Egg curry anyone?

I am going to explain here how to prepare a curry, a simple Malaysian curry. Mira had requested this and I hope that she will be able to prepare it for her Japanese friends (It is actually a North Malaysian way of preparing curry). Gambatte!

I learned to prepare curry when I was young, probably around 12 years old. It started by assisting my mother to peel the onions and garlics. And after sometimes, around 5 years I would say, I was asked to cook for the family under her guidedance. Then one day she said, 'You can cook on your own as I need to go somewhere.' That day, I showed my tantrums; out of fear not to cook the curry alright and and also from being left behind at home with three guys alone, my late father and my two younger brothers (as none of them would help me in the kitchen). Sigh! Anyhow, the curry turned out just nice and I was so happy because one of my brother compliment the curry. That was enough for me to keep cooking for the family whenever I was home. (See? It is easy to buy my heart.)

This curry preparation is for also suitable for fish, egg, prawn and cuttlefish. This time, it is egg curry time.

From right, clockwise; dried asam gelugor, halba campur and dried curry leaves.

Ingredients

Part A
Spice -- Halba campur which consisted of fennel, fenugreek, black mustard & cumin seeds (optional)
Curry leaves (optional)
1 clove of garlic - minced
1/4 of large onion - minced

Part B
1 pack of curry powder. I used the Adabi brand curry powder.
Half of large onion
4 cloves of garlic
--> Blend with a cup of water

Others
Half pack of instant coconut cream powder - made it into liquid by adding 1 cup of warm water.
Dried Asam Gelugor (Garcinia atroviridis) - 3 pieces or maybe substitute with tamarind (about 1 inch in diameter)
Egg - 3 (or as you like)
Tomatoes (as you like)
Cucumber (if you like)
Oil for stir frying (about 5 tablespoons)
Water (1 cup)
Salt for flavoring (about 1 teaspoon - depending on personal taste)
Sugar for flavoring (1/2 tablespoon)

Instructions:
1. Heat the oil in a pot and saute Part A ingredients until lightly brown.
2. Add the Part B ingredient (curry paste) into the pot. Mix well.
3. Add a cup of water, dried Asam Gelugor, salt (1/2 of teaspoon) and sugar. Let it simmer until it's cook (the surface of the curry paste will look oily). It will take around 5 to 10 minutes depending on the heat (use medium heat is better to avoid burning the whole thing, heh!) and the volume of water used.
4. Once the paste is cook, add a cup of coconut cream.
5. Mix well. Leave it to slowly boil.
6. Once boil, reduce the heat a little. Then, poached an egg and slowly put it directly into the curry soup. Repeat with the next eggs but at different locations in the pot to avoid the eggs attaching to each other. (If you are preparing fish or prawn or cuttlefish curry, this is the time to add those). Leave it for 1 minutes.
7. Add the tomatoes, cucumbers. Mix slowly to avoid breaking the eggs. Leave it to simmer for around 5 minutes.
8. Taste and add more salt if you like it salty.
9. Turn off the heat. The egg curry is ready to be eaten. Hot plain rice is the best choice!
It will take around 30 minutes to prepare this curry.

Voila!