Quick Cooking ~ Egg Curry Recipe with Readymade Masala Paste

I’m not a big fan of processed food and prefer cooking with fresh ingredients. I do use products such as readymade coconut milk, because its plain convenient. Readymade curry powders and dry masalas too were a hot favourite till i learnt to make my own and now when i do use them, its because they have been received as gifts. With cooking pastes, i cannot get over the characteristic smell they all seem to have which i think is the result of the ingredients meant to increase its shelf life. So everything that is made with it, no matter the other ingredients, continues to smell just like the masala packet did. I tend to avoid this, preferring to make my own onion, tomato, ginger garlic preserve with a few aromatics.

Having said all of that, when magi bhuna masala came highly recommended, i wasn’t too convinced. I did pick up both versions of it (they have one for curries and one for dal) recently to try it out.  i admit it did come in mighty handy in an emergency. However i had to add almost ½ a cup of coconut milk and fresh coriander and curry leaves to mask the smell of the masala. This masala is purely for convenience, for those times when you need to serve dinner from scratch in 15 minutes.

Quick Cooking ~ Egg curry with Readymade Masala Paste

3 fresh eggs/ 3 hard boiled eggs

1 packet of Maggi bhuna masala or 3 tablespoons of any other readymade tomato onion curry paste

½ cup tomato puree (i used homemade tomato puree, puree from a carton/ can with ½ teaspoon of sugar to cut the tartness can be used)

½ cup thick coconut milk (i used dabur hommade)

1 heaped tablespoons kerala egg roast masala (or substitute with 1 teaspoon regular garam masala, 1 teaspoon of cumin powder, 1 teaspoon of coriander powder and ¼ teaspoon of turmeric powder)

1 teaspoon dhania / coriander powder

1 teaspoon red chilli powder or 1 green chilly chopped

¼ cup water

Salt to taste

2-3 tablespoons fresh coriander leaves chopped

7-8 curry leaves

If using fresh eggs, put them to boil in a pan, simmering for about 5-6 minutes on medium heat once it has come to a boil. In another pan, add the readymade masala paste, tomato puree and water and heat through. Add the powdered masalas and salt and cook about 2 minutes. Add the coconut milk, coriander leaves, curry leaves and simmer till the consistency is like a thick sauce. Turn off the flame. Shell the boiled eggs, slice into two and add to the gravy. Serve hot with rotis or steamed rice. I served mine with Khichdi. Will post the recipe soon.