Dimer dalna is the traditional egg curry that the people in the Bengal region cook during festive occasions. There are many variations to this recipes, we are going to describe the one that we follow at home.
Ingredients
Principle
The procedure has several steps,
1. First the egg is boiled, skinned, marinated and sautéed
2. The potatoes are skinned, cut, marinated and sautéed
3. The spices are sautéed and cooked with the potatoes
4. Eggs are then added to the curry and mixed with the rest of the masalas
Procedure
1. Take eight eggs
2. Add water to completely cover the eggs
3. Cover and put on the stove
4. Boil the eggs for about 10 minutes
5. In the mean time, skin the potatoes
6. Cut them in 1/2 inch cubes.
7. Cool the boiled eggs
8. Then peel
9. Spread 1 tbsp of turmeric powder on the eggs.
10. Spread half a tsp of salt.
11. Marinate and set it aside
12. Add 1 tbsp turmeric powder to the potatoes
13. Then half a tsp salt
14. Marinate and set it aside
15. Skin and dice 2 cloves of garlic
16. Similarly make 2 tbsp of diced ginger
17. Add oil to a moderately hot wok
18. Spread the oil inside the wok
19. Add the potatoes
20. Stir
21. Sauté them until they get a brownish tint.
22. Rransfer the potatoes and leave it aside.
23. In the same pan, add more oil
24. Add the marinated eggs
25. Fry the eggs with constant stirring for about 2-3 minutes
26. When the eggs take on red color, set them aside.
27. In the same pan add another tbsp of oil
28. Add 2 dried red chilies, broken into 2 halves
29. One Indian bay leaf, broken into 2 pieces
30. Stir for a minute
31. Add diced garlic
32. The diced ginger
33. Stir
34. Add roasted cumin powder
35. Chili powder
36. Stir for a minute
37. Add 1/2 cup of water
38. Mix
39. When the paste becomes thick
40. Add the fried potatoes
41. Stir for another 2 minutes
42. Add water to submerge the potatoes
43. Stir
44. Test for salt and add as is necessary
45. Cover the wok and let it boil for the potatoes soften.
46. Measure one half of a cup of rice flour
47. Add 1 cup water
48. Stir to mix and leave aside
49. Get your chopped cilantro ready for garnishing as the last step
50. The curry should be boiling
51. Stir
52. Add the rice flour mix in slowly
53. Stir to mix any clumps that may form
54. Add the eggs
55. Stir again
56. Cover
57. Boil for another minute
58. Add 1/4 tsp of Bengali garam masala
59. Finally the chopped cilantro
60. Turn off the heat and let the curry cool down
This completes the egg dalna preparation
Takes about hour and a half to make and serves 3-4 people
Serve the dalna hot with hot steamed rice or chapattis.