Dim'er Jhal/Dalna- Egg Curry Made Easy

The time and moment seems to freeze for a moment there. As I sat on a wooden bench near the River Thames, something inside me started to correlate the similarities of Outram Ghat and Millenium Park along the banks of river Ganga/Hooghly and river Thames flowing out there .It was high tide time and waves were dancing, bouncing more as if it were trying to convey some sorts of a message. The sun was shining but it was still very cold. I was trying to spot perhaps a bhuttawalah, but no bhutta walah was there, but yes there was a lady selling pink cotton candy. And yeah people preoccupied with lots of other activities to keep oneself busy. My mind again started to wander past the by lanes of Kolkata

A sudden gush of chilly wind breezed past and it woke me up from my day dream. Yes, I was there physically but my mind was lost somewhere else. I was there sitting on this bench soaking up fresh sunshine, enough to warm me up physically and emotionally.
I looked up in the sky, and this is what I spotted, London Eye, the giant wheel with these small passenger capsules.

 Each capsule can accommodate at least 25 people and there are 32 such capsules representing 32 boroughs of London.

And then my vision got stuck on this river cruise ship.

A small hand mischievously closed my spectacled eyes, I smiled .Those small hands were familiar and I knew who it was.My eagerness was to get hold of those little hands ,but this bundle of joy, was in a different mood that day, more interested in playing some silly games.”Freeze” she said and then she ran away hurriedly. I turned back and two pairs of eyes were looking at me so fondly.
I thought may be this is what simple joys of life means, sometimes let yourself freeze for a moment, soak up the moment and then walk ahead, move ahead in life.

Oh! and this egg curry is what my folks like to eat after coming back from a river Thames trip usually.Dime’er dalna as it is called in every Bengali home, has been a frequent star of our dinner menus. But I do think I haven’t mentioned dimer dalna here. This dime’er dalna is little bit different. As I generally don’t stir/fry the masala paste which is a must for every dalna, jhaal or jhol etc...

I would say if you are in good mood after your days out like me, then why not unwind the evening with your folks instead of sweating it out in kitchen. You can probably prepare this masala paste in the morning and keep it refrigerated till you are ready for making dim’er dalna or egg curry...

All you need is to hard boil eggs and de shell it. Meanwhile put the masala with about 1 cup of water, 2-3 tbs of oil and whatever seasonings you like. Cover it and then put the flame on low and then do spend time with your family. Half way through come back in the kitchen and check the gravy. If required add some warm water, again cover it to cook. About 35-40 mints, add hard-boiled eggs. And you are ready with your easy breezy dim’er dalna.And if you fancy something alluring, then why not fry the eggs a little bit to give the authentic dim’er dalna touch. There is no hard and fast rule about this recipe. This is very flexible; add tomatoes if you wish or loads of fresh coriander leaves .Sometimes I do add chopped mushrooms and green peas as well.

Dim’er Dalna – Bengali Egg Curry made easy
Recipe Requirements- (Serves -4 )
2 large onions
4-5 fat cloves of garlic
1 inch of ginger
2-3 green chilies
1 tomato
2 medium size potatoes cut into cubes (optional)
3-4 tbs of cooking oil
Seasonings
1 tsp of turmeric powder
2 tsp of hot red pepper powder
1 tsp of cumin powder
2 tsp of coriander powder
Salt as per taste
Pinch of sugar
1 tsp of ghee
1 tsp of garam masala
Method

• Put a pot with enough water+4 eggs on a high flame .Add pinch of salt. Let it come to a full boil and then let it boil for 7-8 mints at lower middle flame/gas mark 3 or gas mark 4.After 8-9 mints , take it off and run through some cold tap water.
• Now let it sit for 1-2 mints, till you feel you can easily de shell the hard boiled egg. Make soft knife marks with a cutting knife all over the egg that way eggs will soak up the flavor of gravy. Some people are very particular about the marks/cuts –some say 3 marks are good, some prefer 4. I mean does it really matter how many incision you make over the egg? Readers any clue about it?
• Meanwhile the eggs are boiling, prepare the masala paste-
• Pulse through- in a heavy duty mixer/grinder onion, garlic, ginger and tomato and green chilies.
• Add oil to a saucepan.
• Now add the masala paste with the dry ingredient like- turmeric, red pepper and cumin+coriander powder. Adjust salt and add pinch of sugar (a must for every dim’er jhaal/dalna)
• Add about 1-2 cups of water depending on the consistency gravy.
• You may like to add potatoes cubes or some chopped mushrooms or green peas, then add it at this time. No need to fry the vegetables. Remember this is classic no stir/fry recipe.
• Now cover the gravy and lower the flame/gas mark 2.And let it cook through till the oil starts separating and floating. Add in hard boiled eggs and cook again another 4-5 mints.
• When the gravy has turned out like a mush or I Bengali “makho-makho”, remove the pot over the flame.
• Add in loads of coriander leaves for garnishing. Add in 1tsp of ghee and 1 tsp of garam masala.
• You are ready to eat.

Note-
This recipe is easy version of dim’er dalna or egg curry. No need to fry the gravy. However, if you feel, you may go ahead and fry the masala paste and then add water for the gravy texture accordingly.

Other recipes to refer-

1. Dim'er Dalna at Preoccupied
2. Dimer Dalna at Cosmopolitancurrymania
3. Egg Curry with veggies -at Bongmom

Happy Cooking Friends