Egg Kurma/Muttai Kurma

Im still not sure on the correct name for kurma as whether it is kurma, korma, kuruma or qourma. All that matters to me is the egg that has absorbed the flavors and richness cashew, coconut and poppy seeds giving it a heavenly taste. When I used to travel to/from Madras in the evenings the aroma of different gravies(mainly chana masala and muttai kurma) or parathas would greet me before I enter the city. I would go home after the trip and try to make a kurma that tastes like a hotel kurma. It took me years to find the necessary ingredients and grind them in the correct proportions.

I make this korma in my slow cooker as it gives me time to do other things while the gravy simmers and absorbs the flavors. I realized that on a maximum I was able to simmer the gravy after adding eggs for about 15-20 minutes if I am cooking on a stove top. If I had to further thicken up the gravy, or to prevent gravy from sticking to the pot I would add more water, thereby diluting the flavors.

In my slow cooker though, I add the eggs an hour or so after the mixing masala for the gravy thereby giving the eggs enough time to absorb all the flavors yet maintain the consistency of a thick gravy.

Serves- 2 people

Ingredients:

List 1:

Red onions- 1/4 cup

Frozen peas(optional)- 3 tbsp

Bay leaf-1

Curry leaf-4

Cumin seeds- 1 tsp

Oil- 1 tsp

Cilantro- 3 tbsp(garnish)

Salt- 1 tsp

Turmeric Powder- 1/2 tsp

Boiled eggs- 4

Water- 3 cups

List 2:

To be ground to a thick paste with little amount of water

Green chilies-4

Chopped onions- 1/4 cup

Cardamom- 4

Coconut- 1/4 cup

Ripe tomatoes- 2 numbers (finely chopped)

Roasted chickpeas(pottu kadalai)- 1 tbsp

Ginger garlic paste- 1 tbsp

Poppy seeds- 1 tsp(soak in 1 tbsp of hot water)

Coriander seeds- 2 tsp(soak in 1 tbsp of hot water together with poppy seeds)

Cashew nuts- 4

Method:

Grind the ingredients given under list 2 to a thick fine paste adding little amount of water.

Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds. When they splutter, add chopped onions(from list 1) and saute till it turns light golden color. Add salt, turmeric powder, bay leaf, peas and curry leaves. When the onions are transparent, pour in the paste made from list 2 and saute till the raw smell of the masala disappears.

I cooked the masala till this stage and transfered it to a slow cooker, added 4 cups of water and kept it under slow mode(8 hours). After an hour or so I added the boiled eggs to the gravy, stirred once and covered the slow cooker again. It usually cooks within 4 hours and the rest of the time keeps the gravy warm. Once I smell the aroma of gravy coming together, I usually check if its cooked enough and turn it to keep warm. Just before serving I check for salt and garnish with cilanro leaves. All thats left to do is to serve muttai kurma with rice or parathas.

If I am in a hurry and I dont use the slow cooker: after stir frying the masala, I add the boiled eggs, 3 cups of water and let it simmer for 15- 20 minutes to thicken the gravy.

Serve the muttai kurma with rice or naans, parathas.

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