POACHED EGGS IN A TAMARIND BASED CURRY

I love any sort of tamarind curry. Unfortunately, my family hates anything to do with it..........and I hate cooking just for myself.........so when I do make it.........I  make a BIGGGGG pot so I can eat it for a few days :D

This recipe holds many memories, and hopefully will be carried on for many more generations!It may be 'just another egg curry' for many, but for us it holds many stories.......many memories!

The whole extended family at my grandma's sitting together at one table during dinner........laughing, giggling and reserving(more like fighting!)  the next dosa for themselves........hahaha...............even though 3 dosa pans will be busy making dosas simultaneously, it was never fast enough!......gosh..........what a gluttonous family!!!!!!!!:)

Although you can serve this curry with rice, the best combination hands down would be hot HOT, crispy ghee dosas........Oh my! What a delicious combination!

INGREDIENTS:

5 eggs

Oil - 3 tbsps

onions, chopped roughly - 2 

garlic - 4 cloves

tomato, chopped - 1

green chilies, slit - 2

mustard seeds - 1 tsp

curry leaves - 1 sprig

red chili powder - 2 and 1/2 tsps 

turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

cumin powder - 1 tsp

coriander powder - 2 tbsps

hing/ asafoetida powder - a pinch

tamarind - 1 big lime sized

thick coconut milk - 1/2 cup

salt to taste

fresh coriander leaves, chopped - 2 tbsps

 

PROCESS:

• Soak the tamarind in 1 cup warm water. Nicely squeeze the tamarind to extract the juice. Keep aside. Add 1 more cup of water to the pulp, repeat and extract the juice again. So we have 2 cups of tamarind water. Keep aside.
• Puree the onions and garlic together in a blender until smooth. keep aside.
• In a wide wok, heat the oil.
• Add in the mustard seeds.
• When they start to splutter add in the curry leaves and the chilli powder.
• After a few seconds add in the green chilies, onion and garlic puree. Cover and let it cook in the oil for a minute or so or until the raw smell goes.
• Next, add in the tomatoes and some salt. Cover and let it cook until soft and mushy. Add in splashes of water to avoid burning the masalas. Open the lid and stir at regular intervals.
• Once the tomatoes have become soft, add in the cumin powder, coriander powder and turmeric powder and cook well for about 30 seconds.
• Once the spices have cooked, add in the tamarind water. Cover and let it simmer till the water level has gone down, and the consistency has become thicker. You can add 1/2 or 1 more cup of water if necessary.
• At this stage, add in the asafoetida and taste to see if the salt and the curry on the whole tastes perfect. 
• Next, add in the coconut milk. Simmer for a minute or so.
• Now that our curry tastes perfect, add in the eggs. With the flame on low, break the eggs directly into the curry one by one into the curry. Cover with a lid and cook for about 5 to 6  minutes. Then, flip the eggs over and cook further for another 3 to 4 minutes.  
• Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and close the lid.
• Serve hot with dosas!