Anda curry is made with fried eggs cooked in a gravy made from fried onions and tomato paste and a variety of whole and powdered spices, finished with coriander leaves. It is quite easy to make anda curry at home, which you can learn from my simple recipe if you are unaware.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Anda curry is one of the most popular dishes consumed all over India.
- Pair it with plain steamed rice, jeera rice, pulao, roti, naan, paratha, or kulcha.
- Anda curry tastes creamy, spicy, sweet, and lightly tangy.
- Other similar recipes are egg omelet curry, egg masala, egg korma, and egg do pyaza.
The Ingredients:
To fry the eggs:
- 7 pieces eggs (boiled, de-shelled)
- ¼ tsp turmeric powder
- ½ tsp red chili powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp cooking oil
To prepare the onion-tomato masala paste:
- 5 tbsp cooking oil
- 3 pieces onions (medium size, finely sliced)
- 25 grams garlic cloves (whole, deskinned)
- Ginger (4 inch, roughly diced)
- 2 pieces tomatoes (fine longitudinal slices)
To make the masala gravy:
- 2 tbsp cooking oil
- 1 piece bay leaf
- 1 piece cinnamon (1-inch stick)
- 1 piece black cardamom (torn in half)
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tbsp Kashmiri red chili powder
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- 1 tsp garam masala powder
- Salt to taste
- 2 tbsp curd (plain, optional)
- 1 cups water (normal or lukewarm)
- 2 pieces green chilies (whole, without stalk)
- Coriander leaves (a handful)
I came across this recipe while looking at my diary. It was written on the back of an old grocery. I wrote it years ago while chatting with my sister-in-law. I remembered how we laughed and shared recipes while cooking that day.
I recreated it recently at home one evening for dinner. My husband said it took him back in time, and my boys said it tasted like “happy cooking.” Now, it is our mood-lifter meal. That scribble reminded me that food does not just stay in the kitchen. Rather, it sticks to laughter, paper corners, and memories we fold away only to unfold sometime later with a smile.
How to Make Anda Curry? (Step by Step Guide with Images)
Step 1: Heat a deep-bottom frying pan or a kadai on your gas stove and put 5 tbsp of cooking oil in it. When the oil is hot, put in 3 pieces of onions (medium size, finely sliced) into it. Fry the onions until the color changes to slightly dark brown.
(Pro tip: If you are using more oil than I have to fry the onions, you can deep fry them and remove).
Step 2: Move them to one side of the pan and put in 25 grams of garlic cloves (whole, deskinned) and ginger (4 inches, roughly diced). Sauté them for about 20 to 25 seconds.
Step 3: Now, add 2 pieces of tomatoes (fine, longitudinal slices) to it and fry it nicely along with the other ingredients in the frying pan.
(Pro tip: Adding half a teaspoon of salt at this stage will help the tomatoes cook faster).
Step 4: When the tomatoes become nicely soft, shift everything to one side and tilt the pan for 8 to 10 seconds to separate the extra oil.
Step 5: Switch off the flame and leave the pan this way for a minute or so. This will cool the ingredients as well. Transfer the fried ingredients to a mixer and blend it to a smooth paste. Keep it aside.
Step 6: Now, take 7 boiled eggs in a bowl and remove their shells. Prick each of them with a fork or a sharp knife to make small incisions.
Step 7: Now, put in ¼ tsp of turmeric powder, ½ tsp of red chili powder, and ½ tsp of salt. Shake the bowl to coat the boiled eggs nicely with the powdered spices and salt.
Step 8: Now, heat a non-stick frying pan and put 1 tbsp of cooking oil in it. When the oil is hot, put the coated eggs in it and fry them nicely for about a minute so that they are slightly crispy. Keep them aside.
(Pro tip: If you do not like fried eggs in a curry, you can use boiled eggs without frying as well).
Step 9: Now, heat a separate clean pan and add 2 tbsp of cooking oil. When the oil is hot, add 1 piece of bay leaf, 1 piece of cinnamon (1-inch stick), 1 piece of black cardamom (torn in half), and 1 tsp of cumin seeds to it. Fry for 10 to 15 seconds and switch off the gas stove. Leave it so that the oil cools down.
Step 10: Now, add 1 tsp of turmeric powder and 1 tbsp of Kashmiri red chili powder to it and mix them nicely with the spices.
(Pro tip: Perform steps 10 and 11 in order for a richer color of the egg curry. However, you can do it the other way round).
Step 11: Now, add the onions and tomato paste to it quickly and mix nicely.
(Pro tip: Steps 10 and 11 must be performed when the gas stove is off to prevent the ingredients from burning and rendering a bitter taste to the Anda curry).
Step 12: Cover the pan and cook the masala for two minutes on a medium flame.
Step 13: Now, remove the lid and add 1 tsp of coriander powder, 1 tsp of cumin powder, and 1 tsp of garam masala powder to it along with salt to taste. Mix them nicely. Cover the pan again and cook the masala for another 3 to 4 minutes on a medium flame until the oil starts to separate from it.
(Pro tip: You must add all these three powdered spices in equal quantity).
Step 14: Now, check the doneness of the masala. At this stage, to make your Anda curry in restaurant style, add 2 tbsp of plain curd to it and mix it nicely. However, it is optional.
(Pro tip: If you add dahi, switch off the flame and allow the masala to cool first, and then add it at room temperature to prevent it from curdling.
Step 15: Now, switch on the gas stove and add 2 cups of normal or lukewarm water to the masala along with 2 pieces of green chilies (whole, without stalk). Mix nicely. At this stage, taste the salt and add more if required. Cover the pan and let it cook for a minute or so until it starts boiling.
