an eggsellent post part 2: the recipe

(it's a lentil recipe but it has eggs)

Welcome back to part 2 of this most eggsellent post! You survived the deep dive on eggs, now enjoy the wonders of a (perhaps) novel use for them- plus it’s an easy, basically one pot weeknight-friendly recipe that freezes well, meal preps great, and is super high in potassium, protein, fiber and iron!

The recipe is Durban-style curried red lentils with soft egg. You’ve heard of Thai curries and Indian curries, but did you know that this South African city is also famous for its curries? Some even argue they’re the best in the world! Durban has both a massive port and a huge ethnically Indian population, so the local cuisine has long been influenced by ingredients, spices and flavors both from India and other far-flung places across the globe.

The hallmarks of a Durban-style curry are as follows:

-heat. They’re spicy!! We’re using jalapeños here, but fresh cayenne peppers are traditional. Feel free to sub with serranos for an interesting twist, or add as much dried cayenne pepper as you want.

-tomato. Durban curries tend to be fairly red from the liberal use of fresh and/or processed tomato. We’re using a generous amount of tomato paste in this recipe. The addition of paprika can also enhance the red hue.

-warm spices. In addition to garam masala, warm spices like clove, anise, cinnamon and cardamom are given extra boost here. Some recipes call for fennel seed as well.

-curry leaves. Apparently it’s a sin to omit actual curry leaves from a Durban curry. I didn’t have any…. so I omitted, and it was delicious. Shhh, don’t tell!!

I traveled to post-apartheid Cape Town in 2007 and stayed with a host family in the Cape Flats. Two of the most memorable dishes my host mom made were spaghetti bolognese (evidence of British influence- the Brits love their spag bol) and these delicious curried lentils, always served with two soft boiled eggs on top, the jammy yolk oozing delightfully into the rest of the dish. I’d never seen this before, and I have scarcely eaten lentils any other way since- it’s genius, it’s delicious, and it’s incredibly nutritious and filling. Bonus: my foolproof method for seamlessly peeling boiled eggs. Enjoy <3

---

Durban-style curried red lentils with soft egg

Makes 5-7 servings, takes 30 mins

Materials needed: large saucepan with lid, small saucepan

Ingredients

5 tsp butter, divided

1 generous glug olive oil 

1/2 a yellow or white onion, chopped 

Three inches ginger, minced 

4-6 cloves garlic, chopped 

2-3 jalapeños, including seeds, minced  (reduce quantity or de-seed the peppers if you don’t like heat, of course, but it’s designed to be spicy!)

1 tbsp garam masala

1 tsp cardamom 

1/2 tsp cinnamon 

1/2 tsp paprika 

Salt pepper

1.5 cups red lentils (I use Bob’s Red Mill- did you know it’s an employee-owned company? We love to see it)

Approximately 1/3 cup tomato paste

1 can full-fat coconut milk

4 cups water or stock (the lentils will be so flavorful that water is honestly fine, but go ahead and use stock if you have it/feel so inclined)

Heirloom eggs, 1-2 per serving 

Chopped cilantro and parsley, for serving

Lemon wedges, for serving

---

Heat a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add half the butter and the glug of olive oil, followed by the ginger, jalapeños, garam masala, cardamom, cinnamon and paprika. Allow the aromatics to bloom, stirring once or twice, for about a minute until fragrant and beginning to brown Add onions and garlic, seasoning with salt and pepper. Mix well to combine. Stir every 30 seconds or so until onions are softened and translucent; we are preventing the aromatics from burning, but not stirring so much that we prevent the development of a nice fond.

Add lentils and tomato paste and mix well. Allow entire mixture to cook for a minute or two, stirring occasionally, so the tomato paste begins to cook a bit. Deglaze with coconut milk, stir, and add and water. Put the lid on and let simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until lentils are stewed to a porridge-like consistency and cooked fully (they should be completely soft with no bite whatsoever). Taste and add salt as needed, one generous pinch at a time.

Meanwhile, on another burner, fill a small saucepan 2/3 of the way with water and bring to a boil. Using a spoon, carefully lower your egg into the boiling water (1-2 eggs per person). Set a timer for 6 minutes. When the timer goes off, turn off heat and immediately remove your pot to the sink, pouring out the hot water. Run cold water into the pot over the eggs for 30 seconds to a minute. When they’re cool enough to touch, remove to a cutting board or hard surface.

Peel the eggs: holding an egg firmly in your hand, gently tap it on all sides against your hard surface. Next, gingerly roll the egg all over, turning to get each edge, making sure you get both “points”. The surface should be full of tiny cracks, and you should feel the thin membrane between the shell and the white loosen. Carefully begin peeling the egg, focusing on the membrane underneath the shell instead of the broken shell shards. It may even come off all in one piece if you play your cards right :) :)

When lentils are done, stir in the remainder of the butter and half the chopped herbs. Ladle into bowls, topping each one with one or two eggs, a sprinkle of salt, a few grinds of fresh pepper, extra fresh herbs, and a squeeze of lemon. Cut through each egg to watch the beautiful golden yolk swim out into the lentils. Serve with rice and extra lemon wedges!

---