Friday, June 06, 2008

Goan Egg Curry

Today's dish: a filling and comforting Goan-inspired Egg Curry.
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I am sending this picture to CLICK: Yellow for Bri.

Goa: a sliver of a state on the West coast of India, consisting of beach after beach after beach, and some beautiful temples and churches and the winding Mandovi river as well. It is one of my favorite places in the whole wide world, with so many water bodies. Last time my parents were there, they picked up this very touristy (and cute) drawstring bag with some typical Goan spice mixes. They said it was a gift "for the blog". Friends and family have nearly stopped giving me gifts- now they keep an eye out for food-related stuff and give gifts to One Hot Stove instead! Anyway, the drawstring bag was coaxed into the luggage of their friends and winged its way to me. I was thrilled to bits, needless to say :)
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Inside are four neatly packaged spice mixes, all representing the typical curries of Goa. As it happens, they are all meat/fish curries, but my mother wrote a note saying that it would not be too difficult for me to come up with some meatless versions and "show them on the blog" (blog var dakhav). So that's exactly what I plan to do. Note that none of the recipes I will be making from these spice mixes are authentic in the least; they are simply my own adaptations. Each packet has a recipe on the back. The first one that I am using today is the Goan fish curry masala.
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Unfortunately, the packets don't list the spices included in the spice mix. This fish curry spice mix was a brilliant shade of red and the aroma was mostly of fiery dried red chillies. A look at similar recipes on a few different blogs shows that the predominant dry spices used are chillies, coriander seeds, turmeric and peppercorns, so those of you who want to try this at home could blend these spices and give it a try.

I converted the fish curry recipe into one for egg curry, because egg curry is certainly one of my weaknesses. My mom reminded me that fried slices of tubers (such as yam) are very reminiscent of the texture of fish (but none of the other aspects of fishiness that make me not want to eat the real thing), and that might make for an interesting curry too. I'll try that sometime when I have yam on hand. Here's the recipe, adapted from the back of the spice packet.

Goan-inspired Egg Curry

Ingredients:
4 hard-boiled eggs
2 t oil
2 medium onions, sliced thinly
1 fresh green chilli, slit lengthwise
1 t ginger-garlic paste
1 C coconut milk (fresh or canned)
1 heaped T tamarind pulp
1 T Goan fish curry masala (or to taste)
Salt to taste
Method:
1. Using some hot water, extract the tamarind juice and set aside.
2. Heat the oil in a saucepan. Fry the onions and green chilli until the onions are translucent and browning slightly.
3. Add the ginger-garlic paste and stir for a minute.
4. Add the coconut milk, tamarind juice, masala and salt. Simmer for 5-10 minutes.
5. Peel the eggs and slice into quarters. Add the eggs gently into the curry and simmer for a few more minutes.

I served the curry with some freshly steamed rice and a bright salad (red bell pepper, cucumber, lettuce, lemon juice, freshly ground pepper, salt). This was a weekday dinner that came together in no time at all. The egg curries I usually make contain tomato, and this tomato-less one was wonderful, with the tamarind adding its unique sweet-tangy flavor. The spice mix is tasty without tasting too complicated and "busy", if you know what I mean, and I really enjoyed the simple flavors. I will be using each of the other three spice mixes in the coming weeks, so watch out for weird adaptations of xacuti, vindaloo and cafreal!

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Knitting Update...
I am convinced that knitting is an infectious disease! A few people have been sending me comments and e-mails asking me what resources were helpful as I started to knit. I am taking something of a just-in-time approach to learning to knit, picking up each stitch and method as I need it in various projects. Here are the resources that helped me immensely:
1. Learning a few basic stitches from a friend was the only reason why I even started knitting in the first place. If you don't have a friend who knits, consider taking beginner classes at a local craft or yarn store.
2. Ravelry is the most incredible resource ever.
3. Books: The Vogue Knitting book is my textbook. A friend tells me that she learned to knit all by herself from the Stitch 'n Bitch book. Your local library will have plenty of knitting books so check them out (no pun intended).
4. Knitting videos. A web search will yield many other sites for knitting videos, including several on YouTube.

There are other resources like knitting blogs (of course!) and knitting e-newsletters that I am only now starting to look into.

