Andá (or Egg) Kārhī
A quick and fragrant Indian egg curry in which hard-boiled eggs are simmered in ghee with browned spices and fried onions. This historical dish comes together in under ten minutes once the eggs are prepared, making it a simple yet flavourful meal.
Ingredients
- 12 whole eggs (fresh hen's eggs or duck's eggs) (Use good, fresh eggs. Duck's eggs may be substituted for a richer flavour.)
- 0 to taste ghee (Use enough ghee to generously coat the base of your pan and fry the spices and onions. The original recipe does not specify an exact amount.)
- 0 to taste condiments (same as for Dopiyáza) (The original text directs the cook to use the same condiments (spices) as used in the Dopiyáza recipe from the same book. The exact spices are not specified here; use whichever spices are prescribed in the Dopiyáza recipe of this source.)
- 0 to taste onions, sliced and fried (Slice onions thinly and fry them until golden before adding to the curry. The original recipe does not specify an exact quantity.)
- 0 very little water (Only a very small splash of water is called for — just enough to prevent sticking and help the curry come together without becoming soupy.)
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Instructions
- 1Place all 12 eggs in a large saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to a gentle boil and cook for 10 minutes. Once cooked, transfer the eggs immediately to a bowl of cold water and leave them for 5 minutes — this makes peeling much easier and stops the yolks from turning grey around the edges. Peel (shell) each egg carefully and set them aside on a plate.
- 2Place a wide, heavy-bottomed pan or skillet over medium heat. Add the ghee and allow it to melt and heat until it shimmers — this is what the original recipe calls 'boiling down' your ghee, meaning heating it until it is fully clarified and hot. Add the condiments (the spices specified in the Dopiyáza recipe from this same book) and fry them in the hot ghee, stirring constantly, until they turn a deep golden-brown and become fragrant — this should take a few minutes. Be careful not to let them burn. Add the pre-fried sliced onions and stir them into the spiced ghee, cooking together for a minute or two until everything is well combined and richly browned.
- 3Using a sharp knife, carefully cut each peeled egg in half lengthways (from top to bottom). Gently place all the halved eggs into the pan with the spiced ghee and onions, cut side facing upward so the yolks are exposed to the sauce. Take care not to break the yolks.
- 4Add only a very small splash of water to the pan — just enough to loosen the spices slightly and prevent the mixture from scorching. Stir gently around the eggs without breaking them. Reduce the heat to low and allow the curry to simmer gently for up to ten minutes, occasionally spooning the spiced ghee over the eggs so they absorb the curry flavours. The dish is ready when the eggs are well coated and impregnated with the spiced mixture. The finished curry should not be soupy — it should be a rich, relatively dry coating around the eggs.
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