Chettinadu cuisine is one of the most popular cuisines in Tamil Nadu which originated from the traditional cooking methods adopted by the locals of Chettinadu region. The curries of Chettinadu are known for their spiciness and inviting aroma and the Chettinad Egg Curry is one of the most simplest.
One of the most delicious side dishes that local Chettiars eat is Chettinad Egg Curry which is also known as Chettinad Muttai Kuzhambu in Tamil. It is renowned for its hot flavor and goes great with rice, roti, idlis, dosas, etc.
Chettinadu’s non-vegetarian dishes are pungent and spicy because they are made from freshly ground spices and condiments. Cumin seeds, green chilies, cloves, black peppercorn, etc. are some of the commonly used spices in this egg curry but you can experiment with some other spices to add your own touch to the recipe.
There are a few ways to make this curry and we have discussed two of them in detail here. Among the two recipes, one consists of boiled eggs and the other consists of eggs cooked directly by breaking them in the curry.
Some people like to make small incisions in the boiled eggs to let the flavors blend inside. These incisions can be done with the help of a fork.
This curry is neither too thick nor too watery but perfectly smooth and thick enough to let a flavourful spice dance on your taste buds.
Eggs have numerous nutritional benefits which make them an ideal component of a healthy diet. They are rich in protein and vitamins which make them healthy for your body.
Chettiars i.e. the local people of the Chettinad region prefer spicy food but you can tow down the heat quotient by cutting down the number of green and red chillies used in this recipe.
This is a popular Chettinad Egg Curry (Muttai Kuzhambu). Typically served with hot rice, they can also be served as a side dish to idli, dosa or chapati. There are numerous variations to this dish and here are two of the common ones.
Chettinad Egg Curry (Chettinad Muttai Kuzhambu)
Ingredients
- 8 Eggs – 6 to 8
- 200 g Sambar Onions/ Shallots chopped
- 4 - 5 Green Chillies chopped
- 6 large Tomatoes chopped
- 1 tbsp Ginger Garlic Paste
- 1 tsp Black Pepper Powder
- 3 tsp Coriander Powder
- 1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
- 2 tsp Red Chilli Powder
- 1 tsp Saunf
- 1 tsp Cumin Seeds
- Coriander Leaves handful, chopped
- 2 tbsp Oil preferably Sesame/Groundnut Oil
- Salt as per taste
Instructions
- Boil the eggs, peel the shells and keep aside.
- Heat oil in a pan over medium flame.
- Fry the cumin seeds, saunf and sambar onions for a minute.
- Add the green chillies, tomatoes and ginger garlic paste.
- Stir well and saute for 2 to 3 minutes until they are cooked well and oil starts coming out from the sides.
- Add turmeric powder, coriander powder, red chilli powder and salt. Stir well.
- Pour enough water and bring to a boil.
- Add the eggs and stir gently.
- Simmer and bring to a gentle boil.
- Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve hot.
Alternate Version:
- Heat oil in a pan over medium flame.
- Fry the cumin seeds, saunf and sambar onions for a minute.
- Add the green chillies, tomatoes and ginger garlic paste.
- Stir well and saute for 2 to 3 minutes or until golden.
- Add turmeric powder, coriander powder, red chilli powder and salt. Stir well.
- Pour enough water and bring to a boil.
- Break the eggs directly into the kuzhambu, close the vessel and lower the flame.
- Allow it to simmer for 10 minutes. Stir this gently.
- Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve hot.
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2 comments
very nice
this rescipe was tasty i added the fennel and fenugreek seeds to the paste the results were good