Want to see my latest projects? Here, I am trying my hand at simple lace designs:
Traveling Vine Cloth
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Twin Leaf Cloth
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After a dozen cloths, I am finally working on my first full-size garment, a summer vest. I'll show it to you when I am finished with it, hopefully in the next week or so!

Enjoy your weekend, everyone.

39 comments:

  1. Hey Nupur,

    Perfect timing! I was just looking for a new, spicy recipe, and I was also just reading about Goa in a novel (Blood and Nemesis by Ben Antao). The narrative rendition of Goa is very lively and spirited and determined and surprising -- I wonder if the curry will be the same? Looking forward to finding out!

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  2. As a vegetarian, the only meat thing that makes me want to fall off the veg wagon is Goan Fish Curry. But yay, now I can still get my fix through egg curry!! Also, the 'blog var dakhav' instruction was so cute :-)

    smita

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  3. that gift bag is awesome...ek bag mein 4 kamal!!..:) the vindaloo can def be used to make vegetable vindaloo... cafreal is green masala...mostly,cilantro,green chilli,vinegar,pepper,garlic......xacauti masala is coconut based gravy...can be used for beans...but both really need meat to make justice!!! :)

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  4. How nice that your blog is getting gifts of food! I'm a recent discoverer of egg curry, and I love to make it what whatever vegetables I have on hand. Oh, and I don't want to forget to mention your knitting -- hardly looks like the work of a new knitter! If you're going to stick with this, a good pattern dictionary is great to have on hand.

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  5. Nupur, I love the picture on the spice mix. Egg Curry should be eaten with relish at leisure. Justhad some for lunch (couple of days off and the first thing I want to cook is Egg Curry).

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  6. There were too many emails, huh? What to do, your post was too inspiring, Nupur :)

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  7. Nupur: Egg curry looks yummy-but to come to the main reason for my writing, Seeing your knitting, I too am tempted to try my hand at it! I remember the summer of 1989, my mom had taken 2 months off from work and proceeded to knit 8 sweaters for me! What size knitting needles are best/easiest for a beginner?
    Thanks and keep the good "knits" coming!
    Ruchika

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  8. Your Knit cloths are so pretty.The egg curry looks yummy too.

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  9. Nupur,
    I am officially jealous now.
    That leaf pattern is awesome. And I can't believe that you already started a big project,like a vest!!!

    BTW, are you going to make anything for Dalu bhai ??!! Just a thought :)

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  10. I really like your Mom's idea of using yams in the curry - now I just have to figure out that masala...

    I had seen the traveling vine cloth on Ravelry but hadn't yet seen the twin leaf cloth - they're both beautiful! I saw your vest underway... can't wait to see how it turns out!

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  11. egg curry looksdelicious,..nd the knits are lovely..goa is one of my fav holiday place,..

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  12. Love the spice bag, egg vidaloo or eggplant vidaloo will be great , but i would love to see the two other masalas :) Egg is delicious

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  13. Everything looks lovely... the packaging, the spices, your dish and the knits... great going Nupur :-)

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  14. Happy Cook, Yes, it is a very sweet gift indeed.

    Becky, Thank you for mentioning the book...I should look for it. Goan food is certainly spirited and I hope you get a chance to see for yourself :)

    Smita, Yes, the egg curry is wonderfully satisfying. My mother seldom gets a chance to actually read this blog but she often asks me on the phone how the blog is ding :)

    sowhatsnewtoday, Hey, beans cafreal is a great idea. I had not thought of that...thanks for mentioning it.

    Lydia, I don't usually add vegetables (other than onion and tomato) to egg curry but I should!
    I couldn't live without a pattern dictionary (still am quite illiterate in knitting) but my knitting "textbook" has one so I am OK :)

    Indosungod, I agree...egg curry is a pretty special meal at my home too because I don't make it all the time. I went 2-3 days without an Indian dinner and suddenly wanted some curry and rice :)

    Suganya, I'm telling you...knitting is infectious!

    Ruchika, OK 8 sweaters in 2 months sounds like a feat!
    I don't know what size needles are best for a beginner but I can tell you that I started with 4.5 mm ones (US size 7) which are in the middle of the range, neither too fine nor too thick. More than choosing the needle, it is the pattern that will determine what yarn and needles you will use.

