All I can say about this dish is that this was the closest we came to being ‘non-vegetarian’ growing up. Eggs were served to us children almost like a medicine so we could get more protein in our diet. Both my parents had grown up in homes where eggs were excluded from the diet along with all other meats. It was categorized as a ‘nishiddha padartha,’ which means forbidden item. I think it must have been quite a learning curve for Aai to make omelets or fried eggs everyday for us, early in the morning, before we hopped on to our school buses. Kudos to her!! Of course the pan and spatula used for cooking eggs were reserved only for eggs and could not be used for any other dish. But the will and desire to make us stronger overshadowed any doubts or complaints from my grandmother.

I love a good egg curry and as I traveled around India, I tasted many different versions. Some egg curries are made using coconut milk, while others were without a gravy, while some others add potatoes or green peas to the mix. The little birdies love this kind of egg curry that I make with lots of tomatoes and whole spices.

I will usually make this curry on a Sunday, when everyone is home for lunch and can enjoy it with hot parathas or rice. I tend to go overboard sometimes with the tomatoes but have now learned to keep myself in check.

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Step by Step

1. Hard boil 8 eggs in a pan (I love my electric egg boiler and it is fail proof every time).
   • Place the eggs in a medium pan and cover with water
   • Add 1 tsp salt
   • Bring the water to boil and allow the eggs to cook in the boiling water for 12 mins
   • Turn off the heat and allow to cool
   • Remove from the pan and peel
   • Set aside
2. Finely chop
   • 1 cup onions
   • 1 cup tomatoes
   • 2 tsp freshly minced garlic
   • 1 tsp freshly grated ginger
   • 1/2 cup chopped cilantro, leaves and stems
   • 5 small curry leaves (if available)
3. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan or wok
4. Add the whole spices
   • 2 whole bay leaves
   • 1 whole dried red chili
   • 1″ cinnamon
   • 3 whole cloves
   • 1 tsp cumin seeds
5. Allow them to crackle and spit

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6. Add dried spice powders
   • 1 tsp turmeric
   • 1 tsp red chili
   • 1.5 tsp coriander
7. Sauté for 30 secs, allowing the spices to bloom
8. Add the ginger and garlic, sauté till light brown
9. Add the chopped onions and sauté till transparent
10. Add the chopped tomatoes and chopped herbs
11. Sauté till well cooked and the gravy comes together, about 7-8 mins
12. Slice the peeled eggs in half and slide them into the gravy
13. Add
    • 1/2 cup water if needed or the gravy is too thick
    • 1.5 tsp salt (to taste)
    • 1 tsp garam masala
14. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes till the eggs have absorbed some of the gravy.
15. Taste test for salt and heat.
16. Serve hot with parathas, naans, rotis, bread or on a bed of rice.

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Some Tips

Making perfect hard boiled eggs is an art and usually the 12 mins timer works for me. But I finally bought an electric egg boiler, which takes out some of the guess work and gives perfect results every time.

You can substitute fresh tomatoes with either a cup of diced or crushed tomatoes in a can or use 2 tbsp tomato paste instead.

Also curry leaves are optional since they are available only in the Indian grocery stores. I love their fragrance and try to get my hands on them every so often.