Kerala Egg Curry With Coconut Milk

This spicy, meatless Kerala egg curry will be your new go-to for quick and easy weeknight dinners! Hard boiled eggs are simmered in a flavorful creamy tomato and onion sauce - plus it takes just 30 minutes to prepare!

We adore curries in our house, especially Indian curries. Their warming spices and rich flavors are so comforting, and they’re usually much easier to make than you think.

And, for another meatless option, this cauliflower tikka masala is hands down one of the best curries we make, but we're also pretty big fans of these curry tomatoes! 

This south Indian Kerala egg curry with coconut milk (also called nadan mutta curry) is mildly spicy with whole toasted spices and creamy coconut milk added to the sauce! 

You can serve it with instant pot basmati rice, but we also love it with coconut jasmine rice or this Instant Pot cilantro lime rice. And, don’t forget a refreshing creamy mango lassi to quell the heat!

Why this Kerala egg curry recipe (nadan mutta curry) works

• Toasting your fresh, whole spices creates the most amazing flavor, and adding some coconut milk makes the tomato and onion sauce extra creamy!
• This delicious egg curry only takes 30 minutes to prepare, and that includes time to boil the eggs. So, there’s really no reason you can’t have this curry for dinner, even on busy weeknights!
• In my opinion, curries are even more flavorful the next day, so you’ll love this Keralan style curry for meal prep. Just be sure to save a little for lunch leftovers the next day! 

Ingredients

For a full list of ingredients, check out the recipe card at the end of this post. 

You’ll need hard boiled eggs for this curry recipe. I usually boil mine for about 9-10 minutes so the yolks are creamy, but you can boil them for a few minutes longer for firmer yolks. You can also use this sous vide hard boiled eggs recipe to get perfect hardboiled eggs every time.

Ghee is used to sauté the onion, garlic and ginger. This is a clarified butter where the milk solids have been removed. It has a nutty flavor and is frequently used in Indian cooking. You can buy ghee or use this homemade ghee.

To add some spicy flavor, we use kashmiri red chili powder is added to the curry. This is a toasted, ground red pepper that’s spicier than paprika, but milder than cayenne pepper.

For a fragrant and warming blend of spices, the recipe calls for garam masala. I prefer to use homemade garam masala powder for an intense, deep flavor, but you can also use store-bought. The recipe also uses coriander, cardamom, black peppercorns and turmeric powder.

The sauce includes ¾ cup of chicken stock. You can use store-bought or make your own like this crockpot chicken broth. If using store-bought broth, I recommend going for low sodium so you can control the amount of salt that’s added to the curry.

While coconut milk isn’t always included in egg curries, I like to add half a cup to the gravy for texture and flavor. For the creamiest texture, opt for full fat thick coconut milk or even coconut cream.

Substitutions and variations

• For added flavor, add 2-3 curry leaves when cooking your curry. You can also add fennel seeds and/or mustard seeds to the spice mix.
• Substitute coconut oil for the ghee to keep this recipe vegan.
• Substitute coriander powder and black pepper powder for the fresh spices if needed.
• Substitute garlic paste for the fresh garlic in a pinch or for convenience.
• For a vegetarian version, you can use vegetable broth in place of the chicken stock.
• Substitute paprika or cayenne pepper for the kashmiri chili powder if needed.
• Substitute coconut cream for the coconut milk for the thickest texture. You can also use homemade coconut milk!
• Top the curry with fresh grated coconut (unsweetened).

Step by step instructions to make this Kerala style egg curry recipe

1. Toast and grind the whole spices. To toast, heat a skillet on medium heat and add the spices, tossing every few minutes or so until fragrant. Remove from heat and grind with a mortar and pestle.

2. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the ghee. Sauté the onions, garlic and ginger for 2-3 minutes, until softened and starting to lightly brown.

3. Add the tomatoes and spice powders and simmer for 2-3 minutes.

4. Add the broth, mix well, and simmer for 5 minutes.

5. Stir in the canned coconut milk and eggs and simmer for 5-10 minutes, until the sauce has thickened.

6. Add additional salt to taste and serve with basmati rice, appam, parotta (paratha) dosa, naan and/or any flatbread.

Expert tips

1. For the best flavor, make sure your spices are fresh. I also highly recommend toasting and grinding whole spices. 
2. When toasting the spices, keep an eye on them so they don’t burn.
3. You’ll also want to ensure your eggs are fresh. Avoid ones that might be close to their expiry date.
4. I recommend using a large skillet with high sides so you have plenty of room for the eggs and sauce to simmer without spilling over.
5. Before adding the can of diced tomatoes, drain them well so the sauce doesn’t turn out watery.
6. Make sure you cook your aromatics until softened, otherwise you may have bits of crunchy onion in your sauce.
7. If the sauce is too thick, just add additional stock. If it's too thin, simmer it longer to reduce it. 
8. Hold off on adding the salt until the sauce has reduced and then add to taste.

Frequently asked questions

More south Indian curry recipes

If you love this recipe, please leave a star rating and a comment below and let us know your favorite thing about it. We'd also love to connect on Instagram! Follow us at @went_here_8_this for awesome recipes and all sorts of fun food stuff 🙂