Poached Egg Curry/ Muttai Kuzhambu is an Indian-style curry that is served with steamed white rice for lunch. It is very easy to prepare. Some of my friends got confused when I told them, ‘I am making egg curry for lunch!’. They thought that I make some kind of curry and stir in the eggs. No!! That’s not how you make it. I poach the eggs in a coconut based curry (That is why I changed the title). It is the same as poaching eggs in water. You make the curry; crack the eggs directly in to the curry; and let it cook.
I usually make the coconut curry base the day before and leave it in the refrigerator and prepare the egg curry the next morning. I would advice that you prepare this curry in the morning and finish eating it by the end of the day. Do not store in the refrigerator to be eaten the next day. If there is left over egg curry it can be served as a side-dish for idly or dosa for dinner.
Happy Cooking!
Poached Egg Curry/ Muttai Kuzhambu
Ingredients
- 3 eggs
- Salt as required
Dry roast
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 1 tsp poppy seeds
Ground Coconut paste
- Add the dry roasted ingredients to the coconut
- 3/4 cup grated coconut or coconut flakes
- 1 tsp chili powder or as required
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
- water
Tempering
- 1 spring Curry leaves
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 1 tsp oil or as required
- 1 medium sized Onion finely chopped
Instructions
Dry roast
- Dry roast 1 tsp fennel and 1 tsp poppy seeds in a small pan on medium-high heat for 20-30 seconds. Keep stirring continuously.
- Once they slightly brown, remove from heat and let it cool down
Ground Coconut Mixture
- Add coconut flakes to a small mixer along with the dry roasted fennel and poppy seeds
- Grind them until they are quite coarse and then add chili powder and coriander powder. Grind them for a 20-30 seconds. Use a spatula to scrape the bottom of the mixer
- Now add 2-3 tbsp of water (or as required) and grind the coconut mixture to smooth paste (do not worry if the mixture is quite watery but, make sure its very smooth)
How to make the Egg Curry
- Heat oil in a deep pot or kadai
- Once the oil is hot, add 1 tsp fennel seeds and curry leaves. Let them splutter. Now add the onions and sauté until the onion turn golden brown.
- Now add the smooth coconut mixture to the onions and add 2 1/2 cups of water. Mix everything thoroughly
- Add salt. Give it a stir and taste. Add more salt or chili powder if required
- Turn up the heat, bring the curry to a boil and turn down the heat to medium. Cover the pot partially and let it cook for at least 20 minutes
- After 20 minutes or so, turn up the heat again and its time to add the eggs to the curry
- Crack the eggs directly into curry (as shown in the picture below). DO NOT STIR THE CURRY AFTER YOU HAVE THE EGGS IN IT.
- Partially cover the pot and let the eggs cook for 10-15 minutes. Make sure the eggs have cooked completely before serving
- Serve with steamed white rice
Directions with pictures
Dry roast
1.Dry roast 1 tsp fennel and 1 tsp poppy seeds in a small pan on medium-high heat for 20-30 seconds. Keep stirring continuously
2. Once they are slightly brown, remove from heat and let it cool down
Ground Coconut Mixture
3. Add coconut flakes to a small mixer along with the dry roasted fennel and poppy seeds
4. Grind them until they are quite coarse and then add chili powder and coriander powder. Grind them for a 20-30 seconds. Use a spatula to scrape the bottom of the mixer
5. Now add 2-3 tbsp of water (or as required) and grind the coconut mixture to smooth paste (do not worry if the mixture is quite watery but, make sure its very smooth)
How to make the Egg Curry
6. Heat oil in a deep pot or kadai
7. Once the oil is hot, add 1 tsp fennel seeds and curry leaves. Let them splutter. Now add the onions and sauté until the onion turn golden brown.
8. Now add the smooth coconut mixture to the onions and add 2 1/2 cups of water. Mix everything thoroughly. (I usually make my coconut mixture the day before and store it in refrigerator, and that is why it looks like a dry pudding!)
9. Add salt. Give it a stir and taste. Add more salt or chili powder if required
10. Turn up the heat, bring the curry to a boil and turn down the heat to medium. Cover the pot partially and let it cook for at least 20 minutes
11. After 20 minutes or so, turn up the heat again and its time to add the eggs to the curry
12. Break the eggs directly into curry (as shown in the picture below). DO NOT STIR THE CURRY AFTER YOU HAVE THE EGGS IN IT.
13. Partially cover the pot and let the eggs cook for 10-15 minutes. Make sure the eggs have cooked completely before serving
14. Serve with steamed white rice
