Eggs in Spicy Tomato Curry

Eggs and tomatoes are a pairing found in many parts of the world—and a combination I crave. But unlike, say, shakshuka, I prefer a dish in which the tomatoes don’t dominate, and that’s where coconut cream comes in. It makes this dish luxurious, saucy, and creamy. Everything is cooked on the stove top, in a covered pan so the eggs steam, which sets the whites and creates a perfectly runny yolk that mixes in with the curry.

Unbalanced

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Step 1

In a large skillet over medium heat, warm the coconut oil. Add the chiles, ginger, and garlic and give things a stir until everything in the pan starts to get a little soft but hasn’t taken on any color, about 2 minutes. Add the coriander, cardamom, and turmeric and stir so the spices coat everything and become fragrant—this happens in seconds.

Step 2

Drop the tomatoes into the pan, season with a bit of salt, and let cook, stirring occasionally and squashing the tomatoes, so they burst and release their juices, 12 to 15 minutes. You want the tomatoes to soften so the sauce will thicken. Stir in the coconut cream and give the sauce a taste. It’ll probably need another pinch of salt (don’t we all).

Step 3

Using the back of a spoon, make four little nests in the mixture, one for each egg. Crack an egg into each nest and season it with salt. Cover the skillet with a lid (a baking sheet works as well if you don’t have a lid that fits) and cook until the egg whites are set but the yolks are still runny, about 3 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and scatter the basil over everything. Serve the eggs and sauce straight from the skillet with the flatbread to scoop and mop.

Step 4

Why Aren’t We Baking Those Eggs?

Step 5

I am consistently disappointed by baked eggs. And I’m suspicious of any recipe that claims a perfect result. When you bake eggs, the yolks get hard before the whites are set, which drives me wild, and then the whites become the consistency of something from inside your nostrils, all slimy and sluggish. Here, you cover the pan on the stove with a lid so the eggs can gently steam-cook.