What is Egg Keema (Anda Keema)?

Egg Keema is an innovative and flavorful dish from Indian cuisine, where “keema” traditionally refers to minced meat. In this delightful vegetarian adaptation, finely chopped or grated hard-boiled eggs replace the meat, creating a texture reminiscent of its meaty counterpart. It’s a versatile curry that highlights the humble egg, transforming it into a hearty and spicy main course. This particular recipe draws inspiration from the rich and robust flavors often found in Dhaba-style curries, offering a rich tomato-onion base.

Exploring Different Egg Curry Styles

While our Egg Keema recipe has its unique charm, it’s worth noting the diverse landscape of Indian egg curries. Each region brings its own distinct flavors and preparation methods, showcasing the incredible culinary diversity of India:

• Kerala Style Egg Curry

  Originating from the southern state of Kerala, this style is known for its subtle flavors and often features a light yellow, creamy sauce. It frequently incorporates coconut milk, which imparts a gentle sweetness and velvety texture. Unlike keema, Kerala-style egg curries typically use whole or halved hard-boiled eggs, maintaining their shape rather than mincing them.

• Dhaba Style Egg Curry

  Dhabas are roadside eateries across India, famous for their rustic, flavorful, and often spicier fare. Dhaba-style egg curries are characterized by their rich, thick, and intensely flavored tomato and onion gravy. They often feature a generous amount of oil or ghee and a robust blend of spices, delivering a punchy and deeply satisfying experience. Our Egg Keema recipe, with its hearty tomato-onion base, leans towards this popular style, though with our own unique adaptations for a homemade touch.

• Surti Egg Keema Ghotala

  A beloved street food from Surat, Gujarat, Surti Egg Keema is a vibrant and spicy minced egg dish. This Gujarati version is famous for its heavily mashed eggs and a powerful blend of aromatic spices, creating a distinct texture and fiery flavor profile. The ingredients are often mashed completely into a rich, almost pasty consistency, making it perfect for scooping up with bread.

Why You’ll Love This Delicious Egg Keema Recipe

This Egg Keema recipe isn’t just another meal; it’s a culinary experience waiting to happen. Here’s why it’s destined to become a staple in your kitchen:

• Incredibly Flavorful: A perfect blend of aromatic Indian spices, fresh vegetables, and rich eggs creates a symphony of tastes that will tantalize your palate.
• Healthy and Nutritious: Packed with protein from eggs and essential vitamins and fiber from fresh vegetables, it’s a wholesome meal that supports a balanced diet.
• Budget-Friendly: Eggs are an economical source of protein, making this dish a smart choice for delicious meals without breaking the bank. It’s a fantastic way to utilize leftover hard-boiled eggs!
• Easy to Make: With straightforward instructions, even novice cooks can master this dish. It’s perfect for weeknight dinners when you need something quick yet impressive.
• Versatile Serving Options: Whether you pair it with fluffy rice, warm naan, or enjoy it with a simple bread roll, Egg Keema adapts beautifully to your preference.
• Great for Meal Prep: While best fresh, leftovers store well, making it a convenient option for packed lunches or quick dinners throughout the week.

Embrace the vibrant flavors of India with this easy-to-follow, healthy, and utterly delicious Egg Keema recipe!

Essential Ingredients for Your Perfect Egg Keema

Crafting this flavorful vegetarian egg curry requires a selection of fresh produce and aromatic spices. Here’s everything you’ll need to create this delightful Egg Keema:

Ingredients:

• 6 large hard-boiled eggs (chopped or grated)
• 2 tablespoons ghee (clarified butter, or substitute with regular butter)
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 3 cloves finely chopped garlic
• ½ tablespoon fresh ginger (peeled and minced)
• 1 small chopped jalapeno (or other green chili pepper, adjust to taste)
• 1½ teaspoons garam masala powder
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin powder
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
• 1½ cups finely chopped tomatoes (fresh is best)
• ¾ cup frozen green peas
• ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro (coriander leaves, for garnish and flavor)

These carefully selected ingredients come together to form the heart of a truly authentic and satisfying Egg Keema.

Crafting Your Egg Keema: A Simple Step-by-Step Guide

Follow these easy steps to prepare a mouth-watering Egg Keema curry that will impress your family and friends. This guide ensures a perfect outcome every time.

1. Step 1: Prepare the Hard-Boiled Eggs

   Place the eggs in a medium-sized pot and cover them with water. Bring the pot to a boil over medium heat. Once boiling, set a timer for 10 minutes to ensure perfectly hard-boiled eggs.

2. Step 2: Cool and Chop the Eggs

   After the timer rings, immediately drain the hot water from the pot. Rinse the eggs under cold water or place them in an ice bath to stop the cooking process quickly. Once cooled, peel the eggs and chop them into small ¼-½-inch (0.64-1.27 cm) pieces. Alternatively, you can grate them for a finer texture.