    Mom2am, Thank you!

    Anjali, I thought the leaf pattern was very pretty too! Dalu bhai is definitely high on the list of people to make knitted gifts for- but the problem is that he does not believe in wearing clothes :D
    I see you have an interview on the Cupcake Project- congratulations!

    Cathy, if you lived closer, I would have shared the spice mixes!!
    I almost finished the vest yesterday...but just while shaping the neck, I made a few errors and had to "frog" everything :D Ahhh....hours of knitting are now gone. But I hope to finish it by next weekend.

    notyet100, Mine too...I love holidays in Goa.

    Cham, eggplant vindaloo is a great idea...thanks for sharing that thought!

    Raaga, thank you, my dear. Hope all is well with you!

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  15. Oh, Nupur - you have progressed from beginner to pro in no time! The dish cloths are too beautiful to use! I'd much rather use them as coasters or, even better, frame them!

    It is amazing how food related things make such great presents: we can derive pleasure from them for a long time. These days it is rare that I don't cook every week from something a friend has sent!

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  16. Gift "for the blog" is so cute! Love the bag & of course, the contents. The knits look fab.

    I tried your thalipeeth the other day for Zlamushka's event & it was wonderful! People finished them as soon as I made them, hot off the stove! Could not even take a picture. Well, that's an opportunity to try something else from your blog!

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  17. Nupur, the egg curry looks very delicious! Loved ur efforts at knitting n I too hv to simply say ur knit work looks professional! Too good!

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  18. Hey Nupur
    if u'll keep on posting such gud lookin knitted stuff i m sure in some time i will be tempted to try as well n presently m having such hard time catching up with so many of urs and a few other blogger's food recipes ! just kidding .. :) but gotta say really gud work, keep it up! n yeah i tried ur naan recipe, they didn't come out soft at all for me :( i wud need to try it again.. m not gonna give up so soon :)

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  19. Hi Nupur..The knitting projects are so pretty! I especially like the twin leaf cloth. Thanks so much for visiting my blog. It really made me happy!

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  20. Egg curries I could eat everyday. Just beautiful. My mom used to make little dish cloths like these. Such a handy little addition to the kitchen.

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  21. I've never tried an egg curry, but what a wonderful idea. You have inspired me to use your recipe and see what I can come up with!

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  22. Hi nupur,
    That made me so nostalgic abt my visit to Goa
    And btw i had passed on an award to u,so don't forget to check it out
    cheers

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  23. I would love to come over and sample that gorgeous egg curry, while learning your new knitting stiches! When I was small my mom taught me the very basics. I remember waking up and finding the doll's sweater, etc, finished on my bed -- I would have been about four then! You are bringing this all back to me, Nupur :)

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  24. What a cute li'l bag.....
    I admire anyone who can knit....I can't do it to save my life....

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  25. We were in Goa for a week during our trip to India in Nov and it was fun. I have bought back with the very same cooking pastes :).

    Nupur, your knits inspire me to move my b**t and go take a class :)

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  26. That first pic is simply amazing, Nupur! Egg curry looks great! :)

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  27. Anita, oh no, the dishcloths are a breeze to make and I think the joy is in actually using such things around the house! I am thinking of knitting some hot pads/pot-holders though...
    I totally agree with you: food-related gifts are the best. You can totally enjoy them rather than have them collect dust somewhere as often happens with other gifts!

    Vani, I am sooo glad the thalipeeth worked for you :) Those are so nutritious and delicious all at once!

    Purnima, Thank you, my dear!

    Abhi, Knitting is as much fun as cooking so do give it a shot! Only don't try eating the results :D
    Sorry about the naan recipe :( it is tricky to get the inside to cook without getting the outside too hard and inedible. We can only improvise with our home equipment since we don't have the real proper tandoori ovens.

    Bharti, The twin leaf cloth was my favorite too :) You have a nice blog and I hope you find lots of joy in the food blog world.

    Lisa, You are an egg curry fan too?! Yes, dishcloths are a pretty addition to any kitchen.

