Hasher Dim Kosha is definitely my favorite Bengali dish to prepare in the evenings, and when I do so, the entire house is filled with the smell of spices fried in mustard oil. Duck eggs enrich it with a more hearty consistency than a regular egg curry, while the onions, tomato, and roasted cumin provide a complex flavor. I like how the warm and thick gravy clings to the eggs. It is simple and homely, yet it never ceases to amaze me with its presentation on the plate.
Recipe Highlights:
- Hasher Dim Kosha is a famous dish of Bengal.
- It has a rich flavor of spicy, tangy and savory notes that give a deep taste to the dish.
- It is best relished with steamed rice, roti, paratha, naan or pulao.
- I prepare this dish in thirty-five minutes, of which only fifteen minutes are required for preparation.
- There are other egg curry recipes like Anda Masala, Egg Curry with Coconut Milk, Egg Korma and Egg Bhurji as well.
The Ingredients:
- Duck Eggs: 8 pieces (boiled and shells removed)
- Onions: 2 pieces (chopped)
- Ginger-Garlic Paste (or grated): 4 tbsp
- Tomato: 1 medium size (chopped)
- Turmeric Powder: 1 tsp
- Red Chili Powder: 1 tbsp
- Kashmiri Red Chili Powder: ½ tbsp
- Coriander Powder: ½ tsp
- Cumin Powder: ½ tsp
- Roasted Cumin Powder: 1 tbsp
- Bay Leaves: 2
- Cinnamon Sticks: 2
- Green Cardamoms: 2
- Coriander Leaves: 2 tbsp
- Mustard Oil: 2 tbsp
- Salt to Taste
- Water as much as required
How to Cook Hasher Dim Kosha (Step by Step Images?
1. Place a pan on the clay stove.
2. Coat the boiled duck eggs with salt, a little turmeric powder, and red chili powder.
3. Pour the mustard oil into the pan. Add the eggs to the hot oil and pan-fry them.
(Pro Tip: I keep the oil moderately hot because duck eggs can blister quickly if the heat is too high.)
4. Take them out and transfer them to a plate once lightly fried.
5. Add bay leaves, cumin seeds, cinnamon sticks, and green cardamom to the remaining oil in the pan.
6. When the whole spices start releasing their flavors, add chopped onions and fry them until golden brown.
(Pro Tip: I never rush this step. Properly golden onions give the kosha its authentic deeper look and flavor.)
7. Add tomatoes and a little bit of salt. Give them a good stir.
8. Once the tomatoes become soft, add ginger-garlic paste and stir well.
9. A thick paste will form. Add a little more turmeric powder, red chili powder, Kashmiri red chili powder, coriander powder, and cumin powder. Mix well.
10. Add a little bit of water and sauté the spices.
11. Then add more water according to desired gravy consistency.
(Pro Tip: I prefer adding water little by little here, which helps the spices cook evenly without losing their roasted character.)
12. After the water comes to a boil, add lightly fried boiled duck eggs and salt.
13. Once the gravy thickens, add roasted cumin powder and mix well.
14. Sprinkle coriander leaves and pour the Haser Dim Kosha into a serving bowl.
Different Ways to Make It
- When repeating this recipe, I occasionally increase roasted cumin for extra depth.
- For a richer kosha, I use slightly more mustard oil when frying eggs.
- Once, I added quartered potatoes. They soaked up the spicy gravy beautifully along with the duck eggs.
Hasher Dim Kosha Recipe Common Mistakes & Solutions
Q: My onions are browning unevenly. Is there a way to remedy this?
A: Try stirring frequently and reduce the heat a bit in Step 6. I always found that taking a little extra time to allow the onions to brown is better than burning them.
Q: Why is the ginger-garlic paste rawness persistent even after adding the tomatoes?
A: Let it cook longer until its rawness is gone. When I do this in my kosha, it tastes delicious.
Q: The fried duck eggs are sticking to the pan in Step 3. What should I do?
A: Ensure you allow the oil to heat properly before placing the fried eggs in the pan. My suggestion is to gently turn them to avoid damaging.
Q: The boiled duck eggs are breaking when adding them to the gravy.
A: Add them gently to the flowing gravy and give it a gentle stir to avoid breaking the fried eggs.
Recipe Card:
Hasher Dim Kosha (Duck Egg Kosha)
Ingredients
- 8 pieces Duck Eggs boiled and shells removed
- 2 pieces Onions chopped
- 4 tbsp Ginger-Garlic Paste or grated
- 1 piece Tomato medium size, chopped
- 1 tsp Turmeric Powder
- 1 tbsp Red Chili Powder
- 1/2 tbsp Kashmiri Red Chili Powder
- 1/2 tsp Coriander Powder
- 1/2 tsp Cumin Powder
- 1 tbsp Roasted Cumin Powder
- 2 pieces Bay Leaves: 2
- 2 pieces Cinnamon Sticks
- 2 pieces Green Cardamoms
- 2 tbsp Coriander Leaves
- 2 tbsp Mustard Oil
- Salt to Taste
- Water as much as required
Instructions
- Place a pan on the clay stove.
- Coat the boiled duck eggs with salt, a little turmeric powder, and red chili powder.
- Pour the mustard oil into the pan. Add the eggs to the hot oil and pan-fry them.
- (Pro Tip: I keep the oil moderately hot because duck eggs can blister quickly if the heat is too high.)
- Take them out and transfer them to a plate once lightly fried.
- Add bay leaves, cumin seeds, cinnamon sticks, and green cardamom to the remaining oil in the pan.
- When the whole spices start releasing their flavors, add chopped onions and fry them until golden brown.
- (Pro Tip: I never rush this step. Properly golden onions give the kosha its authentic deeper look and flavor.)
- Add tomatoes and a little bit of salt. Give them a good stir.
- Once the tomatoes become soft, add ginger-garlic paste and stir well.
- A thick paste will form. Add a little more turmeric powder, red chili powder, Kashmiri red chili powder, coriander powder, and cumin powder. Mix well.
- Add a little bit of water and sauté the spices.
- Then add more water according to desired gravy consistency.
- (Pro Tip: I prefer adding water little by little here, which helps the spices cook evenly without losing their roasted character.)
- After the water comes to a boil, add lightly fried boiled duck eggs and salt.
- Once the gravy thickens, add roasted cumin powder and mix well.
- Sprinkle coriander leaves and pour the Hasher Dim Kosha into a serving bowl.
