Thursday, February 28, 2008

Eggneer Masala (Steamed egg cake masala)

Eggs are extraordinary food. Nutritious, healthy, tasty and versatile. Can be eaten for breakfast, snack, lunch, dinner. This recipe, taught by my Amma uses steamed eggs. I call these steamed egg cubes eggneer (like Paneer). Once you have the eggs steamed, the options are endless. The steamed eggs can be
-cut into cubes added to salads,
-deep-fried, like chicken, seasoned well with some salt and pepper or some spice mixture
-add to a curry
-used just like one would use Paneer

I made a simple masala with some onions, tomatoes cooked well to coat the eggneer cubes

What's needed to make this:

4 large chicken eggs
1/2 large onion, chopped very finely
1 green chili
1 large tomato, chopped very finely
2 sprigs curry leaves
1 teaspoon freshly ground ginger-garlic paste
1-2 teaspoon good garam masala
1/2 teaspoon red chili powder (optional)
1 tablespoon finely chopped cilantro (coriander)
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
and tadka items: 1 tablespoon cooking oil, 1/2 teaspoon each of urad dahl, black mustard seeds and jeera (cumin seeds)

How to make it:

Beat eggs lightly with a pinch or two of salt. Pour the eggs into a dish that can be used in a pressure cooker or steamer. Cook until done.
If using pressure cooker, take 2 cups of water in pressure cooker and place the dish. Cover with lid and cook until you see steam coming out. Lower the heat and cook for two minutes. Cool for few minutes before opening the lid.

Remove the steamed eggs carefully from the dish onto a cutting board. Cut into bite sized cubes




Heat cooking oil in a wok. Add the tadka items one by one and curry leaves. Once the mustard seeds stop spluttering, add turmeric powder. Add chopped onion, slit green chili. Saute for couple of minutes or until the onions turn light brown.
Add ginger garlic paste, garam masala powder. Saute for few seconds. Add chopped tomato, salt and red chili powder. Cook on low heat until tomatoes become paste-like. Adjust salt and add eggneer cubes.
Mix gently and cook for a minute or two. Add cilantro (coriander) and mix gently. Remove from heat.



This goes very well with steamed rice or roti or chapati.