Bengali Egg Curry with Panch Phoron
Boiled eggs and potatoes make a comforting home-style curry, while Bengal Panch Phoron gives the gravy a distinctly eastern Indian aromatic profile. The sauce remains lighter than a North Indian egg masala, with mustard oil and tomato doing most of the work.
Servings
4
Prep Time
15 minutes
Cook Time
30 minutes
Total Time
45 minutes
✨ Zaika Potli Secret Technique
Temper 1¼ tsp Bengal Panch Phoron in mustard oil before the onion. The seeds remain in the final curry.
Ingredients
Ingredients
- Eggs — 8
- Potatoes — 300 g, cut into medium wedges
- Mustard oil — 2½ tbsp
- Bengal Panch Phoron — 1¼ tsp / about 4 g
- Onion — 1 medium, finely sliced
- Tomato — 2 medium, chopped
- Turmeric — ½ tsp
- Kashmiri chilli powder — ½ tsp
- Green chilli — 2, slit
- Salt — 1¼ tsp
- Hot water — 2 cups
Cooking Instructions
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1Hard-boil the eggs, cool and peel.
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2Make shallow slits in the eggs and rub with a pinch of turmeric and salt.
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3Heat 1 tbsp mustard oil and lightly fry the eggs until golden in spots. Remove.
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4Fry the potato wedges in the same pan for 3–4 minutes. Remove.
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5Add the remaining oil.
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6Add Bengal Panch Phoron and allow the seeds to crackle.
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7Add onion and cook until lightly golden.
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8Add tomato, remaining turmeric and chilli powder.
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9Cook until the tomato softens.
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10Return the potatoes.
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11Add hot water, salt and green chillies.
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12Cover and simmer until the potatoes are almost tender.
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13Add the fried eggs.
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14Simmer uncovered for another 5 minutes.
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15Taste and adjust seasoning.
💡 Chef's Pro Tip
Add the eggs only near the end. Long simmering can toughen the whites without meaningfully improving the flavour.
🍽️ Perfect Serving Pairings
My Take On Bengali Egg Curry with Panch Phoron
Boiled eggs and potatoes make a comforting home-style curry, while Bengal Panch Phoron gives the gravy a distinctly eastern Indian aromatic profile. The sauce remains lighter than a North Indian egg masala, with mustard oil and tomato doing most of the work.
The Secret: Add the eggs only near the end. Long simmering can toughen the whites without meaningfully improving the flavour.