I used to shop on a daily basis, and meals generally happened based on my mood of the moment and ingredient availability. I now shop only once a week, which makes spontaneity a little difficult. Though we haven’t suffered in our culinary adventures during the recent months, I’ve found it a bit challenging to plan an entire week of meals at a time. (I know; First World problems…)
Shopping day is Sunday and it starts early at the farmers market. There, I let loose a little and just take in all the possibilities. Sometimes they fit into the weekly meal plan, sometimes they don’t. For this reason, our planning deliberately leaves one or two meal slots empty, allowing me some leeway when I find something seasonal or really special I hadn’t planned for.
Recently, I was visiting one of the farmers’ booths, ready to purchase chicken, when I noticed a box of quail eggs. I have a weakness for eggs, and soon the box was in my basket, headed home to inspire one of our ad hoc weekly meals.
I don’t know what made me think of Indian cuisine, but I started searching for recipes for egg curries. Through the magic of the Internet, I was able to put this recipe together. One flavor that really makes this dish is that of the curry leaves — an iconic ingredient in South Indian cuisine; they are easy to freeze for year-round use. Just add a few drops of oil to them, toss to coat, then freeze in a sealed container.
~ David
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Lee
October 16, 2021 at 5:19 amthe eggs are beautiful…too bad you had to peel them.
Cocoa & Lavender
October 16, 2021 at 8:45 pmI know, but when you peel them the interior is the most beautiful robin’d egg blue! So, in the end, it was worth peeling them!
John / Kitchen Riffs
October 16, 2021 at 7:44 amI’ve never cooked quail eggs! One of those things I must do one of these days. I have, however, made curried eggs, although the recipe I used is from the north of India , so no sambar powder. This looks delightful — definitely a must try. Really nice — thanks.
Cocoa & Lavender
October 16, 2021 at 8:46 pmI have to say, John, the sambar powder was amazing! I can’t wait to find more uses for it. And the quail eggs? The yolks were so creamy…
Connie
October 16, 2021 at 10:42 amThat looks DELICIOUS, especially in those beautiful bowls. Is that handmade naan in the background?
Cocoa & Lavender
October 16, 2021 at 8:46 pmI haven’t yet perfected naan, Connie, but that’s homemade roti. I hope to do better with them and post the recipe soon.
Eha
October 16, 2021 at 3:45 pmPeagreen with envy ! No farmers’ markets within reasonable distance and usually no quail eggs in my otherwise great supermarket . . . shall keep my wyes open as you did ! Cook a lot of Southern Indian dishes and really like both the look and sound of yours. Methinks may try the recipe using the smallest chicken eggs available. Rice bran oil, yellow mustard seeds and asafoetida even tho’ I am a garlic ‘fiend, methinks . . . . have not had Indian-style eggs forever and yours I could eat thru’ the screen !
Cocoa & Lavender
October 16, 2021 at 8:47 pmThanks for acknowledging the lack of garlic, Eha! I think this would be amazing the small chicken eggs.
sherry
October 16, 2021 at 8:22 pmi like your tip re freezing the curry leaves. i love to keep herbs in the freezer. quail eggs!? how spiffing cute.
Cocoa & Lavender
October 16, 2021 at 8:48 pmThe curry leaves to so well in the freezer! We had some tonight with a green bean coconut curry. Quite wonderful! They keep their flavor beautifully. And yes, the eggs are spiffing cute!
Christina
October 16, 2021 at 10:29 pmBeautiful dish! I’ve never cooked with quail eggs myself. I would love this dish (barring the cilantro, of course)! Haha! You with garlic and me with cilantro, although mine isn’t an allergy. Thanks for sharing this recipe!
Cocoa & Lavender
October 17, 2021 at 12:11 amThanks, Christina! It is a fun dish and I imagine basil or mint would work well instead of the cilantro!
Pauline McNee
October 17, 2021 at 3:03 amThis isn’t just any old egg curry David, quail eggs take it to a whole new level . I’ve eaten quail but not the eggs, they look so cute and delicious. I now have two new items for the next Indian shop, asafoteida and sambar powder. So exciting. We grow a curry tree so plenty of those leaves to use. Can’t wait to try this recipe, thanks so much.
David Scott Allen
October 17, 2021 at 5:29 amII agree with you Pauline – the quail eggs make it very special. And I think you will l love the sambar powder – such amazing flavor. Asafoetida is really unique — don’t be surprise if it smells like old tennis shoes! It stinks! But when it hits the oil, it turns wonderful.
