Recipe
March 27, 2017
Ask A Chef: Talli Joe’s Messy Thokku
Chef Sameer Taneja of Talli Joe in London shares his Messy Thokku recipe.
Q: Last summer we travelled to London and ate at the hip Indian restaurant Talli Joe. We had a spicy pickled egg dish served with bread that I can’t stop thinking about. I’d love the recipe! — Leah, Etobicoke, Ontario
A: Talli Joe is an Indian small plates restaurant in London’s Covent Garden neighbourhood. Thanks to executive chef Sameer Taneja and his team, it was recently listed as a Michelin selection in the 2017 London guide. Their popular Messy Thokku is a dish of chopped pickled egg that’s tossed with ginger, garlic, chilis and tomatoes, then finished with fresh coriander and garam masala.
Directions
Yield: Serves 4
Make Pickled Eggs
- Combine all ingredients except eggs in medium pot. Bring to boil; boil 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Let cool until just warm.
- Place eggs in a jar. Add enough pickling liquid to cover eggs. (Reserve remaining pickling liquid for another use.) Close jar and refrigerate eggs 1-2 weeks to pickle.
Make Thokku Masala
- Heat oil in frypan over medium heat.
- Add mustard seeds, fennel seeds, curry leaves, peppercorns and lentils, and cook 1 minute or until fragrant. Add shallots and cook until translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Add ginger, garlic and green chili, and cook 1 minute. Add chili powder, ground coriander and tomato, and cook until vegetables are tender. Season with salt and pepper.
Finish And Serve
- Chop 4 pickled eggs. Fold into thokku masala. Finish with chopped coriander and sprinkle of garam masala. Serve with puff pastry roti or wedge of bread.