Masala Shakshuka

I don’t know if it is the Indian auntie within me, but I move through the world noticing just how many dishes are almost Indian food, but aren’t technically Indian food. The best example of this? Shakshuka, the insanely popular North African/Middle Eastern dish of jammy tomatoes and yolky eggs. The first time I ate it, I realized this is basically tomato-onion gravy—or cooked-down tomatoes and onions—which is the base of so many north Indian dishes, plus some eggs baked on top.

Shakshuka is incredibly versatile and easily adapts to whichever flavors you might want. To make it more Indian, I throw in spices like garam masala, cumin, and coriander. I like to serve shakshuka with naan, which feels like a distant relative of pita. (It is also great with the Tadka Focaccia on page 258.) You could add some crumbled paneer on top of the dish before baking to make it even more Indian, but I prefer to use feta, which offers a nice burst of saltiness.

SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 large white onion, diced

1/2 red bell pepper, diced

1/2 green serrano pepper, minced

2 tablespoons garlic paste
or 6 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon ginger paste or 1-inch piece fresh ginger, grated

1 teaspoon Garam Masala (page 62)

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

1/2 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder

1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric

1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes

3 tablespoons whole milk

1/4 to 1/2 cup water (if needed)

4 large eggs

1/2 cup crumbled feta

Chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish

Freezer Note

You can absolutely freeze the tomato gravy base (stop before you crack in the eggs) in an airtight container for 3 months. Reheat in a skillet until heated through and then continue the recipe from there. I love the idea of freezing a half batch of the base for a quick future meal.

DIRECTIONS

In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and bell pepper and sauté for 4 to 6 minutes, until soft and tender, then add the serrano pepper, garlic, and ginger and give it a good mix. Allow the mixture to cook for another minute, then add the garam masala, salt, pepper, cumin, coriander, chili powder, and turmeric. Stir to make sure the spices evenly coat the vegetables, then add the tomatoes with their juices to the pan. Let the mixture simmer for 10 minutes so that all the flavors meld. Stir in the milk to make the gravy more silky. If the sauce is too thick and jammy at this point, add a little water and let it simmer for another 2 to 4 minutes.

Use a spoon to carve out four wells in the tomato mixture and crack an egg into each. Sprinkle the feta around the pan. Cover the pan and cook until the egg whites set but the yolk remains runny, 2 to 3 minutes. Scatter cilantro over the top and serve.

Reprinted with permission from Amrikan: 125 Recipes from the Indian American Diaspora by Khushbu Shah, published by W.W.W. Norton & Co, June, 2024.