Egg Kofta Curry

This is a simple but spectacular dish in which eggs are encased in a layer of spiced ground meat to form Koftas. It is very suitable for dinner parties. Serve it with Jeera Rice / Lachchha Parantha, Aloo Gobhi /Aloo Palak and Churmuri Raita.

Ingredients:

For Kofta:

• 1 pound minced Lamb
• 2 tbsp gram flour (besan)
• 1 tsp green Chili chopped finely
• ¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves chopped finely
• 1 tsp ground garam masala
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• Salt to taste
• 5 hard boiled eggs
• Flour for dusting
• 1 tsp brown cardamom powder
• Cooking oil to deep fry

For Gravy/Sauce

• 4-5 tbsp cooking oi
• 5 cloves
• 1 bay leaf
• 3-4 green cardamoms
• 2 medium onions finely sliced
• 1 tsp garlic paste
• 1 tsp ginger paste
• 1 tbsp ground coriander seeds
• ½ tsp ground cumin seeds
• 1 tsp red chili powder
• ½ tsp turmeric
• ¼ cup plain yogurt well beaten
• 1 tsp garam masala powder
• Salt to taste
• 2 tbsp fried crispy onions
• ¼ cup chopped cilantro leaves

Method:

• Combine the ground meat, gram flour, ground garam masala, chopped green chili, chopped cilantro leaves and salt. Mix well.
• Shell all the hard boiled eggs and dust them with flour.
• Wet your hands with cold water and then divide the meat mixture into 5 equal portions. Flatten each portion in the palm, place an egg in the centre and wrap the minced mix around the egg in such a way that the line of join is visible.
• Heat the oil in a frying pan, put in the koftas and fry. The Egg koftas will split open from the line of join (which was not smoothly sealed). Fry them until they are brown on all sides. Keep them aside.
• Prepare gravy/sauce: Heat oil in a deep heavy bottom pan, over a medium high flame. When hot put in the bay leaf, cloves and cardamom pods. Stir for 2-3 seconds or until the cloves swell and the bay leaf begin to take on color.
• Now put in onions. Stir and fry for about 4-5 minutes or until the onions turn a medium brown color. Put in the ginger garlic paste and fry for few seconds. Then add the coriander, cumin, red chili powder, turmeric and salt. Stir and fry for a minute. Add beaten yogurt and fry until oil separates from masala. Add 3 cups of water.
• When gravy starts to boil adds egg koftas. Cover, turn heat to low and cook for about 30 minutes. Remove the lid and add the fried onions and garam masala powder. Stir to mix. Cook uncovered, for another 3-4 minutes, stirring gently as you do so.
• Turn off the heat and let the pan sit for a while. The fat will rise to the top. If you like, you can remove it with a spoon.
• Arrange Koftas in a serving platter keeping visible egg side facing up. Garnish with chopped cilantro leaves.
• Serve with Jeera Rice / Lachchha Parantha, Aloo Gobhi /Aloo Palak and Churmuri Raita.

Tips: Don't boil egg straight out of the fridge. Leave it out till it reaches room temperature. Boiling it straight from the fridge is too much of a temperature shock and can crack the shell. Use fresh eggs as much as possible.

Do You Know?

The yolk in a newly laid egg is round and firm. As the yolk ages it absorbs water from the albumen which increases its size and causes it to stretch and weaken the vitelline membrane (the clear casing enclosing the yolk). The resulting effect is a flattened and enlarged yolk shape.