Egg Masala Curry

By Published On: 23 Oct '24Last Updated: 29 Oct '24

Egg Masala Curry is a restaurant style thick glossy curry made with a fresh homemade red curry paste of Kashmiri chillies, garlic, fennel seeds, tomatoes, turmeric and served with hot steamed white or brown basmati rice, roti, or naan.

Egg Masala Curry is a cost-effective protein that can be enjoyed without breaking your pocket.

It’s loaded with many great flavours, easy to make and done in about 30 minutes. Serve them on their own for lunch if you are watching your carbs as they are a satisfying protein, for dinner with hot steamed basmati rice or any Indian breads to mop up all that beautiful gravy.

Eggs were a staple in my home back in the day. We hardly ever bought eggs, as we had our own chickens at home that produced the most beautiful eggs with a striking orange colour yolk. I have had the pleasure of picking those healthy eggs with hard strong shells from the hen house (aka guud in Konkani) as soon as they laid them.

Shhh! I would just wait for that special cackle from the hens when they are just about to lay eggs, run to the hen house and pick up the still warm eggs. This is one of the absolutely best moments of my life, a memory I still treasure!

My mum was a fabulous cook and gave eggs the respect they deserved. Whenever mum ran out of ideas, eggs from the meat safe (a small-netted cupboard) came to her rescue.

She used eggs in curries in many creative ways – egg bafat curry and egg drop curry were two curries that were up her sleeve as both were simple to make. Both curries make me nostalgic, and I can almost get their big bold flavours as I am writing this blog!

I could go on and on and on…

What is Egg Masala Curry?

Egg Masala is a South Indian egg curry that aims to celebrate eggs and make it the star of the dish in its own right. It is made with sauteed eggs which are tossed in a thick mildly spicy onion-tomato based red sauce.

This Egg Masala is one of my favourite ways to eat eggs, as I love this start from scratch red sauce, which forms the base of this flavoursome curry.

Egg Masala Curry comes in all sorts of variations, a dry version, a saucy version and wet curry versions. The thickness of the curry is based on what is accompanied with the Egg Masala eg., naan, roti, paratha or hot steamed white or red boiled rice. The choice of spices used also varies slightly from region to region and home to home.

No matter which version, Egg Masala Curry is a flavourful and tasty main or side dish that can be enjoyed with hot steamed white or brown rice. When partnered with roti, paratha or naan, this Egg Masala makes for a protein rich weeknight dinner.

And when you are not in favour of any other protein option such as meat or fish, this Egg Masala will also make a lazy-weekend dinner.

I made this Egg Masala Curry recently when I went for a condolence visit and everyone was raving about how great this curry was and that I should copyright this recipe!! Truly humbled with this complement!!

Thanks to Rachel and Narendran for reviewing my recipe before it made it to my website. Reviews are extremely rare, and they make my culinary journey just that extra special!!

This Egg Masala is a favourite of Mr M, as he thinks this is a soul soothing coconut-free version yet delicious and wholesome! Everyone knows Mr M does not rave about food but when he does, I really take it on board!!!

Egg Masala Curry served with hot steamed rice and Garlic Naan! Delish!

What makes my Egg Masala Curry Special?

Eggs are a blank canvas, and I love them in every form. Their transformations are endless, and one can come up with countless ways to integrate eggs into the daily menu – from a toast topper, omelette varieties, poached, hardboiled, bhurji (scrambled eggs flavoured with spices and aromatics) and curried just to name a few.

I was lucky enough to be introduced to this one pot recipe by my sister who visited me some years ago. Thanks to Leela for cooking this tastiest Egg Masala for me, and I will always treasure this delicious Egg Masala recipe.

An easy to make recipe which does not call for a trip to the Indian grocery store, as it is made with the most basic of Indian pantry staples.

This is an Egg Masala recipe that is entirely made from scratch and that includes a homemade Mangalorean style red curry paste. This curry paste is specifically tailored to achieve an aromatic, flavoursome and vivid red colour that cannot be compared to any curry paste from a jar.

You will love the big bold flavours from the ground spice blend of Kashmiri chilli powder, fennel seeds and garlic cloves, which forms the base of this dish. Fennel seeds is the key spice that lends warm, earthy and slightly sweet undertones in this Egg Masala.

The recipe calls for simple cooking techniques of sautéing, blending (you will need a small blender) then combining all ingredients on the stove top and finally finishing the dish by adding the sauteed eggs.

This Egg Masala has the most delicious restaurant flavours emulating from your kitchen, yet you won’t find this on a takeaway menu!!

This recipe comes together quickly for a simple, cost-effective, colourful and satisfying protein rich meal.

why eggs are beneficial?

eggs are full of nutrients

Eggs have almost all nutrients for good health such as vitamins and antioxidants.

excellent source of protein

Eggs are an inexpensive and excellent source of protein, particularly if you are not a fan of meat.

helps you control weight

Boiled eggs are a high-quality protein that provides satiety, which means eggs satisfy your hunger, thus helping to control appetite. Eating eggs helps you not to have a constant appetite. If you listen to your engine and heart health, moderation is the key!

