Egg Curry Recipe with Fragrant Lemongrass and Shrimp Paste
This Indonesian egg curry recipe with fragrant lemongrass and funky shrimp paste for telur petis comes from the Indonesian island of Java although variations can be found right across the archipelago. This rendition makes a gently-spiced boiled egg curry that’s eaten as breakfast and a snack, but the spiced eggs are also used to decorate a festive rice dish.
- Prep time
- 20 min
- Cook time
- 25 min
- Yield
- 4 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
- 8 eggs (boiled to your liking)
- 1 knob fresh galangal (2 cm length, peeled and sliced)
- 1 knob fresh turmeric (peeled and sliced, or 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric)
- 4 red finger-length chilies (deseeded)
- 4 shallots (peeled)
- 3 clove garlic (peeled)
- 1 tsp shrimp paste (trasi, dry-roasted)
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tbsp palm sugar (or brown sugar)
- 400 ml thick coconut milk or coconut cream
- 2 birds-eye chillies (bruised)
- 2 stalk lemongrass (thick bottom half only, outer layer discarded, inner part bruised)
- 2 salam leaves (optional)
- 1 tsp salt (or to taste)
- 2 tbsp crispy fried shallots
- 1 tsp fresh coriander leaves
Instructions
- 1
Boil the eggs to your liking following our guide, then when cool, peel them.
- 2
In mortar and pestle, pound the fresh galangal, turmeric, red finger-length chilies, shallots, garlic, and shrimp paste into a fine paste. Add a little coconut milk if needed.
- 3
In a wok, over medium heat, heat the oil then stir-fry the spice paste for a few minutes until aromatic.
- 4
Add the palm sugar (or brown sugar) to the paste, continuing to stir-fry to combine.
- 5
Add the coconut milk, birds-eye chillies, lemongrass, and salam leaves if you can get them, then stir to combine well.
- 6
Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low to simmer until the curry sauce thickens, then add the boiled eggs.
- 7
Season with salt, then taste, and adjust the seasoning if necessary (adding more salt if needed or if too spicy or salty for your taste, add a little more sugar), then continue to simmer for two minutes.
- 8
Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with the crunchy fried shallots and fresh coriander leaves, and serve with additional fried shallots and bird’s eye chillies or chilli flakes on the side.