A Simple Egg Curry
January Catch up + Notes from my Kitchen Studio
Afternoon from Sydney!
January was lovely; it was what I can only describe as sanguine. Optimistic and cautiously positive in a slightly less than ideal situation. For one, 2026 crept up and terrified the crap out of me. How is each year shorter and faster than the previous? Like how? Once I came out of the brief Christmas and New Year bubble, I realised that I am still wrapping up the loose ends of our two-year-long renovation, and while I grapple with the reality of tackling that solo, phase three of the renovations has begun. The Cooking School.
Behind the scenes, I have been working on getting the studio/cooking school ready for guests. The launch is still a couple of months away, but I can confirm that a workshop has been locked in for the 15th of May in this wonderful space, and I am so excited to share more details soon! If you haven’t yet signed up for the free Cook Republic Newsletter, I’d urge you to do so as this is also where I will share more details, ticket releases, discounts and a calendar for all future cooking classes and workshops in Sydney.
I attended a fabulous Japanese work event in the city and experienced delicacies made with Buri (Japanese Yellowtail) and Madai (Japanese Red Sea Bream). These are new fish varieties being brought into Australia. Sala Dining put on a massively delicious menu, and my standout was their silky Chawanmushi (savoury Japanese custard), something I am inspired to try out in the Cooking School segments.
I also took some much-needed time for myself and spent a day getting pampered at the Darling Spa at The Star, followed by a little touristy walkaround the harbour, enjoying a classic Tiramisu ice cream at Gelato Messina and a cocktail at The Barbershop that has the Southern Hemisphere’s largest gin collection with over 750 brands.
We had two birthdays in January and both were well spent at Totti’s in Rozelle (Italian) and Alegre at King Street Wharf (Mexican). And my baby is now 18!
Now onto Cooking!
Sneh xx
New Recipe
Mexican Chicken Salad
This is the most delicious Mexican Chicken Salad you will make. Perfect for adding to your weekly cooking roster. Succulent, grilled chicken tossed with beans, corn, tomatoes, lettuce, avocado and a delicious spicy, smoky Mexican Salad Dressing. Topped with fresh coriander and parmesan, it is incredibly yummy warm or cold and takes only 20 minutes to make.
Viral “Chicken In a Bag” Italian Salad
Lilydale asked me to jump on the viral “Chicken In A Bag” trend, and I couldn’t say no. Taking the Bachelor’s Handbag to new heights, I added Italian deli staples to the roast chicken - bocconcini cheese, cherry tomatoes, rocket, pesto, parmesan and pasta, and instantly created a super delicious Italian salad that is perfect warm or cold! Click on the video below to watch how easy it is to make and grab the recipe »
A Simple Indian Egg Curry
Today, I wanted to share a special dish from my childhood and youth. Built on a basic curry base that provides a wonderful canvas for a lot of main ingredients, my simple Indian Egg Curry is something I make a couple of times a month when I don’t really feel like cooking. The main effort lies in making the curry base, quite like my Makhani Sauce, which is loved by many. This is a simpler, more basic, homestyle sauce that we used to whip up and add boiled eggs to. It instantly creates a flavourful, high-protein, meat-free dinner that you can enjoy with either steamed rice, some rotis or naan or even some brioche buns.
Any Indian homestyle curry has a sofrito-style start - sweat and caramelise onion, garlic, ginger and tomatoes. Add spices and cook until fragrant. At this point, the dish leaps in its ambition to become a creamy sauce. The jammy, onion-tomato-spice mixture is blended with some water, returned to the hot pan and slow-simmered with some cream until it is velvety and luscious. This is the stage where you would either add oven-roasted cauliflower, pan-seared chicken, grilled fish, golden brown paneer or even plain old boiled or roasted potatoes. But I choose to add boiled eggs (a cool hack of mine is whenever I order Indian takeaway from our local restaurant and all that is left is copious amounts of sauce, I boil some eggs the next day and add them to the sauce to make a meal out of it).
It is important to get your eggs right. Bon Appétit taught me that adding eggs (very gently) to a pot of boiling water, cooking them for exactly 7 minutes and then scooping them out straight into a bowl filled with chilled water and ice will produce the most fabulous boiled eggs with a runny centre. Easy to peel too (one of my pet peeves in the kitchen!)
I hope you make this easy egg curry and really enjoy it!
Recipe»
Simple Indian Egg Curry
Serves 4 / vegetarian, gluten-free
Ingredients
• 1 tbsp ghee
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• ½ green cayenne chilli, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1 inch piece of ginger, chopped
• 1 large red onion, chopped
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• ½ tsp ground turmeric
• ½ tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp sweet paprika
• ½ tsp ground cardamom
• 1 tsp flaky salt
• 1 tsp sugar
• 2 tbsp cream
• 8 eggs
• Handful of fresh coriander, chilli flakes or Gochugaru – to serve
Instructions
Bring a pot of water to a boil. Gently drop in the eggs with a slotted spoon, ensuring that they don’t hit the bottom and crack. Boil for 7 minutes. Using the slotted spoon, remove the eggs to a bowl filled with chilled water and ice. Allow eggs to cool in this bowl for 5-10 minutes before peeling and slicing in half.
Heat the ghee in a heavy-bottomed saucepan on medium. Add cumin seeds, chilli, garlic and ginger. Sauté for a few seconds until fragrant. Add onion, mix and cook on medium-low for 10-12 minutes until onion is caramelised.
Add tomato paste, turmeric, coriander, garam masala, paprika, cardamom, salt and sugar. Mix and cook for 5-6 minutes. Add ¾ cup of water and cook for another 4-5 minutes. Remove from heat, cool slightly and blend to a smooth sauce.
Return to the saucepan on medium-low heat. Add cream and bring to a slow simmer (approximately 5-6 minutes).
Remove from heat, check and adjust seasoning. Add the sliced boiled eggs. Garnish with coriander and chilli flakes. Serve hot with steamed rice or roti.
Oh my word, this look so insanely tasty!
sound great, I love an egg Curry!
Thanks, Kay