3. Step 3: Sauté the Onions

   In a large skillet, melt the ghee over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onions and sauté, stirring occasionally, until they turn golden brown, which should take approximately 5 minutes. This step is crucial for building the flavor base of your curry.

   

4. Step 4: Add Aromatics and Spices

   To the browned onions, add the finely chopped garlic, minced ginger, and chili pepper. Cook for one minute, stirring constantly until fragrant. Next, add all the dry spices: garam masala, ground coriander, cumin powder, paprika, and season with salt and pepper to your preference. Cook for another minute, allowing the spices to toast and release their aromas. Finally, stir in the finely chopped tomatoes and cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring frequently, until the tomatoes soften and blend into the mixture.

5. Step 5: Simmer with Peas

   Pour one cup of water into the skillet along with the frozen green peas. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let the curry simmer gently for about 5 minutes. This allows the peas to thaw completely and cook through, while the flavors meld together beautifully, creating a rich sauce.

6. Step 6: Finish and Serve

   Remove the skillet from the heat. Gently stir in the chopped hard-boiled eggs and fresh cilantro. Serve your delicious Egg Keema immediately over cooked basmati rice or with your favorite Indian bread. Enjoy the comforting and spicy flavors!

   

Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days.

Egg Keema Recipe (Egg Kheema & Vegetable Curry)

By Summer Yule

Egg keema (also called egg kheema, anda keema ghotala, or qeema) is an Indian egg and vegetable curry. This versatile dish is perfect for a healthy and flavorful meal, especially when you have leftover hard-boiled eggs.

Ingredients

• 6 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons ghee (or regular butter)
• 1 cup onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• ½ tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled and grated
• 1 small green chilli, finely chopped (jalapeno pepper)
• 1½ teaspoons garam masala
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1½ cups fresh tomatoes, chopped
• ¾ cup frozen peas
• ¼ cup cilantro, finely chopped

Instructions

1. Put the eggs in a medium-sized pot and cover them with water. Put the pot over medium heat. When the pot starts boiling, set the timer for 10 minutes.
2. After the timer is up, drain the pot and rinse the eggs in cold water to cool them quickly. Peel them and chop them into ¼-½-inch (0.64-1.27 cm) pieces.
3. Let the ghee melt in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and saute until they start to brown, about 5 minutes.
4. Add in the garlic, ginger, and chili pepper and cook for one minute. Next, add in the spices (including salt and pepper) and cook an additional minute. Stir in the chopped tomatoes and cook 5-6 minutes, stirring frequently.
5. Add one cup of water to the pan and the frozen peas. Turn the heat to medium-low and let the contents of the skillet simmer for about 5 minutes. The peas should fully thaw and cook.
6. Take the skillet off the heat and stir in the eggs and cilantro.

Equipment

• Knife
• Cast Iron Skillet

Notes from the Dietitian (Summer Yule)

This is a level 1 recipe (may help support fat loss).

Is egg curry good for weight loss? Yes! This Egg Keema recipe can contribute to satiety due to its high protein and fiber content, significant fluid volume, and moderate calorie count. These attributes can help create the calorie deficit necessary for effective weight loss.

To further reduce calories and carbohydrate content, consider serving this dish over cauliflower rice instead of traditional brown or white rice. This simple swap also makes the Egg Keema a fantastic option for a keto or low-carb meal plan.

Variety is the spice of life, especially in healthy eating! Many people abandon healthy habits due to monotony. Exploring diverse foods and flavors from international cuisines, such as this Indian Egg Keema, can keep your meals exciting and prevent boredom. The world of international cooking offers endless inspiration for delicious and nutritious dishes.

In this recipe, the egg is chopped very finely, but it is not completely mashed, allowing you to clearly see pieces of the egg whites in the finished dish. Interestingly, a family member once mistook this for a tofu curry when I first served it!

Speaking of tofu, you could easily create a delicious vegan version of this dish by substituting the eggs with firm or extra-firm tofu and using olive oil instead of butter or ghee. This highlights the adaptability of adventurous eating—the more cuisines and ingredients you explore, the more creative and interesting your meals become.

Nutrition information provided is for one serving.

Nutrition Facts

Frequently Asked Questions About Egg Keema

Curious to learn more about this versatile Indian dish? Here are some common questions and detailed answers about Egg Keema and related Indian egg preparations.

What is popular Indian street food made with eggs?

India’s street food scene is vibrant and diverse, and eggs play a significant role in many popular snacks. One widely loved dish is the “Egg Roll” or “Egg Frankie,” a delightful and filling snack where a flavorful egg filling, often seasoned with spices and vegetables, is wrapped in a flatbread like paratha or roti. It’s a quick, convenient, and incredibly tasty option on the go. Besides Egg Rolls, you’ll also commonly find Egg Keema and Egg Bhurji being served as delicious street foods, often accompanied by soft bread or pav.

