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North Indian Baked Eggs--easy and delicious!

North Indian Baked Eggs

Closely adapted from Tara O'Brady. If you have whole cumin seeds, add about a teaspoon with the ghee--I did not because I was out.
Course Entree
Cuisine Indian
Author TheSpicedLife

Ingredients

  • 2 T ghee
  • 3 large onions, chopped
  • 4-6 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 bunch bunch of cilantro, tender stems finely chopped and separated and leaves coarsely chopped
  • 1/2 t ground turmeric
  • 1/4 t paprika (or cayenne if you can take the heat)
  • 1 t ground cumin
  • 1 1/2 t ground coriander
  • 2 t garam masala, plus some to sprinkle
  • 4 lbs tomatoes, either fresh in summer or frozen off-season, chopped
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1/3 cup Greek yogurt, whole fat or 2%
  • 4-8 eggs, depending on appetites (I always ask how many each person wants)
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • Cooked Basmati rice for serving, optional

Garnishes I did not have but that would be nice:

  • lime or lemon wedges
  • chopped nuts of choice (almonds or cashews would be nice I think)
  • chopped fresh dill
  • baby greens (I would love to try arugula)

Instructions

  1. Using a large, heavy, oven-proof skillet (I think enameled cast iron is perfect here), heat the ghee over medium heat. When it is melted and shimmering, add the onions with a pinch of salt.
  2. While they cook, preheat the oven to 375 F.
  3. Cook the onions, stirring occasionally, until they are caramelizing, about 10-15 minutes. You can add a splash of water if they start to scorch or stick. Add the garlic and cook for another 1-2 minutes, stirring.
  4. Add the finely chopped tender cilantro stems with another pinch of salt. Cook, stirring, for another 2 minutes.
  5. Add the turmeric and paprika and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Then add the cumin, coriander and garam masala and stir, cooking, for another 30 seconds.
  6. Add the tomatoes with all of their juices, as well as a pinch of salt and the bay leaves. Raise the heat to bring to a boil, and when it does boil, reduce the heat to maintain a simmer. Simmer for 20 minutes. Stir occasionally, being certain to scrape at the bottom of the pan.
  7. The tomatoes will reduce and thicken, and become more of a sauce. The oil will rise to the top of the sauce, kind of splitting from the sauce (it might look broken, but that is what you want).
  8. Dollop the yogurt into the sauce in several spoonfuls. Then lightly marble the yogurt into the tomatoes (this is O'Brady's technique and I thought it was brilliant).
  9. Use the wooden end of a spoon to create "holes" and crack each egg into a hole. Sprinkle with a little salt and black pepper, to taste.
  10. Bake in the oven to your preferred doneness; O'Brady recommends 12 minutes for oozing yolks but set whites.
  11. Sprinkle very lightly (the barest pinch) with garam masala when it comes out of the oven, and a handful of the chopped cilantro leaves. We enjoyed it with Basmati rice; if I had had any of them on hand, I am sure the garnishes listed above would also be delicious.