Delhi-Style Egg Curry

Wonderful for a weekend brunch, or for supper after the theatre, this curry is a joy to prepare when you feel like pottering about in the kitchen on a rainy day. It is nourishing, warming and yummy. I always serve it with either parathas or rice, with pickles and chutneys alongside. Use more or less chile powder and green chilies depending on how spicy hot you like your food. Adapted from a recipe by Madhur Jaffrey. For garam masala, see Garam Masala II, Garam Masala II by Recipezaar. Add to it 1 tablespoon cardamom seeds, a 2-3 inch stick of cinnamon, broken up, increase the nutmeg to 1/3, and follow the same method. Use the required amount as per the recipe below.

• Ready In: 50 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 2 -3  tablespoons  peanut oil
• 1  onion, sliced finely into half-rings (approximately 5 oz.)
• 1  tablespoon  peeled and finely chopped fresh ginger
• 5  cloves garlic, peeled and pressed through a garlic crusher
• 1  tablespoon ground coriander
• 1  teaspoon ground cumin
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1⁄2 teaspoon  pure chile powder
• 1  teaspoon  bright red Hungarian paprika
• 4  tablespoons  natural yoghurt
• 2 -3  medium tomatoes, peeled and very finely chopped (about 10 oz in all)
• 12  fluid ounces  chicken stock
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt, to taste
• 4  fluid ounces  whipping cream
• 1⁄4 teaspoon garam masala
• 1 -3  fresh hot green chili pepper, left whole (or finely chopped for a hotter dish)
• 4  tablespoons  chopped fresh cilantro
• 8  hard-boiled eggs, peeled and halved lengthways

Directions

1. Place the oil in a medium to large non-stick lidded pan and heat over a medium-high flame.
2. Add the sliced onions when the oil is hot, and stir and saute about 6 minutes until they become reddish brown in color.
3. Toss in the ginger and garlic and continue to stir and fry for a minute.
4. Next add the ground spices, namely the coriander, cumin, turmeric, chile powder and paprika, and mix and stir for around 10 seconds.
5. Start adding the yoghurt, a tablespoon at a time, stirring well after each addition until it is absorbed.
6. Place all the finely chopped tomatoes in the pan and cook, stirring, for 3-4 minutes, until they become pulpy- you can mash them with the back of a wooden spoon, or a potato masher, to aid the process.
7. When the tomatoes are pulped to your liking, add the chicken stock and salt to taste, bring to the boil, cover the pan, then gently simmer the sauce for 15-20 minutes over a low heat, during which time it will thicken.
8. The sauce can be prepared to this stage ahead of time.
9. When ready to serve, stir the whipping cream, garam masala, chilies and cilantro into the heated sauce, then season with more salt if necessary.
10. Lay the hard-boiled eggs in a single layer, cut side up, in the sauce, and spoon some sauce over them.
11. Serve as recommended above with parathas or rice.