Eggs in tamarind gravy with potatoes and peas (Khatteh ande with aloo matter sabzi)

In the moonsoon season in Calcutta, amidst waterlogged streets and food rationing, the local egg man delivered 24 eggs every other day to my family. Those eggs were treasured and mealtimes with lantern light were occasions for storytelling by my father. We ate this dish as a family during our train journey to Aligarh served with kachuri. It still holds many cherished family memories of our trips together.

Credit: Jiwon Kim

• serves

  6

• prep

  10 minutes

• cook

  30 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 6-8 hardboiled eggs
• 6 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 onions, halved, thinly sliced
• 1 large garlic clove, crushed
• 2 cm x 3 cm piece ginger, grated
• ¾ tsp ground turmeric
• ½ tsp chilli powder
• 3 tbsp tamarind extract
• 400 ml water
• salt
• 50 g coriander leaves, chopped, plus extra to garnish

For the aloo mattar sabzi (potatoes with peas) 

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• ½ tsp cumin seeds
• 5 whole dried red chillies
• 500 g white potatoes, boiled
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 200 g frozen peas
• 1 tsp salt, or to taste
• 500 ml warm water
• Indian flatbreads (any kind), to serve

Instructions

1. Peel the hard-boiled eggs and make three shallow slits on the surface of each one. This will help the eggs absorb the tamarind gravy. Set aside.

2. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the onions and stir until they start to lightly caramelise. Add the garlic and ginger, then the turmeric and chilli powder, and continue to cook, stirring frequently, for a further 4 - 5 minutes. Add the tamarind extract, water and a good pinch of salt, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Add the coriander and simmer until the liquid has reduced by half.

3. Add the boiled eggs and reduce the heat to low. Cook for a further 10 minutes. Add a pinch of sugar, if you prefer a sweeter gravy.

4. To make the aloo mattar sabzi, heat the oil in a second large frying pan over high heat. Add the cumin seeds and chillies, then immediately reduce the heat, as you do not want the spice and chillies to burn.

5. Roughly break the cooked potatoes into chunks and add to the pan. Add the turmeric and stir the potatoes and spices for 2-3 minutes. Add the frozen peas and salt, followed by the warm water.

6. Cook the potatoes over a high heat for a further 5 minutes until there is a glossy shine on the potatoes. The texture should not be dry. Taste and adjust the seasoning before serving. This is a thick dish that’s meant to be scooped up and eaten with any kind of Indian bread.

7. Garnish the khatteh ande (eggs in tamarind gravy) with extra coriander. Serve the aloo mattar with Indian flatbreads.

Photography by Jiwon Kim.

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Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.