Muttai Kari (Garlic-y Egg Curry)

TF and I occasionally make a Burmese egg curry. It's very nice, but can be a bit fiddly to make. This one isn't as striking as the Burmese curry with it's turmeric-yellow eggs, but it is much quicker and easier to throw together. And the dark, garlic-y, tamarind-laden sauce is delicious!

Muttai kari (left), pictured with palak papad ki subzi (bottom), and moghalai aloo aur simla mirch (right), with some rice at top.

Muttai Kari

Slightly adapted form 660 Curries by Raghavan Iyer

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp. fresh cilantro
• 10 fresh (or frozen) curry leaves
• 4-5 cloves garlic
• 1-2 fresh green Thai chilies, stems removed
• 1 c. water
• 1/2 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 1/2 tsp. tamarind concentrate
• 2 Tbsp. sesame oil
• 1 tsp. mustard seeds
• 2 shallots or 1/2 red onion, sliced thin
• 1/2 tsp. ground turmeric
• 4 extra-large or jumbo eggs (or 5 medium or large eggs), hard-boiled, peeled, and halved lengthwise
• 2 tsp. rice flour or cornstarch (cornflour)

Directions

1. Combine cilantro, curry leaves, garlic, and chilies and mash with a mortar and pestle until a paste is formed¹.
2. Whist salt and tamarind concentrate into water and set aside.
3. Heat oil over medium-high heat.
4. Add mustard seeds, cover, and cook until they've stopped popping (30-60 seconds).
5. Add the paste along with the shallots and cook for ~2 minutes.
6. Stir in turmeric.
7. Quickly add tamarind water and bring to a boil.
8. Sprinkle in the flour and cook, stirring, until thickened.
9. Carefully place egg halves in the sauce and cook until warmed through (~5 minutes).

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¹ I wasn't confident in my ability to fit that much stuff in my mortar, so I just minced everything very fine and called it a day. ^Back