Egg Masala / Muttai Masala

Egg is a powerhouse of disease fighting nutrients, has high amount of protein along with good fat, iron, vitamins and minerals.  Egg Yolks are one of the greatest source of riboflavin, B12 and choline which helps in brain development and protect us from age related memory loss. Combination of eggs with some good fat is an excellent breakfast for kids. Though I am not an eggetarian, I make different varieties using eggs for my kids. Out of that, this dish "Egg Masala" was introduced by my mother-in--law and loved by my family...This dish would help mostly during travel time.

Ingredients

Boiled Eggs -- 7 or 8

Onion - 2 Medium

Tomato - 1 Big or 2 Small

Green Chilli - 2 Medium

Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp

Red chilli powder - 2 tsp

Garam Masala Powder - 3 tsp

( This powder is homemade, made by my mother-in-law using fresh spices like Cinnamon, Cloves, Other masala spices. You can use the regular garam masala powder you use at home otherwise).

Coriander Powder - 1 tsp

Salt - To Taste

Jaggery - 1 small piece.

Coriander Leaves - To Garnish

Mustard Seeds - 2 tsp

Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp

Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 tbsp

Curry Leaves - 1 Stem

Thick Tamarind Juice - Half a cup

Oil - 2 tbsp

Hing \ Asafoetida - 1 Dash

Method

• Hard boil the eggs and peel the outer skin and keep them ready. Cut the onions, tomato, green chilli and keep them ready too.
• In a kadai or any non-stick vessel, add the oil. When it gets heated up, add the Hing, mustard seeds, jeera, curry leaves.
• After tempering is done, add the Ginger Garlic Paste first and fry them till the raw smell completely goes off.
• Add the cut onions, green chilli into the kadai \ vessel and fry them till the onions get golden brown. Add the tomato pieces along with the other powders and cook them well.
• Cover the lid on a low flame for few minutes so that the powders get well mixed and would be forming a semi gravy.
• Add the tamarind extract now along with salt and a piece of jaggery.
• Cook them well for few minutes. Then, add the boiled eggs into the gravy and allow them to cook inside the gravy for few minutes with the lid open.
• Finally when the gravy is set, garnish the dish with coriander leaves and serve them with hot rice or rotis.

Tips \ Variations

You can fry the Hard boiled Eggs before adding them into the gravy. This enhances the taste of the Egg masala.

Try to make a perfect , semi solid gravy first and then add the eggs. Don't add the eggs in the beginning stage itself.

According to your taste buds, you can increase or decrease the chilli powder, garam masala powders as well.

Vathakuzhambu

Vathakuzhambu is a traditional dish from South India which is served with white rice, papads. This tangy, sweety, spicy gravy tastes good with a side of any fry or pappads. I have been eating this Vathakuzhambu since childhood and enjoyed this dish with my favorite baby potato fry or Bindi fry. Mostly my mom and my grandma prepare this dish in the same way and their versions are unbeatable. I was fortunate to taste my grandma's Vathakuzhambu even at her 85th age. Recently she passed away after having suffered terribly in the bed for more than 2-3 years. Somehow this dish reminds me more of her.  I love my Grandma and this is my tribute to my lovely special Grandma, my Patty.

Ingredients

Thick Tamarind Extract  -  2 Cups

Small Onions \ Shallots -  10

Oil - 2 tbsp

Gingelly Oil - 1 tbsp

Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp

Sambar Powder - 2 tbsp

Coriander Powder - 1\2 tbsp

Red Chilli powder - 2 tsp

Jaggery - 1 small piece

Salt - To Taste

Water  - 1 cup

Mustard Seeds - 3 tsp

Jeera \ Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp

Hing \ Asafoetida - 1 Dash

Thoor Dal \ Thuvaram Paruppu \ Kandhi Pappu - 1 tbsp

Dry Red Chilli - 1 or 2.

Curry Leaves - 1 stem.

Method

1. Make a thick Tamarind Extract and keep it ready. Cut the small onions and keep them ready too.
2. Keep all the ingredients handy before starting the preparation.
3. In a round thick bottomed vessel, add oil first. ( Not the Gingelly Oil now). When its heated, add Hing, Mustard Seeds, Cumin Seeds, Thuvar Dal , Dry red chillies, Curry leaves in the order and fry them.
4. When its done, add the small sambar onions and fry them till they turn golden brown.
5. On a low flame, add all the required powders to the contents in the vessel and fry them along with the contents well.
6. Now add the extracted tamarind juice, jaggery, salt and water. Mix everything together and allow them to boil on a medium flame for few minutes with the lid covered.
7. Open the lid and check to see whether the gravy is completely set with no raw smell of the tamarind juice.
8. Finally you could confirm the completion by noticing some oil oozing out of the gravy and the gravy would have become thicker in consistency.
9. Now the tangy, spicy Vethakuzhambu is ready to eat with hot white rice.

Tips \ Variations

Try to make the Vethakuzhambu with some dried Vathals like "Manathakkali Vathal , Sundaikai Vathal, etc." It tastes good with real Vathals. This time I tried using small onions.

Don't forget to add a small piece of Jaggery which is the taste maker to the Kuzhambu.

If you are making this for a festival or for special occasions, you can gracefully add little more Gingelly Oil to make it more delicious and flavourful.