The dish features boiled eggs fried in a masa harina coating and served in a spicy sauce garnished with fresh herbs.

Ingredients

• 8 large eggs, at room temperature
• 100 ml vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons Masa Harina
• Salt
• 2 onions, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 teaspoon caraway seeds, toasted and lightly crushed
• 3/4 teaspoon cumin seeds, toasted and lightly crushed
• 1 Tablespoon tomato paste
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
• 1 ancho chilli, torn into 5-6 pieces, stalks discarded, deseeded and soaked in 250 ml boiling water for 20 minutes
• 1 1/2 teaspoon pul biber (Turkish chilli flakes); or half that amount of regular chilli flakes
• 1 spring onion, finely sliced on an angle
• 5 Grams cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
• 4 pickled green chillies, to serve

Procedure

1. Bring a large saucepan half-filled with water to a boil, turn down the heat to medium-high, so the water is boiling gently, then lower in the eggs and cook for six minutes.
2. Drain, leave the eggs under cold running water for a few minutes to stop them cooking any more, then peel.
3. Heat the oil in a large saute pan on a medium-high flame. Mix the masa harina in a small bowl with an eighth of a teaspoon of salt, then toss the peeled eggs in the mix.
4. Once the oil is very hot, carefully lay the eggs in the pan and fry for three minutes, turning them a few times, until light golden brown all over (there’s a chance the eggs may break and spit a bit, so keep a safe distance from the pan and don’t worry if they look a bit misshapen). Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to a plate lined with kitchen towel.
5. Fry the sliced onions in the same pan for seven minutes, stirring frequently, until golden brown, then add the caraway, cumin, tomato paste, garlic and a third of a teaspoon of salt, and cook for two minutes, stirring from time to time, until aromatic.
6. Stir in the ancho chilli and its soaking liquid and the pul biber, cook for about 90 seconds until the sauce thickens and turns a rich, deep red, then return the eggs to the pan to warm through for 30 seconds.
7. Sprinkle over the spring onion and cilantro, and serve hot with the pickled chillies.