Dhaba-Style Anda Curry with Peas

Highway-diner comfort from North India: hard-boiled eggs blistered in ghee, then simmered in a deep onion-tomato masala with peas and a splash of cream. Cheap, quick and full of flavor.

Ingredients

• 8 eggs
• 2 medium onions, finely chopped
• 3 Roma tomatoes, pureed or finely chopped
• 1 tbsp grated ginger
• 4 garlic cloves, grated
• 1 green chili, slit
• 1 cup frozen peas
• ¼ cup heavy cream
• 1 tbsp ghee or butter
• chopped cilantro
• 1½ cups basmati rice

From your pantry: 3 tbsp oil, 1 bay leaf, 1 small cinnamon stick, 3 green cardamom pods, 1 tsp chili powder, 1 tsp garam masala, 1 tsp ground coriander, ¼ tsp turmeric, 1 tsp salt, ½ tsp sugar, 1 tsp dried fenugreek leaves (optional).

Instructions

1. Lower the eggs into boiling water and cook 10 minutes, then cool in ice water and peel. Start the rice.
2. Prick each egg a few times with a fork. Heat the ghee in a skillet over medium and fry the eggs, rolling them around, until golden and blistered, 3 to 4 minutes. Set aside.
3. Heat the oil in the same pan with the bay leaf, cinnamon and cardamom. When they sizzle, add the onions and chili and cook until deep golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the ginger and garlic and stir 1 minute.
4. Add the tomatoes and cook until they turn jammy and the oil starts to separate, 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in the chili powder, garam masala, coriander, turmeric and salt for 1 minute.
5. Add 1¼ cups water and the peas and simmer, covered, until the gravy thickens, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in the cream, sugar and fenugreek, add the eggs (halved if you like) and simmer 2 to 3 minutes more. Top with cilantro and serve with rice or roti.

Tip: Frying the boiled eggs is optional but gives them a chewy, spiced skin that soaks up the gravy. For a dairy-free version, blend 10 cashews with ½ cup water and use it in place of the cream.

Nutrition per serving

Good for

Adapted from Swasthi's Recipes.

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