Egg Balchao/Egg Cake - Goan Recipe

First of all many thanks to my friend Shilpa, for introducing me to this recipe. This recipe Egg Balchao or Egg Cake, is a Goan Recipe (and ofcourse she is from Goa, she told me 2 versions. First version of the recipe I give here). I do not have that much liking to the eggs, thats why in cakes or any other baking dishes too, i prefer, eggless mostly. But after having tasted this recipe, I have become fan to this and used to prepare whenever I get a chance and each time everyone in my family likes it....

Here we go for the recipe....

Ingredients

• Eggs - 4 or 5
• Onion - 1 big (chop finely)
• Tomato - 1 big (cut into fine pieces)
• Green Chillies - 2 (cut finely)
• Ginger - garlic paste - 1/2 tsp
• Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
• Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp
• Turmeric powder - 2 pinch
• Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp
• White pepper - 1/4 tsp
• Chat Masala - as per the wish (I used 4 to 5 pinch)
• Salt - as per taste
• Curry leaves - few
• Coriander leaves - few
• Oil - 1 tsp

Method

• In a flat bottomed pan (better if non stick), add 1 tsp oil.
• When oil is hot, add the onion and saute till it becomes translucent.
• Add the tomato, ginger - garlic paste and green chillies, curry leaves and saute well till, the tomato becomes soft.
• Now add the chilli powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, turmeric powder and salt.

• Smash the tomatoes and let it cook for 2 to 3 min.
• Add the garam masala and mix well.
• Take care that it is not sticking to the bottom.
• It should not be too thick or too watery. If the tomato paste becomes thick, sprikle little water and mix well.
• By this time, the oil starts to come out.
• Now break and add the eggs into the mixture one by one slowly.
• Now sprinkle, the pepper powder, chilli powder, chat masala, little salt and coriander leaves.

• Cover with a lid and wait for 3 to 5 min.
• Now open the lid and try to shake the pan a bit, and if the egg not shaking, then Egg Balchao is done.
• If it is little bit shaking also, cover the lid again and cook for another 2 min.
• The harder part of the upper egg part and the juicy bottom part of the Egg cake would taste fabulous.
• Taste great when Egg Balchao is hot.

Note:
You can use crushed black pepper also, as per your taste

Masal Vadai Kuzhambu

For Gravy/Kuzhambu

• Onion - 2
• Tomato - 2
• Tamarind - 1(small) lemon size
• Pepper - 1/2 tsp (coarse powder)
• Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Chilli powder - 1 tsp
• Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp
• Turmeric powder - 2 pinch
• Fenugreek seeds - 2 pinch
• Garlic - 4 to 5 cloves
• Curry leaves - few
• Salt - as need
• Oil - 3 to 4 tsp

For Masal Vadai

• Kadalai Paruppu/Channa dhal - 2 cups
• Ulutham Paruppu/Urud dhal - 5 tsp
• Onion - 2 big 
• Dry Chillies - 4 (chopped finely)
• Green chillies - 2 (chopped finely)
• Garlic - 6 cloves (chopped finely)
• Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Fennel seeds - 2 tsp
• Cinnamon stick - 2" (crushed to pieces)
• Curry leaves - few
• Coriander leaves - few
• Oil for frying
• Salt as per taste

Method


To prepare gravy

• Soak the tamarind for 10min in hot water.
• In a pan, add oil, and when it is bit hot, add fenugreek seeds.
• Take half of the onion and garlic and keep aside.
• Now add onion and salt and fry for 2 to 3 min.
• Add tomato and garlic(crushed) and saute well.
• Now add the tamarind water, chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder and allow it to boil.
• In mixie, add the remaining half of the onion, garlic, pepper and cumin seeds and grind to a fine paste.
• Add this to the boiling gravy and allow to boil for another 20 min.
• Add coconut milk and again allow to boil in less flame.

To prepare Masal Vadai

• Soak the dal (kadalai paruppu)  for nearly 3 to 4 hours.
• Filter the water throughly.
• In the mixie or food processor, grind the soaked dhall. (do not add water).
• Transfer this into a big bowl and mix the other ingredients except oil.
• In a kadai, pour enough oil and heat it keeping in medium flame.
• Make them in to vadai shape and put it in the oil slowly. 
• Fry them till golden brown and put it in the boiling kuzhambu/gravy immediately, so that it soaks nicely.

Brinjal fry

Ingredients
Brinjal - 4 to 5 ( I used small ones )
Chilli powder - 1 tsp
Rice flour - 1 tsp
Turmeric - a pinch
Salt - as per taste
Oil - for frying

Method
Mix the chilli powder, rice flour, turmeric, salt together.
Wash and cut the Brinjal into circle shape.
In a flat bottomed pan, add oil n heat it.
Now mix the Brinjal's into the mixture so that it is well coated on both sides.
Add the brinjal's in the oil one by one and shallow fry it.
Now dry in the kitchen towel to absorb excess oil if any and serve.
Goes well with any rice dish.