Creating a blog was out of the question for a long time for me, as measuring everything in the kitchen was like biting into an eggshell. I enjoy cooking and don’t want to waste even a slightest bit of enjoyment in that small world of mine. But little did I know that everything will change, when my husband came home with the Oscar nominated film ‘Julie and Julia’( a real life story) where Julie Powell (part played by Amy Adams) challenged herself to make all the 524 recipes from Julia Child's cook book ‘Mastering the Art of French Cooking’ and blogging all her experiences (The Julie/Julia Project). It was an inspiring movie. A few days later when we were discussing this casually with a friend of ours over tea…everything changed dramatically…..” How about you making at least half of it in one year? Not French but your own. 262 recipes that will inspire others and present it as a blog?” For a minute my mind traveled faster than light… With an experience as a helper in my mother in laws kitchen for 6 years followed by a three year everyday struggle to satisfy the palate of my foodie husband, if I cannot do it then why should I cook? But on the other side with an experience in English literature extending no more than expanding outline stories in English grammar class when I was 18 and two small kids that come in handy at times, will a commitment for the next one year work? Anyway my ‘cook's ego’ didn’t allow me to say no...

So my friends …here I am opening my recipe book, trying to perfect and present 262 recipes in the coming 365 days….A Challenge that will of course tastes good. Come.. Have a walk with me along my journey.. Cheering and inspiring….Forgiving and tolerating…Testing and tasting….for ‘A Tasty Challenge’

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Monday, March 21, 2011

Potato n Egg Curry

Recipe No: 223
Our Church here in Indiana is really amazing… a bunch of people with goodness in their hearts, values in their deeds, helping and supporting each other… from whom we can learn a lot… and look forward to... Yesterday after a prayer meeting, when all the chits and chats faded, my eyes wandered among the many cookbooks arranged neatly in a shelf of the host's house and suddenly hooked to one written by Mrs. K.M Mathew (I forgot the title of the book). While eagerly running my eyes through the many recipes in that book, I think I heard voices behind… ‘Don’t copy our recipes’, followed by a bunch of friendly laughter… 

Even though I forgot to borrow that book, one of those recipes lived in my mind long enough to withstand my efforts to recreate. I can’t exactly say recreate, as I was not able to remember the exact measurements, and I substituted some ingredients; but I should say , I followed the same procedure and it came out heavenly. We sat around the table on Sunday morning licking every bit of that delicious gravy. This is how I did…
Ingredients                                           Serves 3-4
  • Hard Boiled Eggs……………..4 (cut into two)
  • Oil…………………………………..1 1/2 Tablespoons
  • Onion sliced thin……………...1/2 cup
  • Ginger sliced thin…………….1 Tablespoon
  • Garlic sliced thin……………..2 Tablespoons
  • Indian Green Chilly slit...…2 Big
  • Tomato………………………..…1/2 medium
  • Potato…………………………….2 Small/ 1 big (cut into wedges)
  • Thin Coconut Milk……….….1 ½ Cups
  • Thick coconut Milk…….…...1/2 Cup
  • Salt to taste
To grind
  • Chilly Powder………………….1 Teaspoon
  • Coriander Powder…………...2 Teaspoons
  • Turmeric Powder…………….1/4 Teaspoon
  • Pepper Powder…………….….1/4 Teaspoon
  • Garam Masala Powder…….3/4 Teaspoon
  • Aniseed/ Fennel Powder.....1/2 Teaspoon (Peringeerakapodi)
  • Vinegar…………………………..1 Teaspoon
For Tempering
  • Coconut Oil…………………....1 Tablespoon
  • Mustard seeds……………..…1/2 Teaspoon
  • Shallots sliced………………..2 big
  • Curry Leaves…………..…….1 Sprig
Method of Preparation
  1. Grind all the ingredients in the ‘to grind’ section into a smooth paste using just enough Water and keep aside till ready to be used.
  2. Heat Oil in a pan on medium high heat and saute Onion, Ginger, Garlic, Green Chilly and Salt till wilted.
  3. Add the ground paste; lower the heat and saute till the raw smell is gone and Oil starts to ooze out. (As we are not using too much Oil, it may not ooze out in large quantities, but small droplets will be seen in the sides of the pan.) Do stir continuously at this stage.
  4. Add Tomato followed by thin Coconut milk and Potatoes; let it boil.
  5. Lower the heat; cover the pan and let the Potatoes cook.
  6. Add thick Coconut Milk and the Eggs; mix well; let it simmer along the edges. Add more Salt if needed.
  7. Switch off the heat and keep it covered till the tempering is done.
For Tempering
  1. Heat Coconut Oil in a small pan over medium heat and splutter the Mustard Seeds.
  2. Add Shallots and Curry Leaves and fry till golden brown.
  3. Pour this over the prepared Egg Curry and serve hot with Appam, Puttu, Idiyappam or any Flat Breads after mixing well.
Notes:
  • Grinding the Spice Powders will make the gravy really thick. So please don’t skip the process.
  • If you don’t have Fennel Powder at home, please use ½ teaspoon whole Fennel seeds while grinding. This extra amount of Fennel is very important in this recipe.
  • Don’t cook Potatoes till it disintegrates. Continue the next step once it is just cooked or the curry will taste like Potato Curry.
  • Please use good Coconut Milk (fresh, canned or reconstituted Coconut Powder) in this recipe. If squeezing fresh do combine 2nd and 3rd Milk together to make thin Coconut Milk; if using canned combine ½ Cup thick  Coconut Milk with 1 cup Water to make it thin. The Coconut Milk using at the end should be really thick.
  • Don't skip the tempering part; it gives a signature taste. Please don't do it in the beginning of the process too. (Should do only at the end.)
 





Make it, enjoy the deliciousness and 
serve it to your family with love…

4 comments:

aipi said...

That looks so homey n delicious..one tempting platter you have there :)


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Reshmi Mahesh said...

Yummy and superb recipe...nice pic
There is an award for you in my blog...pls come and collect it..

Priya Suresh said...

Slurp, thats an inviting and delicious curry, love it with rice anytime..

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