Dimer Dhokar Dalna / Bengali Style Steamed Egg Curry

While my husband sat engrossed in Arnab Goswami’s programme I decided upon tomorrow’s lunch menu. I was thinking of making dimer dhoka for a long time but that never happened till now.

Dhoka is basically veg Bengali style lentil cakes, made from chana dal / cholar dal and split peas / motor dal, which is first cooked and then set in a box before cutting into diamond shapes. Just like that steamed eggs can be cut into different shapes and can be used to make curry.

Steamed eggs give the very familiar egg curry a different flavour and taste. It looks like paneer and is a good change from the usual egg curry that we make with hard boiled eggs. The curry I prepared is nothing fancy...just the usual one I make, but these steamed egg cakes sure gave that old curry a new outlook. I loved it. We liked this curry a little thin in consistency..but you can make it thick if you like the Dimer Dhoka richer and spicier in taste and look.

Dimer Dhokar Dalna / Bengali Style Steamed Egg Curry

Serves 4-5

Ingredients:

7 large eggs

2 potatoes – peeled and cut into cubes

1 onion – chopped

1 tomato – chopped

4-5 garlic cloves – paste

½ inch ginger – paste

1 tsp turmeric powder

2 tsp red chilli powder

1 tsp cumin powder

1 tsp coriander powder

½ tsp garam masala powder

Salt

A pinch of sugar

A handful of fresh coriander leaves – chopped

2-3 tbsp pure virgin mustard oil

Method:

Break the eggs in a bowl and whisk them well until totally incorporated. Add some salt for the seasonings. Take a square or round steel lunch box and grease it with oil.

Now pour the eggs into the box.

Close the lid and keep aside.

Take a heavy bottomed Dutch oven style cooking vessel and place a bowl upside down into it. Fill the pot with water only up to ¼th of the bowl. Place the whisked egg filled lunch box on that upside down box and close the lid of the pot. Now steam the eggs for 15-20 minutes or until set. If you overcook the eggs they will stick to the bottom of the box and will not come out easily.

You can also line the box with butter paper for easy unmolding.

Unmold the steamed eggs and cut them into medium square pieces.

Keep them aside.

Heat the oil in a pan / kadai and shallow fry the potatoes until lightly golden from outside.

Take them out of the kadai and keep aside.

Add the garlic paste to the remaining oil and sauté until you get the aroma.

Do not cook further and add the chopped onions to them.

Sprinkle some salt over them and cook the onions until lightly golden.

Add tomatoes and cook until mushy.

Add ginger paste and mix well. Continue cooking until you see the oil separating at the edges.

At the turmeric powder, red chilli powder, cumin and coriander powder and stir to mix.

Pour in ¼th cup of water and simmer for 2 minutes.

When the mixture becomes thick add the cubed potatoes.

Sprinkle some salt and if required add little water. Mix everything well and cover the kadai until the potatoes are cooked. Stir them often so that they do not stick to the bottom of the kadai and add water if necessary.

When the potatoes are all cooked, add another ½ cup of water to create the curry.

Add the kept aside steamed egg pieces and simmer on a medium to high flame

Until you have the right consistency of the gravy.

Taste and adjust the seasonings.

Sprinkle the garam masala powder and chopped coriander leaves and gently stir to mix.

Switch off the flame and serve hot with some plain white rice.