Good for memory

According to research, Choline is an extremely important nutrient found in boiled eggs. This high amount of Choline helps in maintaining and improving brain health. It is also known to help eliminate inflammatory agents. Again, moderation is the key, limit your eggs to 3 per week while watching your saturated fats closely and increasing your polyunsaturated fats.

Daah!! No point is eating eggs if you eat bacon every morning! Also, one has to watch the type of meat you eat and what type of food you snack on!!

eggs contain Vitamin D!

If you are concerned about bone health, eggs are a convenient way to get Vitamin D. Research indicates that along with a proper diet and consistent exercise, boiled eggs help prevent the onset of osteoporosis.

The Vitamin D in boiled eggs helps keep teeth in good condition but you must also get Vitamin D from other sources such as sunlight, oily fish including mackerel, sardines and salmon.

ingredients for the egg masala curry

Like most of my curries, this Egg Masala Curry is entirely made from scratch, including a homemade Mangalorean style red curry paste. My homemade red curry paste has an intense flavour with a vivid red colour and is tailored to this Egg Masala.

My version of the Egg Masala Curry does not require a long list of spices. It’s made with simple ingredients that are cleverly combined to create a truly divine eating experience. All the classic flavours you have come to love and appreciate from India – Kashmiri chillies, fennel, turmeric, tomato, onion and garlic.

Here’s what goes into making the Egg Masala Curry:

  • Hard boiled eggs – Egg Masala is typically made with whole hard- boiled eggs, in which you make shallow cuts lengthwise only on the white part (usually 3 or 4). You may choose to make shallow cuts breadthwise (horizontal), if that’s what you prefer. The idea is for the eggs to absorb the delicious flavours without the yolks in the curry.
  • Kashmiri Chilli Powder – I’ve used 2 teaspoons which makes a mildly spicy curry that my family handles well. Feel free to adjust the spice level to taste (½ or 1 teaspoon less for mild heat). Decreasing chilli powder will render the curry lighter in colour but will taste delicious nevertheless!
  • Turmeric Powder – Commonly used ground spice used in South-Asian cooking and pairs well with fennel seeds.
  • Fennel Seeds (saunf) – A magic ingredient used in a seeds form and is the most prominent flavour in this dish. With a liquorice-like taste, they also add subtle sweetness and really complement this Egg Masala.
  • Sliced garlic cloves – There is no need to mince garlic as it is added to the blender when making the spice paste and imparts a lovely garlic flavour into the final dish.
  • Onion – Important ingredient as it adds body to the curry. Chop finely and sauté as called for in the recipe until golden, but do not brown it, as browning will impart a slightly different flavour into the final dish.
  • Fresh ripe tomatoes – I typically use Truss tomatoes. The recipe calls for 2 tomatoes – I blend one tomato with spices, as it makes a good base and chop the other and sauté with the ground paste for some texture. (Recipe note: You may add all the chopped tomatoes in Step 6 instead of adding 1 tomato in Step 2).
  • Vegetable/chicken stock cube – A popular and frequently used pantry staple. A great way to season the dish and add a layer of flavour. If you are adding stock cube, you may wish to either omit salt totally or add salt as per taste.
  • Freshly chopped coriander leaves/cilantro – You could serve this curry without garnish, but a sprinkle of freshly chopped cilantro will add some fresh flavour and a pop of colour.

Watch me do Egg Masala Curry

how to make Egg Masala Curry!

There are three easy steps to make this Egg Masala Curry:

  • Boiling the eggs to a consistency of hard boiled. Don’t overcook. Overcooking leads to a tough and chewy texture and can create a grey or greenish ring between the white and the yolk.
  • Blending the spices to make the curry paste.
  • Sauteing the ground paste and combining all the ingredients and finishing the dish.

Here’s my easy Step-by-Step tutorial to prepare the most delicious Egg Masala Curry!

The full instructions and printable recipe for this Egg Masala Curry is in the recipe card below. Here are Step-by-Step photos and essential tips along the way:

Chef’s Tip: Sautéing the ground paste brings out all the delicious flavours and the vivid red colour. Do not skip this step!

Here’s what we are trying to achieve at each step:

Step 1

Make shallow cuts

Place the hard-boiled eggs in a bowl. Make 4 shallow cuts lengthwise only in the white part of each egg. Making shallow cuts helps absorb some of the delicious curry sauce and flavour into the eggs. Do not cut through the yolk!

Step 2

blend masala

Blend the spice powders, fennel seeds, garlic and 1 tomato to a smooth paste with ¼ cup water. Set aside.

Step 3

Sauté eggs and onions

Heat oil in a medium non-stick saucepan over medium heat and sauté eggs lightly for 2 minutes, rotating to coat with oil. Remove to a bowl. Add onions and sauté for 7 minutes or until pale golden.