Amaranth Greens Curry with Eggs
A rich and aromatic Parsi-style curry featuring tender amaranth greens (cholai) and hard-boiled eggs. This historical recipe combines earthy greens with a robust masala paste of roasted spices, ginger, and garlic, all simmered in ghee until the flavors meld beautifully. Traditionally served with Khichdi, it offers a comforting balance of textures and savory depth.
Ingredients
- 1/2 pound Amaranth greens (Cholai) (Originally '0.5 Sher'. Use tender leaves.)
- 2 cups Onions (Finely chopped. Originally '0.5 Sher' (approx 250g).)
- 1/2 cup Ghee (Originally '1 Pasher' (approx 125g). Divided use.)
- 1 tablespoon Ginger (Crushed/paste. Originally '1 tola'.)
- 1 tablespoon Garlic (Finely minced. Originally '1 tola'.)
- 1 cup Fresh coriander leaves (Originally '2 bunches'.)
- 4 whole Dried red chilies (Large size.)
- 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds (Heaping spoonful.)
- 1 teaspoon Curry powder (Heaping spoonful.)
- 1 teaspoon Turmeric powder (Flat spoonful.)
- 10 whole Black peppercorns
- 10 whole Green cardamom pods
- 10 whole Cloves
- 1 inch Cinnamon stick
- 5 whole Hard-boiled eggs
- 1 teaspoon Salt (Or to taste.)
- 1 cup Water (Originally '1 Pasher'.)
Instructions
- 1Peel and crush the ginger. Peel and finely mince the garlic. Peel the hard-boiled eggs and cut them lengthwise into two halves. Peel and finely chop the onions.
- 2Wash the amaranth greens thoroughly and chop them finely. Boil them in water until soft and tender. Once cooked, drain all the water completely from the greens.
- 3Grind the curry powder, cumin, turmeric, dried chilies, peppercorns, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, and fresh coriander leaves together into a fine paste.
- 4In a heavy-bottomed pot (tapeli), heat about 3/4 of the ghee. Add the chopped onions and fry until they turn red. Add the crushed ginger to the onions. In a separate small pan, heat the remaining ghee and fry the minced garlic until fragrant, then pour the garlic and its ghee into the main pot with the onions.
- 5Add the boiled, drained greens to the onion mixture and sauté briefly over the heat (sizzle). Add the prepared masala paste and mix well. Pour in about 1 cup of water and let it simmer over low heat (embers).
- 6When the ghee begins to separate from the mixture, arrange the egg halves gently in the curry. Continue to cook until the ghee has fully separated and floats on top. Remove from heat. This curry pairs excellently with Khichdi.