Cook with Clove: Eggs Kejriwal by Dishoom

With restaurants around the world shut because of the coronavirus crisis, Clove is launching a new series, #CookWithClove, that brings you some of their most popular recipes to recreate while you’re stuck at home in lockdown. First up, a breakfast classic: Eggs Kejriwal by Dishoom, a culinary powerhouse that recalls the old Irani cafes of Bombay/Mumbai.

The dish is reputedly named after a member of the well-to-do Willingdon Club, the first such institution in the city to admit Indians – the story goes that his wife didn’t allow him to eat eggs at home, so that’s where he went to satisfy his cravings.

It’s essentially eggs on top of chilli cheese on toast – what’s not to love? “Chilli cheese toast might sound very Western, but it’s a real favourite of Bombayites, and a regular fixture on our table whenever we visit the famous cafe Leopold in Bombay,” says chef Naved Nasir. “The Kejriwal takes this afternoon snack and transforms it with the addition of perfectly fried eggs.”

“In Bombay your chilli cheese toast would be made with processed cheese by the ubiquitous Indian dairy brand Amul, which for Indians tastes like home. We use mature Cheddar, but if you can get hold of the real thing, it will make this dish taste more authentic.”

— Naved Nasir

It’s a recipe that’s ideal for less experienced cooks, he says – it’s simple and takes less than 10 minutes to make. The most convenient way of finishing the eggs is to use a frying pan that can go into the oven, but if you don’t have one, you can fry the eggs until they’re cooked in the pan, and then top with the cheese, spring onions, chilli and pepper. The cheese won’t melt quite as much, but it will still be delicious. If your frying pan is reliably non-stick, you should need little or no oil.

Handily, for lockdown, all the ingredients should be easy to find. “In Bombay your chilli cheese toast would be made with processed cheese by the ubiquitous Indian dairy brand Amul, which for Indians tastes like home,” Nasir says. “We use mature Cheddar instead, but if you can get hold of the real thing, it will make this dish taste more authentic.” He adds: “We enjoy brioche bread as a base, but any loaf will do nicely.”

Try the recipe out with a masala chai on the side (recipe to come soon!) and share your efforts (experiments, substitutions and all) with us using the hashtag #CookWithClove.

Ingredients (serves 1)

80g mature Cheddar, grated1 or 2 thick slices of white bloomer, sourdough or brioche (depending on size and level 
of hunger)2 spring onions, chopped1 green chilli, very finely chopped1 tsp vegetable oil (optional)1 or 2 large eggs (one per slice of toast)

Coarsely ground black pepper

To serve

Tomato ketchup

Recipe

1. Let the grated cheese come up to room temperature; it needs to be quite soft and workable. 2. Heat the oven to 240°C/Fan 220°C/Gas 9. Place a baking tray inside to warm up. 3. Toast the bread until very lightly browned on both sides. Set aside to cool slightly while you prepare the topping. 4. Put a small handful of the grated cheese (roughly 10g), 1 tsp chopped spring onion and a pinch of green chilli to one side, to be used when you fry the egg(s).5. Crack the egg(s) into a cup or small bowl, being careful to keep the yolk(s) intact.6. Put the remaining cheese, spring onions and green chilli into a bowl, add plenty of black pepper and mix well. Using the back of a spoon (or your fingers), work the cheese mixture into a paste by pressing it firmly into the side of the bowl. 7. Spread the cheese mix evenly over the toast and press it in, using the back of the spoon, to create a firm, even layer that goes all the way to the edges of the toast. Place on the tray in the oven and cook for 6–8 minutes, until deep golden and bubbling.8. While the chilli cheese toast is cooking, warm a frying pan over a high heat and, if using, add the oil. Gently tip the egg(s) into the hot pan and add some black pepper. Top with the reserved grated cheese, spring onion and green chilli. Place the frying pan in the oven and cook for 2 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the egg white(s) are cooked but the yolk(s) are still runny.

9.  Carefully slide the egg(s) onto the cheese on toast and serve right away, with plenty of tomato ketchup.

This recipe is an extract from Dishoom by Shamil Thakrar, Kavi Thakrar & Naved Nasir (Bloomsbury, £26). Photo: Haarala Hamilton. Follow the hashtag #CookWithClove for more recipes over the coming weeks and use it to share your versions of Eggs Kejriwal