The bug of indecisiveness stings the officers of the Armed Forces early in life.

The successes in the wars and operations, which the Indian Armed Forces have executed since we earned our freedom in 1947, has proved the prowess of our men in uniform. Their ability to take quick and near perfect tactical and strategic military decisions under extreme pressure and in the thick fog of war, is matchless. But, in some situations, even in peacetime, they are straightjacketed and indecisive.

For example, the top brass takes good time to decide whether to use a chipper, a seven-iron or a putter to send their golf ball five yards from the edge of the putting green to the pin. Some freeze in that situation; many go by what their caddie advises them to do. I know of a few good ‘golf mentors’ being rewarded with permanent jobs for their services to their bosses. A senior golfer used to quietly resort to ‘Eeny Meeny Miny Moe…’ to avoid decision making on the course.         

A study has revealed that the bug of indecisiveness stings the officers of the Armed Forces early in life. As young bachelors when they enter the dining hall every morning their minds are already browsing the ‘TO DO LIST’ of the day. In the few minutes that they set aside for breakfast; they are not in a position to give clear instructions to the waiter about what egg preparation they would like to be served. The choice is fairly wide and confusing—boiled eggs (hard/ soft boiled), fried eggs (single/ double fried), sunny side up eggs; scrambled eggs, poached eggs, simple omelette, savoury omelette, cheese omelette, Lucknowi Omelette… the list is long. Decades ago, an officer who had the time and inclination to devote to the issue, directed the mess staff to prepare his entitlement of eggs in a particular way. The preparation became popular as Datikara Bhujiya in the Indian Air Force.

I was a veggie for most part of my service life. That saved me the pain of taking a difficult decision every morning. Once in a blue moon, when I did order eggs, my instructions used to be clear: “Get anything; anything that you can get fast, lest the eggs hatch and I have more difficult time deciding what to make of the chicken.”

It has been forty long years since I stopped dining in the mess; and seven years since I hung my uniform and re-attired. I had almost forgotten about the daily egg dilemma when I was faced with the same old question, recently. I had given a very short notice to Keshav and Saurabha when I told them that I was calling on them just to say, “Hello!” It being lunch time, they insisted that I break bread with them.

“Nothing special, Uncle. We’ll have whatever is there. Saurabha has prepared rice and daal, and has baked a banana cake.” Keshav suggested when I hesitated. “Do you take egg? How would you like to have it? Will egg curry be fine? I can make it in a jiffy.”

“I am fine with egg curry. You guys keep it simple; don’t upset your schedules because of me.”

To cut the long story short, the egg curry was delicious. Seldom have I found an egg preparation so appealing. I still drool when I think of it. I sought their permission to use my hands instead of the well laid cutlery and ate to my heart’s content.

Since, in my re-attired life I do not have a long ‘TO DO LIST,’ I thought I might as well learn how to prepare the mouth-watering egg curry. I requested Keshav for the recipe which he did promptly. For those who wish to experiment, here is the recipe.

Thank you, Keshav! Thank you Saurabha!

Main Ingredients (serving for two)

• 5 eggs (boiled and peeled)
• 2 large red onions
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 tbsp grated ginger
• 1 tbsp crushed garlic
• 1½ tbsp chili powder
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 3 tbsp curry powder (use for egg curry)
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• ½ stick cinnamon
• 2 pcs star anise
• 4 pcs cardamom pods (whole)
• 3 pcs cloves
• 400 ml cream (adjust as needed)
• A pinch of salt
• 1 tbsp ghee or clarified butter
• 3 tbsp cooking oil
• Fresh coriander leaves (for garnishing)

Ingredients for Seasoning

• 4 tbsp ghee or clarified butter
• 5-6 pcs dried chillies
• 4-5 pcs curry leaves
• 1 tsp diced onion

Procedure

Preparation of Ingredients:

• Boil the eggs, peel them, and set aside.
• Dice the red onions, use half the garlic clove.

Initial Cooking:

• Heat oil in a deep non-stick pot.
• Add cinnamon, star anise, cardamom pods, and cloves. When fragrant, throw in the diced onions, garlic, and green paprika. Cook on medium heat until soft.
• Add the grated ginger, and garlic paste. Sauté for a minute until everything is well combined and aromatic. The masala is ready.
• Add the boiled eggs to the masala and gently coat them with it.
• Add all the powders (chili, turmeric, cumin, curry powder). Mix well, ensuring the eggs are well coated.
• Add salt to taste.

Preparation of the Curry:

• Pour in the cream, stir well, and reduce the heat by two levels.
• Cover the pot with a lid and let the curry simmer for about 10 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent it from burning.
• Remove the lid and cook until the curry thickens, allowing it to reduce until almost dry.
• Final Touches:
• In a separate small sauté pan, heat the ghee or clarified butter. Add the dried chilies, curry leaves, and diced onions. Cook until the onions turn golden brown.
• Pour this tempered mixture over the egg curry and stir.

Serve

Garnish with fresh coriander leaves. Serve with basmati rice, cucumber with mayonnaise, some pickles, or simply chapati and daal.

Bon appétit!