What is “keema” also known as?

The term “keema” is widely used in Indian and Pakistani cuisine and is also known as “kheema” or “qeema” (especially in Pakistani contexts). It traditionally refers to minced or ground meat, which can include mutton, lamb, beef, chicken, or goat. However, in this recipe, we’ve explored a vegetarian version known as “Anda Keema” (“anda” being Hindi for egg). This creative dish uses finely chopped or grated eggs instead of meat, offering a protein-rich and equally satisfying experience. While distinct, it shares some conceptual similarities with shakshuka, another dish featuring eggs in a flavorful tomato-based sauce.

How to make Egg Bhurji Masala?

Egg Bhurji is a popular Indian scrambled egg dish, often eaten for breakfast or as a side. To prepare it, the key difference from Egg Keema is that you start with raw, whisked eggs. After your aromatic base of onions, garlic, ginger, and tomatoes (and spices) is cooked in the skillet, simply pour in the whisked eggs. Scramble them directly with the spice mixture until they are cooked through and fluffy. This method makes for an incredibly easy one-pot meal, eliminating the need to hard boil eggs separately and making it a quick and convenient option for any time of day.

Is Egg Keema a healthy dish?

Absolutely! This Egg Keema dish is remarkably healthy, offering a wealth of nutrients from its whole food ingredients. Eggs are a powerhouse of nutrition, rich in high-quality protein, essential choline, vision-supporting lutein, and healthy fats. The inclusion of various vegetables like tomatoes, onions, and green peas further boosts its nutritional profile, providing ample fiber, potassium, provitamin A, vitamin C, and a diverse array of beneficial phytonutrients. It’s a balanced and wholesome meal that supports overall well-being. However, if you have an egg allergy, this dish would, of course, not be suitable for you.

How to reheat Egg Keema?

Egg Keema is best enjoyed fresh, but leftovers can certainly be reheated. To do so, place the curry in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high for approximately 1 minute, or until it is gently warmed through. Be careful not to overheat, as this can sometimes affect the texture of the eggs. Stir well before serving to ensure even heat distribution.

Perfect Pairings: What to Serve with Egg Keema

Egg Keema is a wonderfully versatile curry that pairs beautifully with a variety of accompaniments. The rich, spicy, and savory flavors of the keema are perfectly complemented by both grains and different types of Indian bread, offering a delightful culinary experience.

While I chose to serve this Egg Keema Masala with fragrant basmati rice, creating a classic and comforting combination, serving Egg Keema with bread is also a very popular and traditional choice across India. The bread acts as a perfect vehicle to scoop up every last bit of the delicious gravy.

Here are some popular Indian breads that would make excellent companions for your Egg Keema:

• Pav: These are soft, fluffy bread rolls, often lightly toasted, which are especially popular with street food dishes like pav bhaji and would be fantastic with Egg Keema.
• Roti: A staple unleavened flatbread, made from whole wheat flour, simple and healthy, perfect for everyday meals.
• Chapati (also written chapathi): Very similar to roti, chapatis are thin, unleavened flatbreads cooked on a tawa (griddle), a common accompaniment in Indian households.
• Naan: A leavened flatbread, traditionally cooked in a tandoor (clay oven), known for its soft, chewy texture and often brushed with butter or ghee.
• Paratha: A type of unleavened flatbread made from whole wheat flour, distinct for its many flaky layers created by folding and frying. It offers a richer texture than roti.
• Parotta: Another layered flatbread, but typically made with maida (all-purpose flour), resulting in a softer, more delicate texture. It’s especially popular in South India.
• Dosa: A thin, crispy crepe made from fermented rice and lentil flour, a popular South Indian breakfast item that could offer a unique texture contrast.

Beyond breads and rice, you could also try serving your egg curry with aloo, or potatoes. Cooked potatoes are very often incorporated directly into egg curry recipes. With this potato rice recipe, you can enjoy them deliciously on the side instead. For a lighter, lower-carb option, consider pairing your Egg Keema with fluffy cauliflower rice, which will soak up the flavors beautifully without adding extra calories.

Explore More Delicious Recipes

If you’ve enjoyed making and tasting this Egg Keema, you might be interested in exploring more recipes, especially those that make excellent use of hard-boiled eggs or offer other vibrant flavors from Indian cuisine.

Other Hard-Boiled Egg Recipes

Looking for more creative ways to use those versatile hard-boiled eggs? Here are some other delightful egg recipes you might enjoy:

• 2-Ingredient Deviled Eggs Recipe
• 2-Ingredient Egg Salad Recipe
• Healthy Cobb Salad Recipe

You may also enjoy this Black Bean Curry Recipe for another hearty vegetarian option, or delve into my comprehensive article on the Best Air Fryer Indian Recipes for more culinary inspiration.