Chettinad spicy scrambled eggs (Kidina muttai)

Chettinad cuisine is characterised by its spiciness. And these eggs are no exception. This is a simple recipe, perfect for a quick breakfast or a light lunch. The eggs are perked up with the chillies and the spices, making this dish quite addictive.

This South Indian cookbook brings the unique cuisine of the Chettinad Tamils to my shelf. This now-popular cuisine is known for being extremely spicy, complex, and distinctive. This book is a wonderful collection of recipes that make this cuisine accessible to us at home.

For more recipes from this cookbook, click here.

Ingredients:

3 eggs

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

Salt, to taste

3 tablespoons ghee or oil

1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds

1 teaspoon hulled, split black gram (Urad dal)

10 curry leaves

8 shallots, finely diced

2-3 green chillies, minced

Method:

Whisk the eggs with turmeric and salt until smooth. Set aside.

Heat the oil in a small pot over a low flame. Add the mustard seeds and let them pop in 10 seconds. Add the black gram and cook until the lentils are deep brown in colour. Add the curry leaves and fry for 10 seconds. Add the shallots and green chillies and cook until the shallots are very soft, about 4-5 minutes.

Add the eggs and whisk continuously for about 3 minutes, until the eggs are cooked through but still soft. The eggs will not fluff up as they do in a European-style scramble, but they will be soft. Please do not overcook and dry them out.

Serve immediately with Malabar parathas or bread.