Jeff the Chef
October 17, 2021 at 9:55 amThat curry looks so interesting. I’ve never had anything like it! Shopping once a week … and on Sunday! I’d find that nightmarish. But I realize that this is indeed what the world does. I thank God that I’m an oddball who can shop mid-morning on a Thursday. On the other hand, starting that Sunday at a farmers market sounds like a pleasure.
Cocoa & Lavender
October 18, 2021 at 10:30 pmI still find the once-a-week shopping a nightmare… I prefer to shop each day! But I’m working to make the safest choices,,, And you are right, starting at the farmers market is a bit of heaven.
Valentina
October 17, 2021 at 7:12 pmI absolutely love this, David. I’m going to try it ASAP. It’s one my whole family will love. I’ll report back. 🙂 ~Valentina
Cocoa & Lavender
October 18, 2021 at 10:31 pmIt is unbelievably good, Valentina! I hope everyone likes it!
Ron
October 18, 2021 at 12:24 amDavid, another fantastic dish and one that differs from my experiences with egg curries. And, when I say differs, I mean in a very good way. I love the coconut milk addition, as I’ve not had egg curry made with it. When I traveled on the road in India we would often stop at a dhabas (like a truck stop) for a quick lunch and egg curry always seemed to be on the menu. However, it was a chili and tomato-based curry and very spicy. I think the coconut milk would mellow the dish well.
Your roti looks fine by me. I like to make mine all a little different in shape so they don’t look like the store-bought ones.
Take care…
Cocoa & Lavender
October 18, 2021 at 10:33 pmThanks, Ron -now I want to explore the tomato-chili-egg curries! The roti came out well, especially since I don’t have a gas stove to make them puff up!
Raymund
October 19, 2021 at 5:55 pmOhhh this looks nice, in fact I want to make one. We do use quail eggs a lot in the Filipino cuisine but never had tried it in curries. Well you just inspired me to make one
Cocoa & Lavender
October 19, 2021 at 10:22 pmGlad to have inspired you – I really live this curry, Raymond!
Inger @ Art of Natural Liivng
October 19, 2021 at 8:11 pmLove this David! We have access to pullet egg and some of them are quite small. I love using the farmer’s market for inspiration. Alas the outdoor markets are ending up here but Milwaukee has a very nice winter market when I’m there.
Cocoa & Lavender
October 19, 2021 at 10:23 pmI think your pullet eggs would be perfect for this, Inger!
Frank
October 21, 2021 at 5:19 amSounds and looks exquisite, David. I really have to try my hand at Indian cooking. We recently ate out Indian for the first time in a while, and I was reminded just how tasty Indian food can be. But I find it a bit intimidating, to be honest. The recipes usually call for such a long list of spices, etc. But this one definitely looks manageable!
Cocoa & Lavender
October 22, 2021 at 11:41 pmThanks, Frank – once you have the spice collection, Indian cuisine becomes pretty easy!I hope you give this a try!
speedy70
October 21, 2021 at 6:18 amDivine queste uova al curry, grazie!!!!
Cocoa & Lavender
October 22, 2021 at 11:42 pmGrazie tante – è molto gustoso!
2pots2cook
October 22, 2021 at 3:40 amThese quail eggs make every dish so special and attractive, right ?
Cocoa & Lavender
October 22, 2021 at 11:43 pmThey do, Davorka – unpeeled, they are beautiful… wish I had shown their interiors!
John
October 23, 2021 at 1:51 pmDavid, you’ve made me miss my beloved curry leaf tree I had no choice but to leave behind in the front yard of our previous house in Sydney. I think it’s a bit too cool here in the mountains for one to grow.
Not a week goes by where I don’t make something Indian. The body needs a regular jolt of spices! Whilst I may not be able to have eggs as the hero, thanks to Dean’s aversion to boiled eggs, I’d still incorporate many of these little darlings with a meat of some sort. Quail eggs are adorable!
Cocoa & Lavender
October 30, 2021 at 12:06 amSame here, John – Indian is always on our table. And, lucky for me, Mark is not at all picky,
Definitely give this a go with chicken! Or tofu!
The-FoodTrotter
October 29, 2021 at 10:23 amYour curry looks just luscious! I should try that beautiful egg curry ASAP 🙂
Cocoa & Lavender
October 30, 2021 at 12:06 amI hope you do, Romain – it’s really good,
If the Boot Fits… – Cocoa & Lavender
November 6, 2021 at 3:03 am[…] started with my aforementioned menu planning (An Egg-cellent Find). We started seeing patterns in our meals and realized it was a good time to make some changes. One […]
EASYFOODSMITH
November 16, 2021 at 4:31 amThe flavour profile of the curry is phenomenal, with the sambar powder and curry leaves adding so much punch to it and the coconut milk bringing that balance. I could drink this curry 😛