Shirley Aunty, the matriarch of the Aranya Pepper farm, is an egg curry queen. Her ingredient list is sparse—just shallots, spices, and coconut milk—but the result is so silky and rich. It’s a lesson in simple yet luxurious cooking. My one request to Asha when we were developing this recipe was that the eggs be jammy but as saturated with the curry and as much flavor as possible. Scoring the sides of a seven-minute egg so that you’re effectively braising it in the curry is a game changer. Serve with steamed short-grain rice. —Sana Javeri Kadri and Asha Loupy
Recipe information
Total Time
45 minutes
Yield
4–6 servings
Ingredients
8
3
4
1½
1
Need to make a substitution?
Preparation
Step 1
Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Gently add 8 large eggs and boil for 7 minutes, then, using a slotted spoon, transfer them to an ice bath to cool while you make the sauce.
Step 2
To prepare the sauce, heat 3 Tbsp. virgin coconut oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add 2 tsp. coriander seeds, lightly crushed, and cook, stirring frequently, until they turn light golden, 30–45 seconds. Add 4 large shallots (about ⅔ lb./300 g), finely diced, and 1⁄2 tsp. fine sea salt to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until the shallots soften and turn light golden, 7–11 minutes. Stir in 1 Tbsp. Byadgi chilli powder, 1 tsp. ground turmeric, ¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper, and 1⁄2 cup (120 ml) water and cook until the water evaporates, 4 to 7 minutes.
Step 3
Stir in one 14-oz. (398-ml) can full-fat coconut milk and the remaining 1 tsp. fine sea salt. Reduce the heat to medium-low, partially cover, and simmer until the sauce is reduced by a quarter and the oil is starting to separate, 9 to 12 minutes.
Step 4
Meanwhile, peel the eggs and score the whites of the eggs lengthwise about 5 times around each egg, being careful not to cut too deep and hit the yolk. (This will help the sauce permeate the egg.)
Step 5
Gently add the scored eggs to the skillet and continue to cook, gently basting and turning the eggs over in the curry until the outsides of the eggs start to take on the color of the sauce and are heated through, 4–6 minutes.
Step 6
To finish, stir in juice of 1⁄2 lemon, (1–2 Tbsp.). Taste and season with more salt and/or lemon juice, if necessary.
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