Egg Masala

Ingredients:

• 6 hard boiled eggs
• 5 tbsps vegetable oil
• 2 medium onion sliced
• 3 medium sized tomatoes cut into quarters
• 2 green chillies
• 2 tsps garlic paste
• 2 tsps ginger paste
• 2 tsps coriander powder
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
• Salt to taste
• Chopped fresh coriander leaves to garnish

Preparation:

1. Fry the sliced onion in hot oil till golden. Remove the onions from the pan and put them in a food processor. Grind the onions, tomatoes, green chillies into a smooth paste. Try to avoid adding water while grinding, if possible.

2. Heat the oil that used to fry onion and add the paste you just made to it. Fry for 2-3 minutes.

3. Add the ginger and garlic pastes, all the dry spices, mix and fry till the oil begins to separate from the masala (onion-tomato-spice mix).

4. Now add 2 cups of warm water to this masala and bring to a boil on a medium flame.

5. Half slit the boiled eggs vertically and add them gently to the gravy. Simmer the flame and cook for 10 minutes or till the gravy is thickened a bit.

6. Turn off the fire and garnish with chopped coriander leaves. 

Red Prawn Curry

Ingredients :
• 3 Tbs Red Curry Paste
• 2 cups of coconut milk
• 1/4 cup julienned ginger (optional)
• 1 - 1.5 kgs of peeled green prawns (I like to leave tails on)
• 1 tbs palm sugar
• 2 tbs fish sauce
• 1 cup Thai basil or sweet basil (not shown in the picture above)
• 3 kaffir lime leaves, finely shredded

Red Curry Paste :•15 Dried Red Chillies• 2 Tbs coriander root, chopped (This refers to all the roots and the bottom 1 cm of stalk)• 2 tsp coriander seeds, roasted• 1 tsp cumin seeds, roasted• 2 tsp white peppercorns• 2 small red onions• 12 cloves of garlic• 2 stalks of lemon glass, finely sliced• 1 tbs galangal (looks like ginger but tastes quite different. Easy to get fresh or you could use pickled galangal)• 1tbs lime zest• 1/2 tsp ground mace• 2 tsp salt• 2 tsp shrimp paste (roasted)

Red Curry Pest Preparation:
• Soak chillies in hot water for 30 minutes. (Try to choose the reddest ones as this will make for a better colour in your final product)
• Dry roast coriander and cumin seeds in a non stick pan until browned and fragrant.
• Keep them moving to avoid burning.
• This should only take 2-3 minutes.
• To roast the shrimp paste place on a doubled up piece of foil. Fold up to make a neat parcel then place foil directly on the gas flame for 1 minute. Turn with tongs and cook for another minute. Allow to cool slightly before unwrapping.
• Remove red chillies from the water and chop finely. In a mortar and pestle grind the roasted coriander seeds and cumin seeds with the coriander root and white peppercorns. Add all the remaining ingredients and pound until a smooth paste forms. Your curry paste will last for 2 - 3 weeks in a glass jar in the fridge.

Method :
1. Heat 1/2 cup of coconut milk in a wok and add the curry paste and ginger.
2. Cook until fragrant and the oils are starting to separate from the milk, about 5-10 minutes. Add palm sugar and fish sauce and remaining coconut milk and simmer for 1 minute.
3. Add prawns and simmer until just cooked through, 2 - 3 minutes. Check seasoning and adjust to taste.
4. Stir in basil and transfer to serving bowl.
5. Garnish with kaffir lime leaves and serve immediately with steamed jasmine rice.