Seven ingredients is all you need to make this simple and delicious egg curry recipe! Packed with colorful aromatic spices and a kick of heat, this is the perfect dish to serve over rice or as a side to a comforting meal.
Hong Kong is where I fell in love with Indian food.
Known as one of the world’s food capitals, Hong Kong is a destination for those looking to experience new flavors and ingredients. I lived there from 2000 until 2003 and one of my favorite places to visit was Chunking Mansions, a building located in Tsim Sha Tsui, that’s mainly occupied by low budget shops and restaurants.
It’s where I went to sample authentic Indian food and where I had my first bowl of egg curry (and possibly the best naan I’ve ever tasted). Chunking Mansions is one of those places you keep going back to because you know you will leave the building feeling satisfied.
My version of Punjabi style egg curry is a very simplified version of the original. Instead of using a mix of dried spices to create the base of the dish, I’m using pre-made curry paste.
Let’s make egg curry!
What is Egg Curry?
Egg curry is a dish that hails from India. There are many different versions of egg curry available but the most popular ones are the north Indian egg curry which is tomato based, and south Indian egg curry which is also tomato based but with coconut milk.
The dish is made by combining spices such as turmeric, cumin, paprika, and garam masala, and cooking them with chopped tomatoes, water, and boiled eggs. It’s served with rice or naan bread.
Ingredients for Egg Curry
As previously mentioned, I’m omitting all dried spices for this recipe and using a pre-made curry paste instead.
- Vegetable Oil: When a dish is already super tasty like this one, I like to stick to neutral oils so I don’t pile on unnecessary flavors or smells. I’m using vegetable oil but you can use other neutral oils such as grapeseed oil or corn oil.
- Patak’s Mild or Medium Curry Paste: I’ve been using Patak’s Curry Paste for almost two decades so it’s become my default go-to brand. You can of course use other brands of Indian curry pastes, just avoid Thai curry pastes since they use a different mixture of spices and ingredients.
- Garlic: Two cloves, chopped, to add a little pungency.
- Balsamic Vinegar: I love adding a splash of balsamic vinegar to my curries, it makes the flavors jump and adds a little sweetness and acidity. I’ve learned that trick from one of Jamie Oliver’s cookbooks and have been using it ever since!
- Tomato: Make sure it’s a properly large tomato and not something small like a Roma (plum) tomato. The tomato is what gives the curry sweetness and a stew-like texture.
- Water: Half a cup of water should be enough but you can always add a little more if you prefer the texture to be a bit more runny.
- Hard-Boiled Eggs: Ideally, the eggs should be medium boiled with the yolk almost a little runny. But since this is an easy egg curry recipe, let’s not worry too much about the consistency of the yolk.
- Cilantro: Topping the curry with fresh cilantro lightens up the dish and adds a nice pop of color. I personally can’t do without cilantro whenever I eat curry, they go so well together!
- Salt and Pepper: This is subjective so I’m leaving this part up to you. As the rule goes, do a taste test first and if it needs seasoning, add a little at a time.
Serve with naan bread, roti, basmati rice, or biryani rice.
How To Make Egg Curry
- Pan fry the garlic, tomato, and curry paste in a pot over medium heat.
- Add the balsamic vinegar and water and simmer for 15 minutes on low, covered.
- Pierce each egg a few times with a fork and add them to the curry. Gently stir and cook for 5 minutes.
- Serve with fresh cilantro leaves and a side of naan bread, roti, or rice.
How long does egg curry keep?
5 to 7 days refrigerated in a storage container. It’s best to reheat the curry in a pot on low for 5-8 minutes rather than using a microwave since the eggs can overcook quickly.
Can I Freeze Egg Curry?
Sorry but nope. Egg don’t freeze well as the texture of the egg white gets rubbery.
What to Serve with Egg Curry
Aside from the classic naan bread, roti, basmati rice, and biryani rice, this egg curry also pairs well with dishes that can be infused with strong Indian flavors. Some of my favorites are:
- Basic congee
- Whole roasted cauliflower head
- Air fryer French fries
- Japanese fried rice (yakimeshi)
- Carrot steaks
Did you like this Easy Egg Curry Recipe? Are there changes you made that you would like to share? Share your tips and recommendations in the comments section below!
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Easy Egg Curry
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 eggs 1x
- Category: Curry
- Method: Boiling
- Cuisine: Indian
Description
Packed with colorful aromatic spices and a kick of heat, this is the perfect dish to serve over rice or as a side to a comforting meal.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 2–3 tablespoons Patak’s mild or medium curry paste
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 large tomato, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 cup water
- 4 large hard-boiled eggs, peeled
- Cilantro, for garnish
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Rice or naan bread, for serving
Instructions
- In a medium size pot over medium heat, add oil, curry paste, garlic, and tomato. Stir constantly and cook for 5 minutes.
- Add vinegar and water, lower the heat to a low simmer, cover, and cook for 15 minutes.
- Using a fork, gently pierce each egg several times and place them in the pot with the curry sauce. Spoon the sauce over the eggs (gently so they don’t break) and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
- Turn the heat off and transfer the eggs and curry sauce to a serving bowl. Season with salt if needed and top with fresh cilantro.
- Serve with naan bread or rice.
Notes
This easy egg curry recipe will keep refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5-7 days.
To reheat: Place the curry in a pot and cook on low for 5-8 minutes.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 egg
- Calories: 186
- Sugar: 1.9 g
- Sodium: 279.1 mg
- Fat: 15.6 g
- Saturated Fat: 7.4 g
- Carbohydrates: 5.1 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 7.5 g
- Cholesterol: 186.5 mg
I’m always in the market for a simple and healthy vegetarian meal- this was so easy to make and absolutely delicious! I only had Red Thai curry paste but it worked well. I served it over seasoned cauliflower rice. Definitely needed a pinch of salt. Thanks so much for this!
Thank you Regina! 🙂
This is the simplest recipe that I ever got for Egg curry thank you so much for this amazing recipe would surely prepare this recipe at home and also share it with my friends and family as well for their future refernce.
Thank you Supriya! 🙂