South Indian Egg Curry, with Veggies

Contains: Nightshades, eggs, coconut.   Is: Originally intended for festival of Holi, gluten-free, grain-free, vegetarian, dairy-free, paleo, Whole30.

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An adaptation of a south Indian egg curry recipe. I added extra veggies that were giving Use or Lose vibes.  Eggs are home-grown.

Back when I broke my ankle, one of my work compatriots sent over a dish of egg curry.  She hailed from a northern region of India, so this recipe won’t be exact as to what she made for me during my recovery.  I loved the dish.  It was the only time in 66 years of living that I’ve had an Indian egg curry – until then.  It just never seemed to appear on menus at the Indian venues I visited.  While unfortunately the Indian festival of Holi is now over, I’m doing what I can to make a good Indian curry dish featuring eggs… and I’m using my own home grown eggs here.  This is my source recipe:

https://www.indianhealthyrecipes.com/spicy-andhra-egg-curry-south-indian-egg-recipes/

Veggies cooking.

I’ve modified it.   I’ll set up the recipe so you can follow how I actually created it.  I also had an eggplant that I wished to use and enjoy before it goes bad, so even though the source inspiration linked to above uses no eggplant – I’m putting that purple nightshade in here.  Yes, I know, two eggplant recipes in a row!  I also added a bell pepper.  I also have no cilantro (coriander leaves).  I need to order seeds so I can grow my own, although I’ve had bad luck with that in the past.

“Put de tomato in de coconut…”

Basically I did follow most instructions – noting that the recipe author provides alternatives at many stages.  Yes, I added more coconut milk inadvertently, and thus had to cook the liquid down furthur – but the dish works!

As a reminder, this recipe is vegetarian, thus suitable for those of you who observe the Catholic Lenten restrictions.  Although some eastern Mediterranean countries will also frown on the eggs.

I am physically sharing this dish with a friend.  We ate it with rice she cooked at her place – so that’s why the rice isn’t in the photos I took before I left with it to bring over.

Cooked 3/20/2020.

Prior to the addition of coconut milk

Prep Time:  30 minutes, more or less. (excluding egg boiling and eggplant resting)
Cook Time:  About 30 minutes.
Rest Time:  Unnecessary.
Serves:  4.
Cuisine:  South Indian inspired.
Leftovers:  YES!

South Indian Egg Curry

• 4 hard-boiled/cooked eggs, peeled.  (I used five…)
• 1 small European style eggplant.
• 2 tablespoons high temperature cooking oil
• 1 teaspoon jeera/cumin seeds
• 2 sprigs curry leaves, chopped.  (Mine were frozen; you could do one or the two,  if fresh.)
• 1 cup onions, diced
• One half a bell pepper, chopped.
• 1 green chili, diced (I used one poblano, de-seeded and chopped)
• 1.25 teaspoons garlic ginger paste.
• 2 tomatoes, finely chopped…. I used one cup of an open can of already chopped, diced tomatoes, since there are no fresh tomatoes worth eating  here — eyeballing an equivalent amount.
• 6 tablespoons unsweetened coconut flakes.  
• 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric. 
• 3/4 teaspoon red chili powder.  (I used cayenne)
• 1 teaspoon garam masala.
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander.
• Salt as needed…. start small, work up.
• 0.5 cups water, as needed.  (But see below.)
• 3 tablespoons coconut milk, the stuff in a can.  Guess what – I used the whole can.  400 grams.  But the recipe turned out fine anyway.   If you use 3 tablespoons, then up above use 0.75 cups to 1 cup water, as needed).
• 3 tablespoons cilantro / coriander leaves, chopped.  (I so wish I had, but consider them optional.  Especially for those who consider them soapy.)

Remove bitterness from eggplant by slicing it in half, and letting it soak with salt for at least an hour, over a colander.  Once that’s done, wash off the excess salt.  Set aside.

Cook those eggs, score them lightly around their surfaces.  Set aside.

Mix the tomato and coconut together.  Optionally, you can puree them, but this is not necessary.

Heat a large skillet with your cooking oil to medium high.  Toss in the cumin seeds and allow to roast for about two minutes, or until they sizzle, but before they burn.  Add the curry leaves in fragments.  This will only need a few seconds to cook.  Then, toss in the onion, stir, and allow to turn translucent.  This may take ten minutes.

Then add in the peppers and the eggplant, continue to stir fry as they soften, another 5 or so minutes.

Add the garlic ginger paste, and sauté until the garlic loses that raw aroma.

Add the tomato/coconut flake mixture.  Mix briefly, then add the spices:  chili, turmeric, garam masala, coriander, salt.  As needed, if things start to dry too much, add water.

Add the eggs, and allow these to cook in for a good five or so minutes, so that juices can penetrate the slits in the eggs.  Stir gently so as not to break up the eggs.

Make sure everything is melded well, then add the coconut milk (either the 3 tablespoons, or that entire can).  Mix gently further, and if necessary, reduce liquid to a curry consistency at a low simmer.

Serve over rice, topping with optional cilantro.

 

 

 

 

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About Holi:   This year the date was March 10th, next year it will be March 28th, and in 2022 it will almost share March 17th with St. Patrick’s Day (another occasion I had a recipe in mind to make this year but didn’t get to in time…)  – but it falls the day after, on the 18th.  Holi, or Festival of Colors, is a lunar celebration so the date will vary from year to year.  This site here will provide a good starting point for investigating the occasion. I mention March 17th here as there are typically activities that happen on the eve of Holi.

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Sending this blog post over to:

• Full Plate Thursdays.
• Fiesta Friday.  Hosted by: Mollie @ Frugal Hausfrau and Liz @ Spades, Spatulas & Spoons.
• What’s for Dinner – Sunday Link-Up.
• Farm Fresh Tuesdays.