This is a great weekend brunch dish. Blistered hard-boiled eggs (fun to make!) are cooked in a spicy tomato sauce. It comes together quickly and is a unique egg recipe to add to your files, similar in style to shakshuka or huevos rancheros.
Golden fried eggs
This egg curry dish involves fried hard-boiled eggs and a spicy tomato sauce. It doesn't have ground curry, as I thought when I saw the name, but many recipes use similar spices.
The best part is the eggs.
First, they're hard-boiled, and then they're fried. I bet you didn't see that one coming; I certainly didn't the first time I read the name of the dish, but I couldn't resist making it when I realized what it was. Maybe I was hungry? Or just wanted to use that homemade harissa I had in the fridge.
The sauce can be as spicy as you want it to be. And it's versatile when it comes to the spices used.
Breakfast and brunch all day long. That's the goal. And I can happily live with that.
Harissa paste
I like to use it because I tend to have a jar of this homemade spicy chile condiment in the fridge. But you can substitute it for red chiles, cayenne pepper and garlic.
After all, what is harissa but a blitz of dried chiles, garlic and spices, right?
Fried hard-boiled eggs
The fried hard-boiled eggs are fun to make. They come together in no time, all blistered and golden.
The flavor is not very different, but they add a barely-there crunch to an already yummy dish.
You can be lazy and half-blister them or spend a few more minutes completely coating them in that golden, wrinkled blanket.
The spices
The spices used in egg curry can vary.
You can adjust them to your palate by adding or subtracting some. In addition to the common ones like cumin, coriander and black pepper, you can use turmeric, garam masala or others you consider.
Use ground or seeds. The latter can be lightly toasted before adding them as we do for the Moroccan-inspired couscous salad.
You should make the dish your own, both in terms of the type of spices and the amount of heat (spiciness).
This would be a great brunch recipe for using leftover hard-boiled eggs from the last time you took eggs to a picnic and returned home with a few or miscalculated the amount of deviled eggs you wanted to make.
It's quick to make and satisfying. A unique, tasty and spicy brunch dish.
PS: Leftovers are great over rice.
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Egg Curry (with tomato sauce and harissa)
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Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 4 eggs, hard-boiled
- 2 small shallots, minced (or a mix of garlic and onions)
- 2 tablespoons harissa, homemade paste or store-bought harissa paste or harissa powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt , or to taste
- 2 cups crushed tomatoes, canned or fresh (peeled)
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon coriander seeds
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
- bread or toast, to serve
Instructions
- In a pan or skillet, heat 4 tablespoons olive oil and 1 tablespoon sesame oil.
- Add the 4 eggs, peeled and hard-boiled, and brown on all sides. Use tongs to help you in this. Transfer to plate and reserve.
- To the same skillet, add 2 small shallots, minced and 2 tablespoons harissa.
- Season with ¾ teaspoon salt , or to taste, and cook for a minute or two, until softened.
- Add 2 cups crushed tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes.
- Add 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, ¼ teaspoon ground cumin and ½ teaspoon coriander seeds and ⅛ teaspoon black pepper. Cook until the sauce is chunky. Taste it and adjust salt and seasonings. If needed, add a few tablespoons of water (or coconut milk) to thin the sauce.
- Add the blistered eggs to the skillet. Cook for a minute or two.
- Cut eggs in half and serve immediately with sauce and crusty bread or toast.
Notes
Curry adapted from Rasa Malaysia and David Lebovitz.
laurasmess.me says
This looks amazing Paula... just like all of your recipes! Ever since I discovered harissa a couple of years ago I've been eating it on everything. I love the idea of the fried eggs. Mmmmm! Thanks for sharing this xx
Liz Berg says
Such a gorgeous dish, Paula. So many new ideas...frying hardboiled eggs, making harissa... You're on fire, my friend!
Cocoa and Lavender says
First, I love poached eggs and especially on a baked potato. Like you and the rice, it is a childhood favorite and such powerful comfort food. The harissa is beautiful with the eggs - I have a question, though... what kind of dried chiles did you use? Were they chiles de Árbol? This is a plateful of YUM!
wp_vknotes_admin says
They're called red thai chiles here. Have no idea specifically what kind they are!
The Ninja Baker says
Egg and curry go together like Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers! As always I learn so much from you, Paula. Now I know what harissa is =) And I am aware of fried hardboild eggs =)
P.s. Glad you like breakfast for dinner, too.
P.s. 2. Poached is my favorite, too...and it would lend itself perfectly to your yummy recipe =)
Guru Uru says
This egg is brilliant, I am not usually a fan but I need to try this 😀
Looks so delicious!
Cheers
CCU
Deb says
What a seductive egg recipe! I've never tried fried hard boiled eggs but will add this scrumptious recipe to my "to make" list. Recipes that suit morning, noon or night are keepers!
Alice @ Hip Foodie Mom says
FRIED hard boiled eggs?!!!! I LOVE this! OMG, totally going to try this . . looks delicious! My breakfast is coffee too. . by the way, are you still doing the lemon water? so I'll have to have this for lunch or dinner! 🙂
Karen (Back Road Journal) says
What a delicious brunch dish...very creative.
Nancy @ gottagetbaked says
Holy mother of yum, this is the most creative dish I've seen in a long time. You've seriously got me drooling over here, Paula. I love eggs so much, there aren't enough words for me to express my feelings. Whenever I want a quick 'n delicious meal, I make eggs. I'm definitely going to try frying hard boiled eggs. Look at that gorgeous golden crust!
Abbe@This is How I Cook says
Paula, so unique. We eat breakfast all day long! And my husband loves spicy. This will be given a try!
Kathy says
Looks wonderfully delicious, Paula! Sounds like an interesting dish!
Anne ~ Uni Homemaker says
I love eggs and curry together and this sounds absolutely wonderful Paula!
mimi rippee says
This looks unbelievably delicious!
Shulie Foodwanderings says
OMG you are too funny and not at all annoying, I say. Comparisons are welcome & btw I didn't see it coming, hard boiled and fried?! How brilliant! Is this something Argentinians do? A tradition of sorts or I got to double check the links....I have the book Burma & believe it or not I haven't cooked from it yet and it's been months. Now I must! Great post my friend! The food is mouthwatering!
Chef Di says
Fried hard boiled eggs? OMGoodness, you are amazing, Paula! Love this dish, and like you, I love breakfast all day, too!
Pachecopatty says
Paula-you make everything look so delicious! I think you've elevated eggs to a whole new level! Gorgeous photos of an inspired meal 😉
Christine @ 24 Carrot Kitchen says
This looks absolutely delicious! I like my eggs scrambled or poached also.
Julieta says
Great recipe!!! I have to try the eggs, perhaps I´ll eat them before I can make the curry.
Thanks Paula!!!
dentistvschef says
We used to called this as sambal in Indonesia....
lovely Paula!
Angie Schneider says
I think I still have a small jar of harissa sitting at the back of the fridge. The curry looks delish, Paula.