Monday, November 5, 2012

Goan Egg Drop Curry

This curry is stunning both for your eyes and tastebuds! Personally I have never tried egg curry in Goa. With so much fish in front of me..I never looked at anything else. But being the only one at my house who indulges (read over indulges) in fish, I have to be nice sometimes and prepare dishes which could help my loved ones experience the amazing flavors of Goa.

Eggs have taken a beating in recent years, due to its impact on cholesterol and heart problems. Inspite of this, I do not believe it needs to be completely avoided. I wouldn't be surprised if a decade later people find out how much harm has been caused by banning eggs from our diets.
Don't get me wrong here, I am not one of the crazies! I do not deny that egg yolks are bad for you, but a couple of eggs in a month, should not kill you anyway. Unless a doctor specifically asks you to stay away from them.
I believe that our bodies need to achieve a balance. We cannot forget that eggs are a good source of low cost high-quality protein, providing 6.3 gms of protein in 1 egg for a caloric cost of only 68 calories. Numerous vitamins, including vitamin A, potassium and many B vitamins like folic acid, choline and biotin are also packed into this oval-shaped staple. Very few foods share the same diverse nutrient makeup available in a single egg. Many of these nutrients are specifically needed for the health of the nerves and brain.

That being said, I do not completely ignore the tons of research available that link eggs to increase in cholesterol. We just reduce them in our diets, instead of banning them for life!
We mostly include more of the egg whites in our diets as it contains no cholesterol, but it is in dishes like the  one I am sharing here, where you really cannot do without the egg yolks. Using only egg whites would give you just scrambled egg white curry, which would not be as interesting.

A lot has been said. Let me share the recipe with you now..

Serves: 4 people (1 egg per person)
Level: Easy
Adapted from: Goan food recipes



Ingredients:
For the Egg Curry Masala:
10 dry kashmiri red chillies (mild variety)
2 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
4 tblsp grated fresh coconut (I used frozen)
1 tsp tamarind pulp
3 garlic flakes
Other Ingredients:
1.5 tblsp oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
4 garlic flakes, finely chopped
1/2 cup thick coconut milk (I use Maggi coconut milk powder)
4 eggs
Water as required
Salt to taste
Coriander to decorate

Method:
Step 1 - Let us make the masala first. Take all the egg curry masala ingredients in a blender and blend well with a little warm water till it forms a smooth paste. Keep aside.

Step 2 - Let us make the coconut milk. Make 1/2 cup of coconut milk with the coconut powder by following the instructions on the packet. (I added 1.5 tblsp in 0.5 cup of warm water). Keep aside. You can use freshly squeezed coconut milk or canned coconut milk for this recipe too.

Step 3 - Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan. Add the onions and garlic. Saute till the onions turn brown. Add the egg curry masala from Step 1 and some salt. Stir well and saute for a good 7 - 8 mins, till the masala starts to shine. Do not hurry here. You need to cook the ingredients well as all raw ingredients were used in the paste. Add water till the curry reaches your desired consistency. Let it boil for 5 mins. Adjust the taste to your liking, by playing with the tamarind pulp and red chilly powder if you would enjoy more heat  and tang.

Step 4 - Reduce heat to medium-low, wait a couple of minutes for the boil to slow down and carefully drop in the eggs one at a time, a little apart from each other. Take care and try not to break the egg yolk while dropping them in the curry. Do not stir at this stage. Immediately cover the pot with a lid and let the eggs cook in the curry for 3 - 4 mins. Open the lid. If your eggs are completely in the curry, you are good. If they are slightly above the curry (if your pan is too flat), gently toss some of the curry over the eggs to help it cook. When you notice that the eggs are steady and won't break when touched, gently stir the curry from the base so it does not stick to the bottom of the pan. Boil for 2 more mins.

Decorate with coriander and serve piping hot with some plain white rice or paav.


Hope you enjoy this curry as much as we did!

Tips:
I am sure you can add boiled eggs to this curry instead of dropping eggs into the curry. Just don't forget to call it Egg Curry instead of Egg Drop Curry.

Some more information on eggs: Head here.

5 comments:

  1. This is awesome.. especially since I am not a fish-eater..the egg curry with the goan masala is superb!!

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  2. Bookmarked. I think I would like this. Interesting recipe.

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  3. Thanks..let me know how you like it Radha

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  4. Thank you for sharing the joy of Good Food :) Clyde from Goan Food!

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    Replies
    1. Thanks to you! I am a fan of your website :)So glad you could stop by.

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