Chettinad egg curry is a spicy and flavourful curry from the Chettinad regions of Tamilnadu. Just like the famous chicken, Chettinad mutton, this egg curry is packed with the rich aromatic Chettinad masala. This is made like a thick semi gravy style where the masala is coated well with eggs and it pairs almost with anything like steamed rice, ghee rice, roti, parotta, chapathi, or even with dosai.

Chettinad Egg Curry Recipe
I love eggs in any form. They are one of the versatile ingredients to have around because you can whip up anything during any time of the day.
I make curries with it often to go along with roti or Appam or whatever. The curries made with eggs pair great with these.
About Chettinad Egg Curry
Chettinad Egg Curry is a South Indian dish that combines boiled eggs with a delectable tomato-onion curry flavoured with coconut and red dry chilli paste.
Egg curry is something we make often at home and it never gets boring. Still, I like to try different variations once in a while to keep everyday meals more interesting.
This Chettinad egg curry is one such variation that has a bold, spicy flavour and that's something delicious from the usual recipes.
This recipe is quite different from the normal curry, because it has a very intense spicy flavour to it from the freshly ground masala. I served this spicy curry with roti and i had some leftover the next day which I served with Appam.
Similar recipes

I should admit that the curry tasted way better the next day when reheated, the flavours got meld together beautifully.
What I love about chettinad curry is how simple and versatile they are. The same base masala can be used to make different dishes like chicken, mutton, fish, mushroom, potato, paneer or even soya chunks.
It is an easy way to create delicious Chettinad meals for both vegetarian and non vegetarian preferences.
In this chettinad egg curry, you can cut the eggs into halves or lightly slit them if you prefer to keep them whole.
This helps the eggs absorb the rich chettinad masala better and make each bite more flavourful. And once the yolk gets coated in that thick, spicy gravy, it tastes absolutely amazing.
If you enjoy experimenting with egg curry recipes, try my other easy and tasty options on the blog like Kerala style egg roast, egg pulusu, egg curry and many more.

Ingredients
- Egg : Boiled eggs are the main ingredient of this dish. They are a great source of protein, which makes the curry both filling and delicious. The eggs soak up the spicy masala well and give a delicious taste in every bite.
- Seasoning : Mustard seeds are tempered in hot oil and releases a nutty aroma that bases the curry base. For an authentic flavour, gingelly oil is best to use. But you can also use any neutral cooking oil of your choice.
- Onion and tomato : Onion and tomato form the base of the curry. Onion adds mild sweetness, while tomato puree brings mild tanginess that balances the spices and helps to create a thick gravy.
- Green chilli : Green chilli adds fresh heat to the curry and you can adjust based on your spice level.
- Ginger garlic paste : Ginger garlic paste adds a strong aroma that enhances the overall taste of the curry.
- Turmeric powder : Turmeric powder is added after tempering and sizzled in hot oil. It gives a beautiful yellow color to the dish.
- For fresh masala : Coriander seeds, whole pepper, dry red chilli, cumin seeds, fennel seeds and cinnamon are roasted in oil and ground into a smooth paste. This freshly prepared masala is what gives the authentic Chettinad curry flavour, rich aroma and taste.

Step by Step Pictures
Boiling Eggs
1)Take egg and water in a sauce pan. Bring it to a full boil, boil for 8 to 10 minutes.

2)Peel them and make lots of slashes in them.

Chettinad Masala
3)For Roasting and Grinding, Take all whole spices.
- 1 piece Cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon Coconut Oil
- 2 tablespoon Coriander Seeds
- 1 teaspoon Black Peppercorns
- 4 no Dry Red Chillies
- 1 teaspoon Cumin Seeds
- 1 teaspoon Fennel Seeds

4)Now make the masala. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a kadai. Add in the whole spices and roast them for 3 mins on low heat till they are toasted and roasted.

5)Take them in a blender and add some water to it.

6)Make into a smooth paste.

Tempering Spices
7)Now heat oil in a kadai. Add in mustard seeds, curry leaves, turmeric powder and let them sizzle.

Make Masala
8)Now add in the onions and green chilli.

9)Add in salt over the onions. Saute this for 2 mins till they are translucent.

10)Cover the pan with a lid and cook for 5 more mins, so the onions turns soft and cooked.

11)Let the onions cook till translucent.

12)Add in ginger garlic paste and cook for a minutes.

13)Now add in the masala paste along and saute this till the oil separates on top.

14)Cook till masala cooks down.

15)Now add in the tomato puree and cook them for 5 more mins till they are cooked.

16)Now pour some water and bring it to a full boil.

17) add in the eggs.

18)Cover the kadai and let them cook for 10 mins till the oil floats on top. Serve with rice or anything you prefer.

Expert Tips
Roast on medium heat : Always roast the whole species on medium heat to bring out the maximum flavour and this is what gives the curry its authentic Chettinad taste.
Adjusting spices : You can adjust spice levels by reducing or increasing dry red chillies and pepper as per your taste preference.
Boost flavour : For extra flavour, you can lightly fry the boiled eggs with a slit in a little oil with turmeric powder and red chilli powder before adding to the curry.
Garnishing : Garnish the egg curry with a handful of fresh coriander and curry leaves for extra freshness and flavour.
Storage : Store the leftover chettinad egg curry once it is completely cooled down to an airtight container. It stays fresh for 2 to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stove and add little water if the gravy thickens to adjust the consistency.
Serving : Chettinad egg curry tastes best when served hot with steamed rice, roti, chapati, parotta, idli or dosai. You can also pair it with pulao or jeera rice for a satisfying meal.
FAQ
Absolutely! You can add a little coconut milk at the end to balance the spice level and make a mild creamy curry.
Yes, this chettinad curry is naturally spicy. However, you can easily adjust the spice level by reducing the quantity of red chilli to suit your taste.
The highlight of chettinad curry is the freshly roasted and ground whole spice masala paste. This gives the curry its rich aroma, flavour and authentic taste.
This chettinad curry is a versatile one. You can replace boiled eggs with chicken, mutton, fish, paneer, mushroom or potato to create different variations using the same chettinad base masala.
📖 Get Recipe

