Mughlai Egg Curry

Cook Time 60 mins
Cooking Method: , , ,
Cuisine: ,
Courses: , ,
Difficulty: Advanced
Servings: 4
Description

A Mughlai-style egg dish cooked with aromatic spices, nuts and cream. Mughlai Egg curry is an Indian delicacy that is commonly eaten with roti or rice.

Ingredients
    Main Ingredients
  • 8 Eggs
  • 2 tbsp Cooking oil
  • 15 Cashews - whole
  • 3 tbsp Heavy cream
  • 1 tbsp Butter
    • Fresh whole spices
  • 4 Green cardamoms - whole
  • 2 Cloves
  • 1 Cinnamon (in inch)
  • 1 Star anise
  • 2 tsp Cumin seeds
  • 5 Dried red chilies (Kashmiri) (Less spicy variety)
    • Vegetables
  • 3 Onions (White or Red , Medium size)
  • 2 Green chilies (Optional ( vertically slit))
  • 1/2 cup Tomato paste (Canned or fresh tomatoes)
  • 1/4 cup Fresh cilantro- chopped
    • Other Ingredients
  • 1 tsp Ginger - grated
  • 2 tsp Garlic - crushed
  • 1 tsp Salt (adjust to taste)
  • 1 tsp Sugar (Optional)
  • 2 cup Water (To dilute the curry - use as needed)
  • Saffron - about 15 strings (Optional)
    • Spice powders
  • 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
  • 1 tsp Coriander powder
  • 1 tsp Cumin powder
  • 2 tsp Garam masala (Store bought)
  • 2 tsp Red chili powder (Kashmiri)
Instructions
  1. 1
    Boiling the eggs
    • Fill a medium-size saucepan with water until it is 3/4 th full and with enough space for water to boil - the pan should be big enough that water doesn't spill over while boiling.
    • Add one teaspoon of salt to the water to prevent the cracking of eggs.
    • When the water starts to boil,  add the eggs
    • The eggs should be completely immersed in the water
    • Let the eggs boil for 10 minutes
    • Transfer the eggs carefully to a bowl filled with iced water
    • Carefully crack the shells and peel the outer shell
    • Wash the eggs with clean water to remove any pieces of shell still sticking
    • You can use the boiled eggs directly in the curry or you can follow the below optional step 
    • Optional step of frying the eggs : Dry the eggs with a paper towel and cut them in half. Spread two tsp of oil in a frying pan so as to cover the entire surface of the pan. Lay the eggs facing the flat side downwards. Let them fry on medium heat for about 3 minutes ( keep checking until you see a golden brown color). Then turn over the eggs and fry them on the other side for about 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
    • Transfer the fried eggs onto a plate   

  2. 2
    Prepare the fresh spice powder
    • Dry roast the green cardamom, cloves, star anise, and cinnamon for about 5 minutes on medium heat or until you smell the nice aroma from the spices
    • Grind the spices using a mortar and pestle into a fine powder (since the quantities are very small, a blender won't help. A mortar-pestle is ideal for small quantities and also  helps to release the oils from the spices)
  3. 3

  4. 4
    Prepare the onion - cashew- red chili paste
    • Chop the onions into 1-inch cubes
    • Take a medium-size frying pan at least 3-4 inches deep and 12 inches in diameter. (We will use the same pan for cooking the egg curry also)
    • Keep the pan on medium heat.
    • Add half of the cooking oil prescribed in the ingredients section
    • Add the onions, cashews, and dried red chilis and fry them for about 5-7 minutes on medium flame, or until the onions start to turn light brown
    • Add the freshly ground spice powder (from step-2 above)
    • Continue to stir for another 2 minutes on low flame
    • The onions should be now semi-transparent and light brown in color
    • Transfer the contents from the pan to a plate and let the mixture cool
    • When the onion mixture has cooled, grind it into a fine paste using a blender
  5. 5

     

  6. 6
    Prepare the curry base
    • Keep a frying pan on medium heat (Use the same frying pan that we fried the onions in)
    • Add the remaining cooking oil 
    • When the oil gets hot, add the cumin seeds, ginger, and garlic paste. Reduce the heat to low. 
    • Stir for 1-2 minutes until the raw smell of ginger and garlic disappears
    • Add all the spice powders - turmeric, cumin, coriander, Kashmiri red chili, and garam masala powders. Mix well.
    • Add the tomato paste and mix well with the spices.
    • Cut the green chilis in half and add to the pan. We are adding the green chilis towards the end so as to keep the spice levels low. 
    • Add the onion- cashew paste prepared in step-3. Also, add the butter now.
    • (Optional - if you want a nice Saffron flavor, mash the saffron strings in 2 tablespoons of hot water or milk and add it to the curry)
    • Continue stirring on low flame for about 7-8 minutes to let the mixture cook well
    • Add salt, kasoori methi, and chopped fresh cilantro. 
    • Mix well. Taste and adjust the salt and spice levels ( if needed add some more red chili powder)
    • Add heavy cream and mix well.
  7. 7

     

  8. 8
    Serving
    • Transfer the curry to a serving bowl. 
    • Lay the fried eggs on the gravy
    • Garnish with chopped cilantro.
    • You may also add some roasted cashews and cream on the top as an optional step.
  9. 9

     

Notes
  • Eggs need to be hard-boiled - this will help them stay intact and not break into the curry
  • You can refrigerate/ deep freeze the curry without adding the boiling eggs. Add the eggs when you are ready to serve.

 

Keywords: mughlai, egg, anda, curry, masala, persian, indian, spicy, creamy,
Read it online: https://www.mellowmasala.com/recipe/mughlai-egg-curry/
Vinay Mummigatti

I love traveling, cooking, and reading. This blog is a reflection of my passion for cooking. Food is a representation of culture and I have tried to assimilate foods from different cultures across the world. I am an Indian by birth who moved to the USA 20 years back. I hope my recipes and articles bring new experiences and joy to the readers. Please share your comments and feedback.