EGG BAHAR

I was literally struggling to give a name to this egg curry..... it is not authentic of any place. After marriage, I saw my mother-in-law preparing an egg curry using lots of plain yogurt. The mother-son duo had been / are ardent egg lovers. There are some hilarious stories regarding my senior's love for an egg. In tune with his love for eggs, I do prepare egg curry on a regular basis. I do not think our son is an egg lover, he just eats because he has to, like his mother in this case. What we miss here is a duck egg, it is banned in the country we stay. It is not banned per say, I read during the Vietnam War, duck egg supply to this island got be difficult, the price of it increased and people took to chicken eggs. I think for most of the Bengalis, egg curry essentially means duck egg curry. At least this was the scene in our childhood. Some say duck eggs have health issues associated with it. These days I console myself believing in it.... grapes are always sour under certain circumstances.... hahaha.... Though not much of an egg lover when young, I liked the tangy and little sweet egg curry that the mom-in-law cooked with homemade yogurt. It definitely was not an authentic Bengali egg curry. I made some add ons in the curry this time, made it spicier, not that hot though.... and named it Egg Bahar. Let us prepare the easy, quick and yummy egg curry together.

INGREDIENTS :

EGG : 4-5
PLAIN YOGURT : 5-6 tbsp [beaten]
TOMATO  : 1medium [made to a paste]
CHILLI POWDER : 1 tsp
CUMIN POWDER : 1tsp
CORIANDER POWDER : 1/2tsp
FENNEL POWDER : 1/4tsp
CINNAMON POWDER : 2pinch
CARDAMOM POWDER : A pinch
TURMERIC POWDER : 1tsp
CASHEWNUT : 3-4
GINGER PASTE : 1tsp
GARLIC PASTE : 1/2tsp
ONION PASTE : 11/2tsp
CUMIN SEEDS : A pinch
BAYLEAF : 1
SALT : As Required
SUGAR : 1 tsp 
GHEE [CLARIFIED BUTTER] : 1/2tsp [optional]
CORIANDER LEAVES : 1tbsp [for garnish, optional]
OIL : 2-3 tbsp

METHOD : 

Wash the eggs and boil. Take off the shells and make small slits on both sides of each; apply a little of salt and turmeric. Prepare a paste with the yogurt and cashew nuts in a blender.

Heat the oil in a wok and fry the eggs lightly, keep aside. Temper the oil with cumin seeds and bay leaf.

Add the onion paste and fry for a minute. Add the ginger and garlic pastes and fry for about 3 minutes. Add the tomato paste and saute till the raw smell goes away.

Add the cashew nut n yogurt pastes and saute till the oil separates from the mixture. Add all of the powdered spices and salt except the cinnamon and cardamom powder, sugar, ghee and coriander leaves. Saute for a minute.

Add a cup of water. Let boil for 2 minutes. Add the fried eggs and boil for 2-3 minutes.

Add the cinnamon powder, cardamom powder, ghee, sugar. Stir and let boil for 1/2 a minute.

Transfer to a bowl and garnish with chopped coriander leaves. Serve hot with rice or Indian breads.