Poached egg moilee with roasted tomatoes
Creamy, rich and lightly spiced egg curry with coconut milk.
Egg molee/moilee/molly- is a traditional Kerala recipe. I am not sure of the right way to spell it and I think the difference is in the pronunciation as we have around 30 dialects in Malayalam.
Egg moilee, inspired from fish moilee is a lightly spiced Kerala style egg curry that can be made in under 30 minutes. This is an easy to make mild curry that is perfect for even young kids. The recipe calls for just two spices, turmeric and pepper, yet yields lip-smacking results. The key ingredient here is coconut milk that brings the creaminess and richness to the curry.
The eggs used in egg moilee can be in any form- boiled, boiled and sautéed with spices, poached, sunny side up or even omelet. I’m using poached egg in this recipe because I like my eggs with a firm white on the outside and a golden runny yolk inside.
The secret to perfectly poached eggs is to use fresh eggs. Adding a little vinegar to the water is also highly recommended as it helps to hold the egg together, without adding any extra tanginess or flavor to the eggs. Also, remember to boil the water and then lower the heat so the water is just simmering. The large bubbles in boiling water can break up and disperse the egg whites. So, remember to poach the eggs in simmering, not boiling water.
Egg moilee is the perfect dish to go on the breakfast table on Christmas day. It is rich, pairs well with most breads and more importantly, easy to make giving you more time to focus on an elaborate Christmas dinner. I’m not sure if it’s just me or if there are others who prefer egg moilee with toast. I’d take a piece of crunchy toast to dip it in a bowl of egg moilee for breakfast any day, especially during cold winter days.
Poached egg moilee with roasted tomatoes
Bring a large pot of water to a boil, then lower the heat until the water is barely simmering.
Stir vinegar to the simmering water and create a vortex.
Add the egg to the middle of the vortex and cook the egg for 3 minutes. Gently keep stirring the water with a spoon while the eggs cook.
Remove the egg with a slotted spoon and transfer on to a paper towel to remove any excess water. Keep aside.
Slice the tomato into circles, marinate with a pinch of pepper and keep aside.
In a pan, add a tablespoon of oil and roast/shallow fry tomatoes on both sides. Keep them aside.
In the same pan, add a tablespoon of oil and heat on a medium flame. Add mustard seeds, curry leaves, sliced ginger, garlic and green chilies, sauté for a minute until the raw smell subsides.
Add the sliced onions and sauté until they’re slightly translucent, not brown.
Add turmeric powder, pepper powder, salt and sauté for a minute.
Add thin coconut milk. Close the lid and allow the curry to boil for 5-6 minutes on medium flame. When the oil starts separating, reduce the flame to low.
Add the poached eggs, and let the curry boil.
Add the thick coconut milk and cook on low flame for a couple minutes, making sure not to allow the dish to boil. Check for seasoning.
Add the roasted tomato slices, more curry leaves and drizzle a tablespoon of coconut oil. Close the lid and switch off the flame.
Serve with Appam, Idiyappam, Rice, Chapati/Roti or sliced bread.
Thank you for trying this with me!
I’d love to see it on Instagram! Just use the hashtag #ttwmblog and I’ll be sure to find it.
Ingredients
Directions
Bring a large pot of water to a boil, then lower the heat until the water is barely simmering.
Stir vinegar to the simmering water and create a vortex.
Add the egg to the middle of the vortex and cook the egg for 3 minutes. Gently keep stirring the water with a spoon while the eggs cook.
Remove the egg with a slotted spoon and transfer on to a paper towel to remove any excess water. Keep aside.
Slice the tomato into circles, marinate with a pinch of pepper and keep aside.
In a pan, add a tablespoon of oil and roast/shallow fry tomatoes on both sides. Keep them aside.
In the same pan, add a tablespoon of oil and heat on a medium flame. Add mustard seeds, curry leaves, sliced ginger, garlic and green chilies, sauté for a minute until the raw smell subsides.
Add the sliced onions and sauté until they’re slightly translucent, not brown.
Add turmeric powder, pepper powder, salt and sauté for a minute.
Add thin coconut milk. Close the lid and allow the curry to boil for 5-6 minutes on medium flame. When the oil starts separating, reduce the flame to low.
Add the poached eggs, and let the curry boil.
Add the thick coconut milk and cook on low flame for a couple minutes, making sure not to allow the dish to boil. Check for seasoning.
Add the roasted tomato slices, more curry leaves and drizzle a tablespoon of coconut oil. Close the lid and switch off the flame.
Serve with Appam, Idiyappam, Rice, Chapati/Roti or sliced bread.