Kerala Egg Roast

Making Kerala Egg Roast Ahead

Keeps in the fridge for 2 days. Reheat gently.

Kerala Egg Roast: The Method

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1. Boil the eggs for 10 minutes, cool in cold water and peel.

   Mark done Start 10 min timer

2. Heat the oil in a wide pan and cook the onions over a medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring often, until deep golden.

   Mark done Start 10 min timer

3. Add the ginger, garlic, green chilli and curry leaves for 1 minute, then the fennel, chilli powder and turmeric for 30 seconds.

   Mark done Start 1 min timer

4. Add the tomatoes and salt and cook for 8 minutes until thick and the oil separates.

   Mark done Start 8 min timer

5. Add the eggs and turn gently for 2 minutes until coated in the masala.

   Mark done Start 2 min timer

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Worth Knowing

• Cook the onions slowly until deep golden.
• Stir often once the onions start to colour.
• Peel the eggs under cold water for a smooth surface.
• If the masala is dry, add a splash of water.

Behind the Recipe

Brown the onions properly. Most versions of egg roast fail here, because the onions go in, soften and are called done. The dark, jammy masala that makes this dish comes from onions cooked until they are deep golden brown, which takes at least 10 minutes.

The sauce is built on that base. Add the ginger, garlic and spices, then the tomato, and cook until the oil separates at the edge. Stir often once the onions start to colour. They burn quickly after they brown, and a scorched onion tastes bitter.

The eggs go in whole, boiled and peeled. Some cooks fry them first until the whites blister, so the surface holds more masala. This is worth the extra minute.

Coat the eggs gently so they stay intact. Serve with rice, parotta or plain bread. The masala keeps well, so make a double batch and boil fresh eggs when you want a quick supper. Parotta is the traditional partner.

Good Alongside

Steamed rice · Parotta · Cucumber raita · Plain bread

Sides from the same cuisine on this site: Gluten-Free Naan, Idiyappam, Kerala Appam.

Common Substitutions & Variations

• Dried chilli flakes can stand in for the green chilli. Heat varies a great deal between chillies and between jars, so start with a small pinch and add more to taste.
• If you only have ground ginger, a quarter-teaspoon for each tablespoon of fresh is the ratio usually given; it tastes warmer and less bright than the fresh root.
• An eighth of a teaspoon of garlic powder per clove is the stand-in usually given when you are out of fresh garlic; it will not brown the same way, and it burns easily, so add it with the liquid.

The Numbers per Serving

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list with USDA FoodData Central figures (SR Legacy). A calculation, not a laboratory analysis: brands, cuts and how you measure change the real numbers. How the figures are worked out.

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