Step 16: Now, remove the lid and add the fried eggs to the gravy. Mix them nicely with the masala gravy, cover the pan again, and cook it on a medium flame further for one more minute. Check the thickness of the gravy and cook for a couple of minutes more if you want a thicker gravy.
Step 17: Finally, add a handful of coriander leaves to the gravy and mix them nicely.
(Pro tip: If you like Kasuri Methi, roast a bit, crush it, and add it to the gravy, but do not add both coriander leaves and Kasuri Methi to the dish).
Step 18: Your super tasty homemade Anda curry is now ready to eat. Transfer it to a serving tray and enjoy it with steamed rice, roti, naan, kulcha, or paratha.
Recipe Card
Anda Curry | Egg Curry
Ingredients
To fry the eggs:
- 7 pieces eggs boiled, de-shelled
- ¼ tsp turmeric powder
- ½ tsp red chili powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp cooking oil
To prepare the onion-tomato masala paste:
- 5 tbsp cooking oil
- 3 pieces onions medium size, finely sliced
- 25 grams garlic cloves whole, deskinned
- Ginger 4 inch, roughly diced
- 2 pieces tomatoes fine longitudinal slices
To make the masala gravy:
- 2 tbsp cooking oil
- 1 piece bay leaf
- 1 piece cinnamon 1-inch stick
- 1 piece black cardamom torn in half
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tbsp Kashmiri red chili powder
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- 1 tsp garam masala powder
- Salt to taste
- 2 tbsp curd plain, optional
- 1 cups water normal or lukewarm
- 2 pieces green chilies whole, without stalk
- Coriander leaves a handful
Instructions
- Heat a deep-bottom frying pan or a kadai on your gas stove and put 5 tbsp of cooking oil in it. When the oil is hot, put in 3 pieces of onions (medium size, finely sliced) to it. Fry the onions until the color changes to slightly dark brown. (Pro tip: If you are using more oil than I have to fry the onions, you can deep fry them and remove).
- Move them on one side of the pan and put in 25 grams of garlic cloves (whole, deskinned) and ginger (4 inch, roughly diced). Sauté them for about 20 to 25 seconds.
- Now, add 2 pieces of tomatoes (fine, longitudinal slices) to it and fry it nicely along with the other ingredients in the frying pan. (Pro tip: Adding half a teaspoon of salt at this stage will help the tomatoes cook faster).
- When the tomatoes become nicely soft, shift everything on one side and tilt the pan for 8 to 10 seconds to separate the extra oil.
- Switch off the flame and leave the pan this way for a minute or so. This will cool the ingredients as well. Transfer the fried ingredients to a mixer and blend it to a smooth paste. Keep it aside.
- Now, take 7 boiled eggs in a bowl and remove their shells. Prick each of them with a fork or a sharp knife to make small incisions.
- Now, put ¼ tsp of turmeric powder, ½ tsp of red chili powder, and ½ tsp of salt. Shake the bowl to coat the boiled eggs nicely with the powdered spices and salt.
- Now, heat a non-stick frying pan and put 1 tbsp of cooking oil in it. When the oil is hot, put the coated eggs in it and fry them nicely for about a minute so that they are slightly crispy. Keep them aside. (Pro tip: If you do not like fried eggs in a curry, you can use boiled eggs without frying as well).
- Now, heat a separate clean pan and add 2 tbsp of cooking oil. When the oil is hot, add 1 piece of bay leaf, 1 piece of cinnamon (1-inch stick), 1 piece of black cardamom (torn in half), and 1 tsp of cumin seeds to it. Fry for 10 to 15 seconds and switch off the gas stove. Leave it so that the oil cools down.
- Now, add 1 tsp of turmeric powder and 1 tbsp of Kashmiri red chili powder to it and mix them nicely with the spices. (Pro tip: Perform steps 10 and 11 in order for a richer color of the egg curry. However, you can do it the other way round).
- Now, add the onions and tomato paste to it quickly and mix nicely. (Pro tip: Step 10 and 11 must be performed when the gas stove is off to prevent the ingredients from burning and rendering a bitter taste to the Anda curry).
- Cover the pan and cook the masala for two minutes on a medium flame.
- Now, remove the lid and add 1 tsp of coriander powder, 1 tsp of cumin powder, and 1 tsp of garam masala powder to it along with salt to taste. Mix them nicely. Cover the pan again and cook the masala for another 3 to 4 minutes on a medium flame until the oil starts to separate from it. (Pro tip: You must add all these three powdered spices in equal quantity).
- Now, check the doneness of the masala. At this stage, to make your Anda curry in restaurant style, add 2 tbsp of plain curd to it and mix it nicely. However, it is optional. (Pro tip: If you add dahi, switch off the flame and allow the masala to cool first and then add it at room temperature to prevent it from curdling.
- Now, switch on the gas stove and add 2 cups of normal or lukewarm water to the masala along with 2 pieces of green chilies (whole, without stalk). Mix nicely. At this stage, taste the salt and add more if required. Cover the pan and let it cook for a minute or so until it starts boiling.
- Now, remove the lid and add the fried eggs to the gravy. Mix them nicely with the masala gravy, cover the pan again and cook it on a medium flame further for one more minute. Check the thickness of the gravy and cook for a couple of minutes more if you want a thicker gravy.
- Finally, add a handful of coriander leaves to the gravy and mix them nicely. (Pro tip: If you like Kasuri Methi, roast a bit, crush it and add to the gravy but do not add both coriander leaves and Kasuri Methi to the dish).
- Your super tasty homemade Anda curry is now ready to eat. Transfer it to a serving tray and enjoy it with steamed rice, roti, naan, kulcha, or paratha.
