Tamil Egg Thokku is a versatile breakfast that uses a few pantry staples and spices to create delicious South Indian flavours in your kitchen.
A “thokku” in Tamil cuisine from the south of India means “pounded/crushed” and typically is tangy, jammy spiced sauce where the primary ingredient keeps changing (depending on season). Think jammy tomatoes, eggplants, raw mango and even herbs/ greens like curry leaves, coriander leaves.
This Tamil Egg Thokku celebrates eggs – I like mine with an almost set yet jammy 8 minute egg but you can do it however you prefer. The recipe will work just as well as a scramble, or even shakshuka style cooking the eggs with runny yolks. Once your onion-tomato base is ready, you can go as you please.
The best part of this is dish is that you can enjoy it any time of day for any meal with any sides. Since there are only a few ingredients and a very short cook time, remember to keep a close watch on achieving an oil-split before you add the eggs – it means your ‘masala’ has fully cooked out and is rich in flavour.
Tamil Egg Thokku
Ingredients
- 6 eggs
- 1½ cups red onion (finely chopped)
- 1 cup tomato puree
- 10 curry leaves
- 3-4 garlic cloves
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- ½ tsp red chilli flakes
- 1 tsp kashmiri chilli powder
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- 2 tbsp coriander leaves (roughly chopped)
- 1 tbsp neutral oil
- sugar (to balance, if necessary)
- salt (to taste)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Using a large slotted spoon, carefully lower your eggs into water one at a time. Cook for 8-10 minutes (depending on how you like your eggs). While they cook, prepare a bowl with ice water. When ready, add the eggs to ice bath until just cool. Peel, cut into quarters and set aside.
- In a mortar pestle, pound together cumin, fennel seeds, black peppercorn and garlic into a rough paste.
- In a heavy bottom pan, heat oil. Temper with mustard seeds, chilli flakes and curry leaves and let them splutter. Add the chopped onions and leeks and season with some salt. Cook on medium flame until they start to soften and the edges get golden.
- Add the garlic paste, chilli, turmeric powder and let them cook down until the raw smell goes away.
- Add the tomato puree and cook slowly until the water has evaporated and you see oil separation on the sides of the pot. Adjust salt/sugar to taste for balance.
- Carefully toss in your eggs, let them combine for a minute and turn off the heat. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves. Eat with crusty bread/soft flatbreads.
If you are keen to try other South Indian breakfast dishes, check out this Keralan Egg Roast (recipe here) or this Goan Kanda Batata Poha (recipe here).
For other delicious recipes from the blog, click here. If you make this recipe and love it, let me know in the comments below. If you are sharing on Instagram, please do tag me @rupalbhatikar.
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