Recipe: how to make the spicy eggs Rajasthan from brunch spot Saving Grace

PREP TIME: 20 minutes COOK TIME: 25 minutes Serves 2

CHICKPEA MASALA

1 large red onion 2 tbsp vegetable oil 2 tbsp ground coriander 2 tbsp ground cumin 2 tsp garam masala 2 tsp Indian chili powder 1 pinch of salt 4 cups canned chickpeas, drained 1 cup canned tomatoes, chopped 1 ½ cups water 2 tbsp tamarind paste

EGGS RAJASTHAN

1 cup red onion, chopped 2 tsp vegetable oil ½ tsp spicy Indian chili powder ½ cup tomato, chopped, with juices 1 pinch of salt 4 eggs 1 tbsp butter 2 tsp cilantro, chopped 1 tbsp plain yogurt for drizzling 2 pieces of Indian bread such as paratha or naan (see tip)

1. To prepare chickpea masala, cut onion into quarters, then thinly slice. Set an oiled frying pan over medium-high heat. Sauté onions for 5 to 7 minutes until soft. Stir in spices. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add chickpeas. Cook for 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and water. Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes until liquid is absorbed. Stir in tamarind paste.

2. To prepare eggs, sauté onions in oil over medium heat for 3 minutes. Sprinkle with chili powder. Cook for 1 minute, stirring. Add tomatoes and salt and cook for 5 more minutes. Stir in 1 tbsp of water at a time as needed to keep mixture moist.

3. Whisk eggs and 1 tsp water in a bowl. Melt butter in a medium frying pan over medium-low heat. Pour in eggs. Scramble for 5 minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon.

4. Push tomato mixture to side of pan. Add scrambled eggs. Mix a little tomato with the eggs. Divide between two plates. Serve remaining tomato mixture over eggs. Drizzle with yogurt. Garnish with cilantro. Serve with chickpea masala and paratha or naan.

TIP The best store-bought paratha and naan are distributed by Deep Foods Inc. You can find them in the frozen section at most Indian specialty food stores, including BJ Supermarket. 1449 Gerrard St. E., 416-469-3712.

MONICA MILLER SAVING GRACE Monica Miller grew up in Wasaga Beach and lives in Toronto but dreams of India. She first visited 10 years ago (inspired by a screening of Monsoon Wedding) and has been back nine times since. Part of her infatuation is with the food, which explains the exotic tinge to the menu at her Dundas West brunch spot, Saving Grace. Eggs Rajasthan, for example, is a dish Miller learned to cook while on a camel safari in the Thar Desert. She helped the guide make it in the morning for breakfast and couldn’t get over its alluring chili heat.

Recipes developed by Victoria Walsh. Recipe photography by Raina and Wilson. Illustrations by Aleksandar Janicijevic. Interviews by Meaghan Binstock, Chantal Braganza, Matthew Hague, Peter Saltsman, Courtney Shea and Caroline Youdan.