Unda Curry (Egg Curry)

We have nothing in our fridge! Ohh.. what should I make today?? I am running out of groceries!! Well.. the answer to all these questions is Eggs!! These are literally life saviors when you run out of groceries in your house or are too lazy to go get them. The old faithful eggs are always something you have in your fridge and can whip up a quick omelette, make Egg bhurji or simply boil them and enjoy with salt and pepper. Guaranteed Hunger Killer! But if you want to step up and go fancy try this Egg Curry recipe that will kick your EGGSperience up a notch :)

Ingredients:

For the dry masala egg:

Eggs, hard boiled - 6

Butter/Ghee - 2 tb sp

Red Chilli powder - 1 t sp

Salt - to taste

For the Curry:

Onions, sauteed in oil till golden brown and pureed - 1 large

Tomatoes, pureed - 2 large

Ginger Garlic Paste - 2 tb sp

Bay leaf - 1

Cumin seeds - 1 t sp

Turmeric powder - 1/2 t sp

Cinnamon stick - 1 medium

Cloves - 2-3

Cardamom - 2

Freshly crushed black peppercorns - 4-5 (or to taste)

Coconut paste, dried coconut dry roasted and pureed - 1/3 rd cup

Fennel seeds,Cumin seeds, dry roasted and powdered - 2 t sp

Green chilies, split along the lenght - 2 (optional)

Pudina (Mint) leaves, roughly torn by hands - 4-6.

Oil - 2 tb sp

Method:

For Masala Eggs:

- Heat butter/ghee and sprinkle the red chili powder and salt and mix quickly (you can take the pan off the flame while doing so, otherwise the spices will burn and create lot of smoke)

- Cut the boiled eggs in half and place them in the sauteed masalas with the yolk side downwards.

- Take them off after a minute. The idea is to coat the eggs with the butter and seasoning.

For the gravy:

- Heat the oil and add the cumin seeds and allow them to crackle.

- Add Bay leaf and saute for few seconds.

- Next, add the onion paste and saute for few seconds. 

- Now add the turmeric powder,  ginger garlic paste and saute till the raw smell of gg paste is gone.

- Add rest of the whole spices and saute for a few seconds.

- Add the coconut paste, green chilies and saute for a minute.

- Now add the tomato paste and remaining spices (except peppercorns) and let them cook covered, till the tomatoes are nicely mashed and oil starts separating from the mixture.

- If you want to make a thinner gravy add little water or chicken stock and cook covered for a minute.

- Finally, add the masala egg halves, crushed peppercorns and pudina leaves into the curry and cook for a minute before serving. 

- Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with rice or rotis.

Tips:

- If you are running short of time, no need to brown the onions and make a paste before hand, you can directly use them like any other preparations. Also, you can skip the part where I am preping the Eggs with seasoning.

- You can make the gravy part the night before your guests are coming and just make the eggs masala and add them in the re heated curry and serve! Curries always taste more flavorful the next day

- Even simpler version is to use finely chopped onions and tomatoes instead of making a paste, then skip coconut paste and use ready made garam masala and egg masala powder instead of all other spices.

Healthy Twist:

- Use olive oil instead of  butter/ghee or Veg oil.

- This dish is healthy as it has eggs - a good source of proteins and other nutrients and also coconut paste which is very nutritious. Just observe portion control as both these items have fat in them.