Foodgasms, Razors and Cracked Eggs...

Saturday is never a lazy affair, at least not for me. I am usually awake by 7AM at the latest. Today however, I allowed myself the luxury of getting an extra hour of shut-eye. Saturday mornings are reserved for leisurely strolls through Wholefoods for the weeks groceries. In that store, I am rarely ever in a rush. There is something distinctly refreshing about strolling through mounds of fresh organic and/or locally sourced fruits and veggies. I let my mind wander as I stare mouth-agape at the silvery King Mackerels, plump shrimp and little-neck clams. Someday I fear, I will be offered a mop to clean-up the drool I leave on the freshly-scrubbed floors while dreaming about what I could do with that raw, stout, almost pulsating-with-life, lamb shank... Suffice it to say I experience multiple "Foodgasms" in that store!

The Parenting 101 lesson for today was that nothing you believe to be yours is truly yours, until your kids leave the nest. I thought it was safe to leave my razor in MY bathroom by MY bathtub. Well, it so happens that Samaira decided it was great idea to try it out on her face. This is AFTER, me having explained to her and her sister, over and over again, how dangerous a razor can be. Luckily hubby was around and took it away from her in the nick of time. She did end up nicking her lip a bit. It was pretty bloody by the time I rushed in to bathroom with a pinch of turmeric in my hand. Yes, I said TURMERIC, as in the yellow spice used in Indian cooking. Its an age-old trick. Turmeric is an antiseptic and coagulant. It is great on small nicks and cuts.

I was all set on making Rajma (Red Kidney Beans) for dinner, but decided to use up the dozen or so organic brown eggs that were closing in on their "use by" date. Dinner today was egg curry. It is such a simple yet versatile dish. You can make the curry ahead of time and freeze for later use. Just add some boiled eggs. For a twist on the taste, you can add curry leaves and coconut milk. Just increase the amount of chili powder and garam masala by a tsp each (more if you like you curry hotter).

Egg curry is an universal favorite in our house. The dogs go starry eyed too, waiting for that special treat they know is coming their way, when they hear me crack hard-boiled eggs.. I always boil extra eggs when I make this curry, just for Yohan and Zaara.

Egg Curry

Serves: 4-6

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 15-20 minutes

Ingredients:

9-10 hard-boiled eggs- Shelled and diced

One large Onion: diced thin

2 large Tomatoes: diced

1/2 cup frozen Peas (optional)

1tsp Ginger-Garlic paste

2 tbsps Cilantro: chopped

1tsp Mint: chopped (optional)

2 Bay Leaves

1 tsp Chili Powder

1 tsp Cumin Powder

2-3 tsp Garam Masala Powder

1/4 teaspoon Turmeric

1 tsp Salt

1 tbsp Canola Oil

3-4 Curry Leaves (optional)- also known as Kadipatta. Find it at your neighborhood Indian or Pakistani grocers.

1/2 cup Coconut Milk (optional)

Heat up the oil. Add the Curry Leaves/Bay Leaves when the oil is hot enough. Do not let burn. Add the diced onion and saute until softened (about 5 minutes on medium heat).

When the onions start to brown, add the ginger-garlic paste. Stir for a minute and add the diced tomatoes. Cover and cook until tomatoes start to soften. Then add the chili powder, garam masala, turmeric, cumin powder and salt. Cover and cook for 10 minutes until the tomatoes start sweating. If you want a smoother gravy, puree the onion and tomato mix (bay leaved and all) in a processor. I love my Magic Bullet for such activities. It is quick and easy to use and clean.

Note: If you plan to make the gravy ahead of time for future use, STOP HERE. Freeze the gravy. It should last in the freezer for about 2-3 weeks. When you are ready to serve, thaw, add eggs and cilantro and simmer for a few minutes on medium heat before serving.

Pour the blended mix back in to the pot. Add the peas. Cover and simmer until peas are tender. In the meanwhile, shell and chop the hard boiled eggs.

Add the chopped eggs to the pot along with half of the cilantro.

Cover and let simmer couple minutes.

Note: If you would like to add coconut milk, add at this stage. Simmer for 7-10 minutes on medium heat to allow the spices to blend with the coconut milk. For the quantity mentioned in this recipe, you would need about 1/2 cup of coconut milk.

Take off heat, garnish with the cilantro and mint and serve with Roti or Rice. You can also squeeze half a lemon on top for an extra zing.