ALOO LEBU PATA DIYE EGG DROP JHOL

It's been long I have not shared with my readers an egg recipe. Let us have it today. In fact, I had a mutton recipe on my mind for today, then late last night I got the news of my favourite writer Nabanita Deb Sen setting out for a long, altogether different journey. If you look back at the tradition of the Hindu Bengalis, you will see meat was never a part of any celebration or mourning, okay neither egg. It is fish which is considered lucky, pious, holy among us. I am unable to go ahead with a fish share today. Egg is fine, the literary genius I am talking about today had been a very liberal soul unlike me, I visualise her as a potful of positivity with immense potential and an infectious smile. Our families never did prepare an egg poach curry or an egg drop curry at home, it is always a lightly fried boiled egg curry preferably with duck eggs in our homes. Here in this island they eat duck eggs preserved in salt. So, we got used to having our egg curry / "dimer jhol" with chicken eggs / "poultry r dim" as the family in Kolkata says. Getting in hand these small sized "deshi murgir dim" has become a rarity in Kolkata. They were served boiled on the breakfast table whose "kushum", that is the yolk used to be  too tasty, sans a fat white coverage. Yes, I dislike the healthier part of an egg... its the white. Perhaps so, I am so loving this egg drop curry with potatoes ALOO LEBU PATA DIYE EGG DROP JHOL. I had been trying this curry eversince I had discovered it around. You all know, until the taste of the curry do not satisfy my tongue, I cannot share the recipe with you. I have to love myself to be able to love you. The addition of kaffir lime leaves and chaat masala to the curry touched the right chords in my mouth and I got ready to share the recipe with you all.

Just yesterday evening, I was relaxing in the guest room with one of Nabanita's Novel Collection, baked Onion Rings & Ginger Tea. Then late at night I got the news. I am not really shocked, she needed some rest, has served us for long. It will need a slow reader like me a pretty good time to finish reading all her works. 

If the son is at home, I am unable to sit in the living room. He makes it a concentration camp closing all the doors & windows, switching on the television in full volume. So, yesterday evening I was operating my kitchen besides relaxing in the guest room. For some reason, I am cooking less and smart at the moment. I had to change the pictures of an earlier Blog Post PRAWN FRIED RICE and my men would love it too, so did I cook it yesterday evening. Just click the heading for the recipe.

To blog about a non-vegetarian curry with eggs was what I planned yesterday morning, this morning I felt sticking to that will be a good idea. I think I am so enjoying an egg drop curry because I do not have to get the feel of the hard boiled egg white inside my mouth. I have done it pure Bengali Style except for the use of chaat masala, so more or less I can take the liberty of giving it a Bengali name - ALOO LEBU PATA DIYE EGG DROP JHOL.

INGREDIENTS :

EGG : 6-8
POTATO : 2MEDIUM SIZED
LIME LEAF : 4-5 [I USED KAFFIR LIME LEAF]
TOMATO : 1MEDIUM
ONION : 1BIG
GINGER PASTE : 1TBSP
GARLIC PASTE : 2TSP
CUMIN POWDER : 1TSP
CORIANDER POWDER : 1/2TSP
RED CHILLI POWDER : 11/2TSP
TURMERIC POWDER : 1/2TSP
CHAAT MASALA : 1TSP [IT HAS SALT IN IT]
CINNAMON POWDER : 1/2TSP
GREEN CARDAMOM POWDER : 1/2TSP
CLOVES POWDER : 2PINCH
CUMIN SEED : 1/4TSP
BAY LEAF : 1
GREEN CHILLI : 2
SUGAR : 1/2TSP [OPTIONAL]
SALT : AS REQUIRED
OIL : 4TBSP

PROCEDURE :

Peel and wash both the potatoes. Cut each into 4 pieces, first widthwise and then lengthwise. Wash again and light rub with a little salt & turmeric.

Peel, discard the two ends and thinly slice the onions. Wash them. Slit the two green chillies and wash.

Wash and chop the tomatoes. Take the ginger & garlic paste+cumin+coriander+red chilli+turmeric powders in a bowl and mix well sprinkling a little of water.

Heat oil in a wok and lightly fry the potatoes discarding the marinade.

Thereafter, temper the oil with a bay leaf and the cumin seeds.

Add the washed and sliced onions and fry until brown at low heat.

Add the spice paste to the wok and stir fry at low heat for 2 minutes or so.

Add the chopped tomatoes and stir fry till it melts. Add 11/2 coffee mug of water.

Cover the wok and simmer at the lowest heat for 3-4 minutes. Add the lightly fried potato pieces and cover cook at the lowest heat for 2-3 minutes.

Open cover. Gently break the washed eggs and drop them onto the boiling curry. Leave the wok uncovered and let the curry simmer at the lowest heat for 2-3 minutes.

Add the lime leaves+chaat masala+cloves+green cardamom+cinnamon powders+sugar to the curry and let it simmer for another 2 minutes or so.

We should be done. You can see, we also had "lebu pata kalojeerey phoron mushurir dal" & "pora lanka nun shorsher tel diye ool sheddo makha" alongside to have with steamed rice. This egg drop curry should go well with "ruti" too.