Kolhapur is an ancient Indian city with a rich and vibrant history. It is located in the south western corner of the state of Maharashtra. The city was settled by the Marathas (Hindu warrior class), who had a love for mainly non-vegetarian food.

Kolhapuri cuisine is well known for its bold and aromatic dishes. Traditionally, the food is spicy and full of robust flavors. Kolhapuri Egg Masala is a delicious example of what Kolhapuri cuisine has to offer.

This dish is a spicy one, so feel free to cut down on the amount of chilies or omit them altogether if you so prefer.


KOHLAPURI EGG MASALA

Ingredients:

5-6 hard boiled eggs, halved lengthwise
1 medium onion, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
1” piece of ginger, peeled & finely minced
1 medium tomato, finely chopped
2 small green Thai chilies, slit in half lengthwise (to taste)
¼ cup unsalted peanuts
2 tbsp sesame seeds
¼ cup coconut
(fresh or unsweetened desiccated)
½ tsp turmeric (haldi)
½ tsp ground cumin powder
½ tsp ground coriander powder
1 tsp kala or goda masala (or garam masala)
1 tsp red chili powder, to taste
salt & pepper, to taste
½ tbsp tamarind concentrate or tamarind powder

1 tsp black mustard seeds
½ tsp cumin seeds
3-4 dried red chilies
6-8 fresh curry leaves
pinch of asafetida
3 tbsp oil (canola or vegetable)
freshly chopped cilantro leaves for garnish

METHOD:

In a small pan on medium heat, dry roast the green chilies along with the peanuts, sesame seeds & coconut until browned and fragrant. Be careful so as not to burn. Then remove quickly from the heat and allow to cool. When cool, grind into a fine paste (with a little water) using a mini food processor or blender. Set aside until needed.

In a large deep skillet on medium high heat, add 2 tbsp of the oil. When hot, add the onions and sauté until just slightly brown. Then add the garlic and ginger. Sauté for a few minutes until brown and fragrant. Next, add the spices (turmeric, ground cumin powder, ground coriander powder, kala masala, red chili powder, salt & pepper). Stir well & let cook for 4-5 minutes. Now add the peanut/sesame seed/coconut paste along with the tomatoes & tamarind. Stir well to combine and add about a cup or so of water to create a thick “gravy”. This is not really a curry dish but rather a “masala” (or thick gravy type) dish. But you can add as much or as little water as needed until your desired consistency is reached. Then carefully add the eggs to the dish making sure they are nestled into the masala. Now cover, reduce the heat to simmer and let cook for 5-6 minutes. Transfer to a serving dish.

Meanwhile heat another small pan on medium high heat and add the remaining 1 tbsp of oil. When hot, carefully add the mustard seeds. When the splattering stops, reduce the heat and add the cumin seeds, dried red chilies, curry leaves & asafetida. Let sizzle for about 30 seconds and then pour the entire hot oil mixture over the Kolhapuri Egg Masala. Garnish with fresh cilantro leaves & serve hot with warm chapatis and fragrant Basmati rice.


VARIATIONS:

Feel free to add your favorite vegetables to this dish such as shredded carrots, green peas, baby corn, mushrooms, shredded cabbage, chopped baby spinach, diced colored bell peppers, zucchini…



NEWSLETTER: I invite you to subscribe to our free weekly newsletter. This gives you all of the updates for the Indian Food site. Sometimes, this newsletter has additional information on recipes that are not in the articles. Fill in the blank just below the article with your email address - which is never passed on beyond this site. We will never sell or trade your personal information.