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Egg kalakki
Spicy soft-set eggs
முட்டை கலக்கி (muttai kalakki): eggs whisked with spicy chicken salna, swirled on the griddle until barely set and folded soft
Kalakki means 'stirred up', and it was born on the parotta stalls of Madurai; in Chennai you find it late at night at the parotta shops of Triplicane and along Arcot Road, where the cook whisks eggs with a ladle of the house chicken salna and swirls them on the tawa for under a minute. The result is a soft, wobbly fold of egg, rich with spiced gravy, eaten with flaky parotta. The salna here is a quick home version made with chicken stock, so the dish is not vegetarian. Contains egg. The centre is meant to be just set; for pregnant women, young children or anyone with a weakened immune system, cook it until fully firm. Chef's tip: take it off the heat while the top still looks slightly glossy; it keeps setting on the plate.
- Total time
- 17 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 2
Ingredients
For the quick salna
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- ¼ tsp fennel seeds
- 1 onionsmall, very finely chopped
- 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
- 1 tomatosmall, finely chopped
- ½ tsp red chilli powder
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- ¼ tsp garam masala
- ¾ cup chicken stock
- ¼ tsp salt
For the kalakki
- 4 eggs
- ¼ tsp black pepperfreshly ground
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tbsp coriander leaves (optional)chopped
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a small pan over a medium heat, add ¼ tsp fennel seeds, then 1 onion, and fry for 3 minutes until soft. Add 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste and 1 tomato and cook 2 minutes until mushy.
5 minStep 2: Stir in ½ tsp red chilli powder, 1 tsp ground coriander, ¼ tsp garam masala and ¼ tsp salt, pour in ¾ cup chicken stock and simmer for 4–5 minutes, until reduced to about 4 thick tablespoons. Cool for a minute.
5 minStep 3: For each kalakki, whisk 2 of the 4 eggs with half the salna and half the ¼ tsp black pepper until smooth.
Step 4: Heat half of 1 tbsp vegetable oil on a flat griddle or non-stick pan over a medium heat. Pour in the egg and swirl with the back of a spatula for 45–60 seconds, until the edges set but the middle is still creamy. Common mistake: cooking it on full heat or too long, which turns it into a dry omelette.
2 minStep 5: Fold the sides into the middle to make a soft parcel, slide onto a plate and repeat with the rest. Scatter with 1 tbsp coriander leaves and serve with parotta.
2 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 210 kcal
- Protein
- 14 g
- Carbs
- 6 g
- Fat
- 15 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does egg kalakki take?
- About 17 minutes in total: 5 minutes to prepare and 12 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 2 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it very spicy?
- It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
- What can I use instead of fennel seeds?
- Aniseeds, same amount (a stronger liquorice taste).
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
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