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Let me explain: the best baked eggs are made without baking. When testing these recipes, I found that simply adding a lid creates a steamy environment for cooking the egg tops, resulting in perfectly cooked soft-cooked egg featuring set whites plus liquid yolk. Direct oven heat from baking proves harsher versus moist heat, typically causing making dishes dry and harden the yolk. Presenting two flavorful bases as a jumping-off point, but get creative. Option one involves a straightforward turmeric coconut curry, whereas the spicy sausage sauce reimagines eggs in purgatory, or simply put, spicy tomato eggs.

Turmeric Coconut Curry Steamed Eggs (featured)

Preparation 10 minutes
Cook 55 minutes
Serves Two people

Olive oil
One medium onion, peeled and finely chopped
Salt
Two garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
Fresh ginger root, grated ginger
Turmeric powder
½ tbsp cumin seeds
Aromatic leaves
Coconut milk
Chickpeas
Basil leaves, plus extra to serve
Four eggs
2 green finger chillies, julienned, to serve

Heat a cast-iron pan over medium-high flame. Pour in some oil, add the chopped onion seasoned with salt, and cook for five to six minutes. Mix in garlic, ginger, and spices, leave to sizzle, mixing now and then for three to four minutes, add coconut milk along with chickpeas and liquid. Bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer, let it simmer for half an hour, until thickened and deep yellow in colour. Season with salt, then stir in the basil leaves.

Use the back of a spoon making four indentations within the sauce, then crack an egg into each. Dust each egg lightly salted, place a lid on the pan, gently heat briefly, until the whites are set with yolks still runny. Take off the heat, top with fresh herbs and sliced chilies, ready to enjoy.

Spicy Sausage Sauce with Tangy Peppers Steamed Eggs

Prep 10 min
Cooking time Under an hour
Serves 2

Oil
Spicy lamb sausages
1 tbsp harissa
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 garlic cloves, sliced thin
Tomato base
Salt
Fresh eggs
Tangy peppers, coarsely cut
Fresh parsley, diced
Greek yogurt
1 lemon, sliced into wedges, as garnish

Set a 25cm heavy cast-iron pot on a medium heat. Pour in oil once hot, take off sausage casings and break off pieces of the meat into the pan, resembling tiny meatballs. Turn down the heat, then slowly brown the sausagemeat, releasing flavorful oils. Roll the merguez pieces around the pan as they cook, for even browning.

Once browned, incorporate harissa, cumin, and garlic into the skillet, increase to medium heat and cook, stirring, for several minutes, when fragrant, and garlic softens. Pour in tomato contents, add seasoning heat to simmer. Reduce to low heat and leave to blip away about 20 minutes. Sauce will thicken, intensify in color, with oils separating and surfacing.

Use the back of a spoon to create four little pockets across base, then crack an egg into each. Sprinkle the top of each egg lightly salted, cover skillet. Heat for minutes on low flame, when eggs set with yolks runny.

Remove from heat, finish with chopped pickled peppers, herbs, yogurt dollop, and oil splash, accompanied by lemon.