Recipe by Love Watercress
SERVES 4
INGREDIENTS
5 eggs (room temperature)
50g plain flour
80g Panko breadcrumbs (briefy pulsed to a smaller crumb)
2 tbsp Panch Phora (see below)
A pinch of salt
half tsp turmeric
Oil for deep frying
150g watercress
FOR THE PANCH PHORA:
half tsp mustard seeds
half tsp nigella seeds
half tsp fenugreek seeds
half tsp cumin seeds
half tsp fennel seeds
FOR THE BURNT CHILLI SALSA:
200g tomatoes, halved
3 red chillies
4 garlic cloves, skin on
1 onion, peeled and cut into chunks
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp brown sugar
2 tbsp lime juice
ó bunch of coriander, roughly chopped
Salt & cracked black pepper, to season
METHOD
1 Begin with the Panch Phora. Lightly toast the seeds in a dry pan until fragrant. Pour into a jar and set aside.
2 Bring a small pan of water to a rolling boil. Carefully lower 4 of the eggs into the water and cook for 4 minutes 30 seconds. Run under cold water and peel. Be careful, they are delicate.
3 Roll the eggs in the our then beat the remaining egg. Mix 2 tbsp of the Panch Phora into the breadcrumbs with the salt and turmeric.
4 With a clean hand take one egg at a time and roll in the breadcrumb mix. Remove, roll back in the beaten egg and roll for a second time in the breadcrumb mix. This method of ‘double pane’ ensures you have a good thick crust on your egg.
5 Pop in the fridge while you make the salsa.
6 Heat the grill to high and pile the tomatoes, chillies, garlic and onion onto a tray, drizzle with the oil and grill until charred, you want a good blackening for flavour.
7 Remove the stems from the chillies and the skin from the garlic then pound all the ingredients in a pestle and mortar to a chunky paste. You can use a food processor, but this will chop rather than pound the ingredients together.
8 Add the sugar, lime juice and coriander and taste, season with salt and pepper to your liking.
9 Heat the oil for deep frying to 180°C. Carefully add the eggs and fry for 2-3 minutes or until golden and crisp. Drain and sprinkle with a little salt.
10 When ready, divide the watercress between 4 plates. Top with the salsa and a crispy egg.
Watch that yolk oooooze!