ডিম ভুনা - Dim Bhuna
Dim Bhuna was the first bangali dish that made my partner cry - and not because of the heat! This is a nostalgic dish regardless of whether you grew up eating it, and it comes through. I have many a fond memory of waking up to the smells of khichuri and dim bhuna in the house. The smell of an impending storm almost flavors the dish so make sure you have eggs and onions handy when the forecast projects a storm. This is an easily scaled recipe, make as much or as little as you need, though you will definitely want leftovers.
The key to this dish are the onions, so be generous with them. My partner likes her dim bhuna on the sweeter, more turmericy, earthy side. I prefer it more on the spicy side. We both agree that the onions should be crescented until our wrists hurt.
Ingredients:
Yellow or White Onions, sliced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tbsp red chilli powder
1/2 tbsp cumin
1 tsp coriander
1 tsp white pepper powder
Water or chicken stock
Hard-boiled eggs
Ghee (clarified butter)
Instructions:
In a pan, heat some oil and add the sliced onions. Sauté them until they are slightly caramelized.
Add the minced garlic to the pan and cook for a minute until fragrant.
Sprinkle the red chilli powder, cumin, coriander, and white pepper powder over the onions and garlic. Stir well to combine and prevent the spices from burning.
If using water, slowly add it to the pan, a little at a time, to create a thick curry paste. Alternatively, you can use chicken stock for enhanced flavor. I cheat a little and use Maggi stock cubes (these are mostly salt).
In a separate bowl, marinate the hard-boiled eggs in a small amount of the spice mixture. With a paring knife I often score the eggs a little, about halfway through the egg white.
In a different pan, heat some ghee and fry the marinated eggs until they turn golden brown. Spice and heat will always bombard the senses so prepare!
Once the eggs are fried, add them back to the pan with the onion curry mixture from step 3.
Gently mix the eggs with the curry, ensuring they are coated evenly.
Allow the curry to simmer for a few minutes, allowing the flavors to meld together.
Serve the Dim Bhuna hot with steamed rice or preferably khichuri.
Enjoy your delicious Bangladeshi Dim Bhuna!
