Sambal Telur Curry & Rice
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Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 45-50 mins
Sambal is a spicy Malaysian condiment made from tomatoes, shallots, garlic, chilli and sugar. We’ll help you make your own, then whip it in to a fragrant telur (egg) curry made with rich coconut milk and toasted spices, topped with crispy shallot and served with white basmati.
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756 kcal
(per portion)
Ingredients you'll need
  • 4 eggs
  • 400g vine tomatoes
  • ½ habanero chilli
  • 3 shallots
  • A thumb of ginger
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • 2 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 200ml coconut milk
  • ½ tbsp Demerara sugar
  • 150g white basmati rice
From your kitchen
  • Sea salt
  • Freshly ground pepper
  • 1½ tbsp olive oil
  • 300ml boiling water
Step by step this way
  • 1.

    Put the whole eggs in a pan over a medium heat and cover with cold water. As soon as the water starts boiling, take the pan off the heat. Cover and set aside for 7 mins. Drain and plunge the eggs into ice cold water. When cool, carefully peel the eggs and set to one side.

  • 2.

    While the eggs cook, cut a cross in the bottom of each tomato. Place in a bowl. Cover with boiling water. Leave for 1 min, then drain. When cool enough to handle, peel off and discard the skins.

  • 3.

    Peel and roughly chop 2 of the shallots, the ginger and the garlic. Add to a food processor with the tomatoes. Halve the habanero chilli (this week’s chillies are hot, so even if you like things spicy, be sure to flick out all the white bits and have a nibble to see how much you want to add – half is probably plenty), and add to the tomatoes. Blitz to a smooth paste – this is your sambal. No food processor? Just use a sharp knife to finely chop everything.

  • 4.

    In a dry frying pan or wok, toast 2 tsp cumin seeds for 1-2 mins till fragrant and popping. Tip onto a plate. Warm ½ tbsp oil in the same pan. Tip in the sambal pasta from your processor. Cook and stir for 5 mins till the colour begins to darken.

  • 5.

    Add the toasted cumin and 1 tsp each ground coriander and turmeric. Pour in the coconut milk. Pour in 200ml boiling water. Add ½ tbsp Demerara sugar. Simmer for 20 mins on a low heat till the sauce is thick.

  • 6.

    While the curry is cooking, rinse the rice. Tip it into a pan with 300ml boiling water. Add a pinch of salt. Cover and bring to the boil then turn the heat right down and simmer for 8 mins. Take off the heat. Set aside, lid on, for 4-5 mins to finish cooking the rice.

  • 7.

    Peel and thinly slice the remaining shallot. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a small frying pan. Fry the shallot for 3-4 mins, stirring constantly, till golden and crisp.

  • 8.

    Once the sambal sauce is thick, taste and add more salt or sugar if you think it needs it. Lower in the peeled eggs. Simmer for 5 mins to warm through. Serve with the rice and crispy shallot.

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