    T. W. Barritt, Oh, if you have never tried egg curry, you really need to put in on your list ;) it is one hearty and delicious dish. There are many easy egg curry dishes out there. My favorite ones usually call for tomato, onion and coconut milk.

    Alka, Thanks for the award!

    Linda, Well, come on over then! We'll nosh and knit :) How cute to have your mommy knit a sweater for your dolly!

    Jayashree, Thanks :)

    Shankari, These are masala powders rather than pastes...how fun that you just went to Goa recently! Last time I was there was April 06.
    Go take a knitting class and tell me how it goes :) I am sure you will have fun!

    Kalai, Thank you :)

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  28. Hi Nupur,

    The knitting activity certianly seems to have swept you of fur feet. The designs are simple yet elegant, and hope you bring out many more such patterns.

    Btw I wanted to know where can I find the recipe for Succulent Mountain Mushroom curry which you had mentioned on ur blog quite a while back. Unfortunaltey it does not contain the recipe and I tried looking for it in the original link, but it needs a user name and password. Secondly, for the glazed tofu and fried rice recipe, is there any substitute for Thai red curry paste?? I am afraid I wuldnt find it here.

    Thanks in advance.
    cheers
    raakhee

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  29. I live in Goa and can see a small bit of the Mandovi from my balcony.:)
    I learnt my crochet from the mother of a friend but never managed knitting. Your beautiful designs are almost persuading me to dig out my idle needles!

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  30. When I was in college, a hard boiled egg curry was a favorite dish when we were out of cash.
    Your version looks much yummier.
    Looking forward to trying it.

    re: knitting. I had to laugh. I only learn stitches on a need to know basis myself, but I am no way as ambitious as you. Your cloths are beautiful.

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  31. I love egg curry and this one seems like a complete keeper - and without tomatoes!

    You should stop referring to yourself as a beginner now Nupur, your designs are beautiful and neat, oh yes,YOu may see some flaws, but we dont! :)

    Miri

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  32. Nupur,

    You and Shilpa are inspiring me to knit.. I used to crochet a while back - but it was elementary stuff.. I am trying to get knitting supplies in Bangalore - but all I can find is acrylic yarn and no needles :( .. Guess I will start learning the basics tonight .. am so excited about it - how about using chopsticks for knitting needles?? will try it out!!!

    -J

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  33. Nupur your knitting ar so beautiful, I love knitt too. I hope to participate at Try and Taste so I coming to see your recipes, really like I have to choose!!! x Gloria

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  34. I was looking for something for T&T, and this one looks perfect... :) I'd have never thought of adding fish curry masala to eggs, but I can see how that will work . BTW, you can send this to me for JFI Tamarind..

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  35. Loved your egg curry recipe..The pics are great too..! I have my own version of egg curry recipe which you can try as well.

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  36. Raakhee, I have e-mailed you about this!

    Aparna, Oh, how lucky to be able to live in Goa! I did learn some crochet this week and am enjoying that as much as knitting :)

    FJK, Egg curry is definitely a low-budget and pantry-friendly meal! It has seen me through my student days and still is :)
    Thanks- I'm glad you like the cloths! I see cute patterns and seem to be unable to resist trying them...

    Miri, Thanks for trying this recipe :) your version looks tastier!

    J, There are a lot of knitters in India as far as I know, so you might try asking around for info about where they get their supplies. Chopsticks as knitting needles might work if there are circular, I guess!

    Gloria, I'd love to see your knitting sometime :) Thanks for wanting to participate in T&T!

    Sig, I am going to try and send you something else for the tamarind event :)

    Admin, Thanks.

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  37. HI
    Nupur
    I read this post today,
    i have a of relatives in goa and always receive some real great things as gifts whenever they visit or i visit but this is the first time i am seeing these packets its really great gift for all. did you try all the pacs pls tell me which is the best so that i too can get some from Goa.
    i usually try KARMAS cafreal masala which is very good.

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  38. HI
    Nupur
    I read this post today,
    i have a of relatives in goa and always receive some real great things as gifts whenever they visit or i visit but this is the first time i am seeing these packets its really great gift for all. did you try all the pacs pls tell me which is the best so that i too can get some from Goa.
    i usually try KARMAS cafreal masala which is very good.

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  39. where o where can i get that touristy bag?

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