There are times when days feel long, tiring, or hectic and you really do not want feel like doing anything. You would expect someone to make a good meal for you or at least you want to cook something very quick. Luckily for those long days, Shakshuka comes to the rescue. You may or may not have heard this name before. I have eaten this dish (with different variation) few times in Pune (India). In short, this dish is a variation of an Indian egg curry without boiling eggs. Eggs are poached in flavorful juices of tomato and spices. Shakshuka is believed to be of Jewish, Tunisian or Middle Eastern origin. I have tried three versions of this dish – with feta cheese, with coconut milk and a combination of both. This is best enjoyed with bread but you can have anything like rice, roti, naan, pita bread along with it. The variation I made from the original dish is to cook eggs for a long time as I don’t like runny eggs but the original dish requires the egg to be runny and less cooked.
Ingredients :-
| Eggs, large | 6 |
| Onion, large finely chopped | 1 |
| Red bell pepper,finely chopped | 1 |
| Garlic cloves, thinly sliced | 3 |
| Fresh Ginger, grated | 1 tablespoon |
| Black Pepper | 1/4 teaspoon |
| Green Chilies, Chopped | 2 |
| Tomatoes, finely chopped | 4-5 |
| Garam Masala | 1/2 teaspoon |
| Coconut Milk | 1/2 cup |
| Cilantro, Finely chopped | 2 tablespoons |
| Turmeric powder | 1/2 teaspoon |
| Paprika | 1/2 teaspoon |
| Olive Oil | 2 tablespoon |
| Salt | to taste |
| Parsley leaves, dried or fresh | 1 tablespoon |
Method :-
- Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. Add onion and bell pepper and saute it until soft.
- Add ginger, garlic and green chilies and saute for 2 more minutes.
- Add turmeric, black pepper, paprika and garam masala and cook it for 1 minute.
- Add tomatoes and keep sauteing until the tomatoes get fully cooked.
- Add coconut milk and stir it gently. Let it simmer for 5 minutes.
- Add salt according to your taste and give it a quick stir.
- Make well for each egg and crack the egg one by one directly into the simmering sauce. Lower the heat to medium low, cover the pan and cook the eggs until they have a faint layer of white over the yolks. I cooked it for more five minutes until the eggs are fully set.
- Garnish it with cilantro and dried parsley leaves over the top and enjoy it warm with any kind of bread or rice you want.
Notes:-
- You can even bake this dish once you put egg in it. For that preheat the oven to 375 degree Fahrenheit and use a oven proof skillet to cook the dish. Cook it for about 10 minutes.
- You can add any type of cheese on top of it but feta cheese goes best with this dish.
- Spiciness of the dish can be modified according to taste. I like to have this dish with some sprinkled red chilies on it.
Love@1stBite 