, you’ll get a chunkier taste otherwise it will be smooth in case of grated onions. The tomato puree works best to avoid watery gravy.
3. Spice It Up
Whole spices like bay leaves, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves etc. are preferable but you can use crushed ones too if you like. These spices provide a great aroma to the dish. Ginger and garlic can be minced or used as a paste. To ensure that your spices don’t burn, add them to a cup with some water to form a paste and then cook them.
4. Throw In The Eggs
Now, while I have a preference of hard-boiled eggs, there are some others who like to fry the boiled egg in a heap of oil before adding it to the gravy. You can thicken the gravy with cashew paste if you want.