Egg And Peas Kurma

Ingredients

• 4–5hard-boiled eggs
• 2 largeonions, finely sliced
• 2 mediumtomatoes, ground to a paste
• 2green chillies, split lengthways
• 120 ml (½ cup)cooked green peas
• 2–3 tspground coriander
• ¼–½ tspground turmeric
• ½ tspground fennel
• 1 tbsp eachchopped ginger and garlic
• 1½ tspwhole black peppercorns
• 1 small stickcinnamon
• 3cloves
• 3cardamom pods
• 360 ml (1½ cups)medium-thick coconut milk
• 120 ml (½ cup)thick coconut milk
• To tastecurry leaves
• 1 tbspchopped coriander leaves
• To tastesalt
• To tasteoil

Instructions

1. 1

   Crush the spices

   Grind or crush the ginger, garlic, black pepper, cinnamon, cloves and cardamom together.

2. 2

   Brown the onions

   Heat oil in a pan, add the finely sliced onions and cook until browned.

3. 3

   Cook the masala

   Once the onions are golden brown, add the ground masala and curry leaves. Cook for 3–4 minutes, until the raw smell of the masala has gone.

4. 4

   Add the powders

   Stir in the coriander, turmeric and fennel powders and cook for another 3–4 minutes.

5. 5

   Reduce the tomato

   Add the tomato paste and salt. Cook until the paste has reduced and oil starts to appear.

6. 6

   Stir in peas

   Add the cooked green peas and stir well. Frozen peas can be added directly.

7. 7

   Add coconut milk

   Pour in the medium-thick coconut milk and bring it to the boil.

8. 8

   Simmer with eggs

   Add the boiled eggs, lower the heat and simmer for 5–7 minutes.

9. 9

   Finish the sauce

   Add the thick coconut milk and cook on the lowest heat for around 5 minutes.

10. 10

    Garnish and serve

    Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve hot with roti, appam, chapati or puttu.

What is egg and peas kurma?

Kurma is a broad family of Indian dishes in which spices are simmered into a rich sauce. This version pairs boiled eggs and peas with coconut milk, aromatic spices and a tomato-onion base.

The two types of coconut milk give the curry its character: the medium-thick milk forms the cooking liquid, while the thick milk is stirred in near the end for a fuller finish.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 370 calories, 13g protein, 18g carbs, 28g fat.

The eggs supply much of the protein, while the peas and any accompanying bread contribute carbohydrates. Coconut milk and cooking oil are the main sources of fat in the curry. For a balanced plate, serve a moderate amount of curry with vegetables alongside and choose the bread portion to suit your meal.

Build the spice base

Freshly crushed spices: ginger, garlic, peppercorns, cinnamon, cloves and cardamom make the flavour base. Crush them together as directed so they can cook into the softened onions.

Ground spices: coriander, turmeric and fennel go in after the crushed masala has cooked. Give them their stated 3–4 minutes before adding the tomato paste.

Take time with the onions

Golden onions: cook the finely sliced onions until browned before adding the masala. This is the main browning stage in the method and gives the sauce a deeper base.

Masala aroma: after adding the crushed mixture and curry leaves, cook for 3–4 minutes, until its raw smell has gone. Keep the heat manageable so the spices cook without scorching.

Reduce the tomato paste

Tomato stage: cook the tomato paste with salt until it has reduced and oil starts appearing. This cue matters more than a fixed time, since the paste and pan can vary.

Once the paste is ready, stir in the peas before adding the medium-thick coconut milk. Frozen peas can go straight into the pan, as noted in the recipe.

Keep the coconut milk gentle

First addition: bring the medium-thick coconut milk to the boil, then simmer the eggs in the sauce for 5–7 minutes.

Final addition: add the thick coconut milk and cook for around 5 minutes on the lowest heat. A gentle finish helps keep the sauce smooth.

Choose a side for the sauce

Roti or chapati: both make it easy to scoop up the coconut sauce, eggs and peas.

Appam or puttu: these are also named serving options in the recipe and pair well with a saucy curry. Finish with the chopped coriander leaves just before serving.

Recipe notes & tips

• Use fully hard-boiled eggs so they hold their shape while simmering.
• Slice the onions evenly so they brown at a similar rate.
• Crush the whole spices with the ginger and garlic just before cooking for a freshly made masala.
• Add frozen peas directly to the pan as the recipe suggests.
• Keep the heat very low after adding the thick coconut milk.
• Serve the curry hot with roti, appam, chapati or puttu.

Variations

• Adjust the chilli: use fewer green chillies for a milder curry.
• Use fresh peas: cook them before adding if they are not already cooked.
• Vary the eggs: use four or five, according to the amount you want in each serving.
• Change the spice level: use the lower end of the coriander and turmeric ranges for a gentler flavour.
• Choose another side: serve with rice if you do not have roti, appam, chapati or puttu.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Pale onions: keep cooking until browned before adding the masala.
• Raw-tasting masala: cook it with the curry leaves for the stated 3–4 minutes.
• Unreduced tomato: wait until the paste has reduced and oil starts appearing before adding the peas.
• Overcooked final sauce: keep the heat at its lowest after adding thick coconut milk.
• Broken eggs: add the boiled eggs gently and simmer rather than stirring vigorously.

How to store

Cool leftovers promptly and store them in a covered container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat gently in a pan until piping hot, stirring carefully to keep the eggs intact; avoid a hard boil after adding the coconut milk.

Frequently asked questions