Chettinad Egg Curry Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 large Eggs Hard boiled
For Tempering
- 2 tablespoon Coconut Oil
- 1 teaspoon Mustard Seeds
- 1 sprig Curry Leaves
- ½ teaspoon Turmeric powder
For Curry Base
- 2 large Onions peeled & sliced thinly
- 2 tablespoon Ginger Garlic Paste
- ½ cup Tomato Puree 2 medium size pureed
- 2 no Green chilli slit
- 1 teaspoon Salt to taste
For Roasting and Grinding
- 1 teaspoon Coconut Oil
- 2 tablespoon Coriander Seeds
- 1 teaspoon Black Peppercorns
- 4 no Dry Red Chillies
- 1 teaspoon Cumin Seeds
- 1 teaspoon Fennel Seeds
- 1 piece Cinnamon
Instructions
- Start by hard boiling the eggs. Peel them and make lots of slashes in them. Set aside.
- Now make the masala. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a kadai. Add in the whole spices and roast them for 3 mins on low heat till they are toasted and roasted. Take them in a blender and add some water to it. Make into a smooth paste.
- Now heat oil in a kadai. Add in mustard seeds, turmeric powder, curry leaves and let them sizzle.
- Now add in the onions and green chilli along with salt. Saute this for 2 mins till they are translucent. Add in ginger garlic paste and cook for a minutes. Cover the pan with a lid and cook for 5 more mins, so the onions turns soft and cooked.
- Now add in the masala paste along and saute this till the oil separates on top. Now add in the tomato puree and cook them for 5 more mins till they are cooked.
- Now pour some water and add in the eggs. Cover the kadai and let them cook for 10 mins till the oil floats on top.
- Serve with rice or anything you prefer.






kausers kitchen
Super delicious gravy dear, drooling here.
colombina
Really nice so spice! I'd like it very much. Kisses
Hamaree Rasoi
super looking spicy egg curry
Priya
Such a flavourful egg curry,inviting.
Maria Dsouza
Loved your version will try them too 🙂
Sona S
looks delicious and tempting.. bookmarked!
suthirecipe
Delicious recipe.we bought panettone few weeks back.we ate little only. I do no what to do ? I searched in ur blog. I found french toast. We like the taste very much. Thanks for ur recipe. I want to try your pannacotta shall we use whipped cream instead of fresh cream?
Aarthi
@suthirecipe yes u can use
suthirecipe
Thanku aarthi
Shobana Navamani
looks yummy
morri
I made it today! It was hard to tell if the onion had already turned translucent, because it was all yellow from the turmeric, heh. I don't often roast and grind my own masala (too lazy), but now I did, and the dish is absolutely worth all the effort. My husband not only polished his bowl clean - he offered to scrub my bowl too, because he thought the curry was so good. Thanks for posting!
Anonymous
I am a bachelor living with elderly mother and brother. I cook when mother is not feeling well. I prepared this dish today and we had this with lemon rice. Tasted great. Thanks ma'am.
Geetha
Wow!!!!! What a delicious dish. I prepared this for lunch with chapathi and believe me, my hubby who doesnt like to have rice at all had rice with this egg curry for dinner.
Thanks for posting such a wonderful recipe 🙂
karishma kalro
This recipe was a super hit ! Thanks aarthi..keep creating such yummy dishes ..
manovivek
My wife did this for me.....its more tastier then it is because she add more love to it...
charu
Aarthi this recipe looks very yummy....biy being vegetarian can u suggest some other option.
Aarthi
@charuYou can use Aloo, Paneer, gobi or any veggies
Subha Subramanian
Nice egg curry.will try this soon..........
Subha Subramanian
Nice egg curry
Safina Syed
Thanks for the awesome recipe aarthi . Today i made it , it goes well with aapam , my dad and my hubby loves it ..
Keerthana Ravikumar
Tried today n came out so well.. Thank you aarthi..
Anonymous
It is a great dish. Tried it and it was relished by my family. I just added some chopped capsicum. Thanks Aarti for lovely recipes.
bristol plasterers
This sounds really delicious and something new to try. Thank you for sharing this.
Simon
Arun
Today made this curry and the taste is awesome. Super recipe with pictures, looks nice keep posting new dishes.
D!vy@
what is tomato puree..is this tomato sauce or something different????
Aarthi
@D!vy@tomato puree is just pureed tomatoes.
Gaurav
Thanks for this great blog. Our family regularly cooks from your recipes.
One suggestion. Try using steel pots/pans. The non-stick coating ultimately goes in your families stomach and over the long term is very harmful.
Purnima Selvamurugan
Picture with Step by Step procedures is simply Superb. I tried this tonight. It came out perfectly well.
Unknown
It turned out yummy.Very well written and worth a try.Thanks for posting.
Nisha
Greeshma
Nice recipe @Aarti.. we enjoyed it with ghee rice 🙂
thanks for the beautiful step by step description..
Birundha
Tried today and it turned out good.. Made it very spicy.. thanks.
Rajesh N Rathod
Yummy --,delicious -- mouthwatering__tempting
khan sana
This article is very good and quite unique. People like such posts very much, I also like such articles, you are an inspiration for today's youth. Thank you.