Egg Curry No. 3
This unique historical Parsi egg curry transforms simple hard-boiled eggs into a luxurious dish by separating the yolks and whites to create distinct textures. The egg whites are finely chopped to thicken the rich, caramelized onion sauce, while the whole yolks are gently simmered in a fragrant blend of freshly ground spices including saffron, cardamom, and cloves. Finished with a splash of lemon juice to balance the richness of the ghee, this savory dish offers a complex flavor profile that pairs perfectly with crusty bread or rotis.
Ingredients
- 10 whole Eggs (Hard-boiled and peeled)
- 1 pound Onions (Originally '1 sher'. Finely chopped.)
- 1 cup Ghee (Originally '0.5 sher' (approx 1/2 lb). Can be reduced for modern preference.)
- 1/4 teaspoon Saffron strands (Originally '5 val' (approx 1.5g). Adjusted for modern usage.)
- 1 teaspoon Lemon juice
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Salt (Heaping)
- 1 teaspoon Turmeric powder (Heaping)
- 15 whole Black peppercorns
- 10 whole Green cardamom pods
- 10 whole Cloves
- 1 inch Cinnamon stick
- 1 cup Water (Originally '1 pasher' (approx 1/4 seer or 1 cup).)
Instructions
- 1Peel the hard-boiled eggs. Carefully separate the whites from the yolks. Keep the yolks whole and set them aside. Finely chop the egg whites into small pieces.
- 2Grind the peppercorns, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, and saffron into a fine powder or paste.
- 3Peel and finely chop the onions until they resemble crumbs. Heat the ghee in a heavy-bottomed pot (originally a tinned vessel) and fry the onions until they turn red/brown.
- 4Add the ground spice mixture, turmeric, and salt to the fried onions. Pour in the water and mix well. Add the whole egg yolks and the chopped egg whites. Simmer uncovered over low heat (originally on embers) until the curry thickens and the ghee separates from the sauce.
- 5Once the ghee has separated and the curry is thick, remove from heat and stir in the lemon juice. Serve warm.