Nadan Mutta

Egg curry the dish that strikes fear into the hearts of your nearest and dearest! It's actually a very popular breakfast in Southern India, served with Palappam, a Keralan rice pancake.

Ingredients
serves 2-3
6 free-range eggs
400ml coconut milk
1 tbsp  Coconut Oil (or veg oil)
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp fennel seeds
10 curry leaves
1 red onion, chopped
3 tomatoes, peeled, deseeded and chopped
4 green small (finger/bird's eye) chillies
1 tsp ginger, finely chopped (paste)
1 tsp garlic, finely chopped, (paste)
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp red chilli powder
½ tsp ground turmeric
½ tsp ground black pepper
salt


Method
Firstly, hard boil the eggs by placing them in a pan with enough cold water to cover them.  Bring to a boil and take off the heat immediately. Place a lid on the pan an leave for about 10 minutes.  Then cool down with cold water and set aside.

Next, make a paste from the chopped ginger and garlic by pressing with the back of a knife along a chopping board.

Then in a heavy-bottom frying pan heat the oil coconut oil on a high temperature. Add the mustard seeds and fennel seeds and fry for a minute. As they release their oils they'll begin to splutter. Then turn the heat down to a medium temperature and add the curry leaves. Continue to fry for another minute before adding the ginger and garlic paste, chopped onion and the three of the green chillies, whole but with a few slits cut into them.  Also add a pinch of salt.

Cook until the onion has softened then add the garam masala, ground turmeic, chilli powder and ground coriander.  Stir in well and cook for a minute before adding the chopped tomatoes.

A few minutes later pour in the coconut milk. Mix well and bring to a gently simmer.

Cut the hard boiled eggs in half (or you could keep them whole if you prefer) and add them to the curry. Gently stir them into the gravy and cover the pan with a lid. Continue to simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring every so often. Be careful not to break the eggs.

Lift the lid and continue to simmer until the gravy has reached your preferred consistency.

To serve gently pour into bowls. Season with some ground black pepper and sprinkle over some green chilli, freshly sliced. Serve with some Palappam.