Egg and red lentil curry
50 min · 31 g protein · 393 cals / serving
Hard-boiled eggs blistered in turmeric and chili, then nestled into a thick, gingery red lentil and tomato curry with a handful of spinach. It is the Indian egg curry and a weeknight dal in one pot, finished with cool yogurt, fresh coriander and a last pinch of garam masala.
Ingredients
- 8 large eggs
- 2 tsp canola oil, divided
- 3/4 tsp turmeric, divided
- 2 medium onions, finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- a 1 1/2-inch (4 cm) piece ginger, grated
- 1–2 green chilies green chili pepper, slit lengthwise
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp chili powder, Kashmiri or mild
- 2 tsp garam masala, divided
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 can (14 oz) canned crushed tomatoes
- 2/3 cup red lentils, rinsed
- 3 3/4 cups water
- 1 tsp salt
- 10 oz baby spinach
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
To serve
- 3/4 cup nonfat Greek yogurt
- a small handful fresh cilantro, chopped
Steps
- Lower the eggs into a pan of boiling water and boil for 9 minutes, then move them to a bowl of ice water. Peel them when cool enough to handle and make 3 or 4 shallow cuts down the side of each.
- Heat 1 teaspoon of the oil in a large, deep pan over medium heat. Add the eggs with half the turmeric and a pinch of the chili powder and roll them around for 2–3 minutes, until the whites are golden and blistered in places. Lift them out onto a plate.
- Add the rest of the oil and the onion with a pinch of the salt. Cook, stirring often, for 10 minutes, until soft and golden at the edges. Add the garlic, ginger and green chilies and cook 1 minute more.
- Stir in the cumin, coriander, the rest of the turmeric and chili powder and half the garam masala for 30 seconds, until fragrant. Add the tomato paste for a minute, then the crushed tomatoes, lentils, water and the rest of the salt. Bring to a boil, then simmer, stirring every few minutes, for 20–25 minutes, until the lentils have collapsed and the curry is thick. Add a splash of water if it catches.
- Stir in the spinach until it wilts, then the lemon juice. Nestle the eggs back in and simmer 3 minutes to warm them through. Taste for salt.
- Serve in bowls with a spoonful of yogurt, the coriander and a final pinch of the remaining garam masala.
Good to know
What do I serve it with?
It is a full meal as it is. Rice or a warm roti is traditional; half a cup of cooked basmati per person keeps the bowl lentil-forward.
Why blister the eggs?
A minute in hot oil with turmeric and chili gives the plain whites a golden, slightly chewy skin and lets the spices cling. The cuts down the side let the curry soak in.
Can I make it ahead?
The lentil curry keeps 4 days in the fridge and freezes well. Boil and blister the eggs fresh, or keep them separately and add them when you reheat, so the whites stay tender.
Per
- Calories
- 67
- Protein
- (30%)
- 5 g
- Fat
- (32%)
- 2 g
- Carbohydrates
- (38%)
- 7 g
- of which sugar
- 2 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
- Sodium
- 159 mg
More meals
Computed from the ingredients with our published formula, not yet kitchen-tested. General guidance, not medical advice. Talk to your prescriber. How
As written, 1573 kcal goes into the pot and 2636 g of ingredients comes out as about 2350 g of food: 67 kcal per 100 g. Cooking moves water and energy density is the score's biggest lever, so the dish is scored as cooked, not as an average of its parts. Every ingredient links to its food page, with the same data and score. The label's percentages are each macronutrient's share of the calories. The full formula.