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The broiling of the subcontinent has begun.

Mumbai touched a steamy 41 deg C in late March, and the warm winds are beginning to sweep across the great plains.

Ah yes, it’s summertime.

It’s that time of the year when “they say” you shouldn’t eat eggs.
You know who “they” are.

I grew up listening to my father quote them on everything from brushing your teeth (”They say you must brush after every meal”) to buying a flat (”They say you should always have a home of your own”).

I don’t brush after every meal, and I don’t own a home. So, I am definitely not going to listen these mysterious gurus who would say eggs are “heaty”, to use a typical Indianism from the annals of naturopathy.

Eggs give you energy. That much is clear. And though you have doubtless heard of those cholesterol warnings, let me remind you that the latest studies say there is nothing wrong with 4-5 eggs every week, provided you lead an active life.

This then is the season when my thoughts turn to steamed eggs.

Steam ‘em and eat ‘em

Easy to make, robust, filling and uncomplicated, steamed eggs are the ideal one-course meal when you want to want some energy to start - or end - a hot day.

My steamed eggs begin with my mother’s old recipe: The venerable Maharashtrian pudina anda. All it takes is a medium pan, 2 large sliced onions sautéed in oil till translucent; at least six bunches of pudina (mint), salt and a couple of chopped green chillies. When you have this springy pudina bed ready, simply break 5-6 eggs and cover. Cook over medium or low heat till the eggs are cooked.

Somewhere along the line, I realised you could really evolve the pudina anda into anything you wanted. Change the base, and you change the meal. So, you can sauté almost anything: Onions and ham and sausages; tomato and prawn; minced meat with basil. The procedure is the same - break eggs over the bed, cover and steam.

I use steamed eggs as either the standalone centerpiece of a brunch or a dinner entrée. You can eat with chapattis or hot, oven bread. I believe the Mumbai pao works best.

Eggs of the Orient

There is so much you can do with eggs.  Just when you think you have pushed the boundaries, there emerges another frontier.

This is a good time to clarify that what I called steamed eggs are very different from Japanese or Chinese steamed eggs.

The Chinese love a smooth, steamed version with pork, shrimp (dried or fresh) or any kind of meat. The Chinese steamed egg isn’t very easy to make, but once you master the basic steamed egg, you could let your imagination run riot. I think this might be particularly good for children, who always need something new and exciting for their dinner.

You might also want to consider trying your hand at the more complex Japanese version.  It’s a steamed-egg custard really, with delectable little “treasures” at the bottom of the dish, as one writer describes the shrimp, chicken or scallops that often reside in this complex appetizer. It also takes in sake (Japan’s famous rice wine) and soy sauce.

It all started with an egg

Eggs are the first things I learned to cook.

I suspect you did too - if you were raised non-vegetarian (though of course many vegetarians list themselves as egg eaters too). To this day, the omlette to me is a sign of kitchen confidence, as I’ve said in a previous blog.

I must have been no more than 10 when I tried to make my first fried egg.

Over the next two years, these were my achievements: (a) making the egg without breaking the yolk. (b) Flipping the egg without breaking it (c) removing it from the pan without half scrambling it (remember there were no non-sticks around).

I still remember the triumph of my first unbroken fried egg - produced on a steamy Deccan summer’s day. Ever since, I associate eggs with the summer.

Once I mastered the fried egg over those uncertain 24 months in the mid 1970s, my culinary skills over the years grew in leaps and bounds - to the point I was actually allowed to write this blog.

Here are detailed recipes for some steamed eggs:
I. Pudina Anda
2 medium onions sliced thin and long
4-6 bunches of mint (pudina), chopped
2-5 green chillies chopped (depending on how spicy you want it)
6 eggs
Salt
In a medium-sized non-stick, fry the onions till transluscent
Add the mint; it will initially look like it will overwhelm the pan but as it gets cooked, it will settle in
Add the green chillies, toss everything. Add salt.
Create a bed by gently leveling the mint and onions.
Lower heat and break the eggs across the bed. Cover with a tight-fitting pan.
When cooked and a white film has formed over the yolk, take off flame.
Grind fresh pepper and serve.

II. Sausage Anda

6-8 cocktail sausages, fried and chopped into small slices in advance
1 large onion, chopped
1 green chilli, chopped
1 large tomato, chopped
½ tsp red chilli powder
½ tsp dhania (coriander) powder

Chopped fresh coriander and basil (or rosemary or thyme)
In a medium non-stick pan, fry onions till transluscent
Add red chilli and dhania powder, sprinkle some vinegar if you want
Add tomatoes
Add chopped, cooked sausages
Toss everything well.
Create a bed, flatten.
Break the eggs, cover and steam
When ready, sprinkle with fresh herbs.
This will be more difficult to remove than the pudina anda, so be very careful and prepare for some messiness.

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Posted by Samar Halarnkar on Friday, April 10, 2009 at 7:05 pm 
Filed under Food · Tagged Chinese steamed egg, Eggs, Japanese version, Pudina Anda, Sausage Anda

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