Egg And Lentil Curry With Coconut And Pickled Lime

Total Time: 1 hr 5 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 2
• 4 large eggs, hard boiled
• 3 ounces green lentils
• 3 ounces creamed coconut
• 1 1/2 teaspoons lime pickle, chopped finely
• 1/2 lime, juice of
• 1/2 lime, zest of
• 1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced
• 1 small red chile, de-deeded and finely chopped
• 2 fat garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 inch piece gingerroot, finely grated
• 3 cardamom pods, crushed
• 1 teaspoon cumin seed
• 1 teaspoon fennel seed
• 1 tablespoon coriander seed
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil or 2 tablespoons other mild oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon ground fenugreek
• salt
• 150 ml rice, cooked
• lime pickle
• mango chutney (optional)

Recipe

• 1 peel onion, cut it in half and into thin slices. set aside.
• 2 combine chili, garlic, lime pickle, ginger root and lime zest in prep bowl as follows: de-seed and finely chop the chili. put in a prep bowl. add peeled, chopped garlic, finely chopped lime pickle, finely grated ginger and lime zest. add turmeric and fenugreek.
• 3 shred creamed coconut with a sharp knife and placed in a heatproof 4 cup measuring jug. cover with boiling water up to 1 pint (570 ml) stir.
• 4 heat frying pan over a medium heat. when hot, measure the whole spices (cardamom, cumin, fennel and coriander) into it. dry roast spices for 2 - 3 minutes, shaking the pan from time to time to toss them around a bit. don't roast too long. remove from the heat and put into a mortar. crush.
• 5 heat same pan over medium high and add the oil. when hot, add the onions. brown onions until fairly dark – about 4 minute add chili etc. from prep bowl, ground roasted spices and coconut water mixture and lentils.
• 6 cover and simmer as gently as possible for 45 minutes, stirring it now and then (don't add any salt at this stage).
• 7 while lentils are cooking, hard boil eggs. cool under running cold water. when cool enough to handle, peel under the running water and slice in half.
• 8 when the sauce is ready, season it well with salt and add the lime juice.
• 9 put the eggs on top of the sauce, and cook covered for a couple of minutes to heat eggs.
• 10 serve the egg curry with rice, some more lime pickle and perhaps some mango chutney to add a touch of sweetness.