Breakfast or quick dinner · 25 minutes

Anda Bhuna Recipe (Pakistani Egg Masala)

Score the eggs. Fry them first. Thick masala.

Farwa ZeeshanRecipe by Farwa ZeeshanTested in the NineFoods home kitchen

Anda bhuna is boiled eggs fried in a thick, dry onion and tomato masala. It tastes plain when the masala does not reach inside the eggs. The fix is scoring the eggs, frying them with turmeric and chilli first, and then tossing them in a well-fried masala.

Prep10m
Cook15m
Servings3
kcal / serving300
LevelEasy
Jump to the method

The 3 laws of anda bhuna

Why this recipe works

Score eggs

Smooth eggs

Cuts let the masala in.

Fry eggs

Plain eggs

A spiced crust adds flavour.

Dry masala

Thin gravy

Bhuna means thick and clinging.

Shopping and prep list

Ingredients

Servings
Tap items as you gather them · 0 of 0 ready

Eggs

Masala

The NineFoods bhuna gauge

Is the masala ready for the eggs?

Look at the masala before adding eggs.

Tap a stage to see what to do.

Method · 4 stages

Step by step

1

Fry eggs

Medium · 3 min
  1. Score eggs and rub with turmeric, chilli and salt.
  2. Fry until blistered, then lift out.
Look for: golden, blistered eggs.
03:00
2

Onions

Medium · 6 min
  1. In the same oil, fry onions golden.
  2. Add ginger garlic paste.
Look for: golden onions.
06:00
3

Bhuno

Medium · 5 min
  1. Add tomatoes and spices and fry.
  2. Use the gauge above.
Look for: thick masala with oil.
05:00
4

Toss eggs

Low · 2 min
  1. Add eggs, garam masala, chillies and coriander.
  2. Toss to coat.
Look for: eggs coated in masala.
02:00

Chef's troubleshooter

What went wrong? Pick the symptom

Why

Not scored or fried.

Fix next time

Score and fry the eggs with spices first.

Why

Wet eggs.

Fix next time

Pat dry and partly cover the pan.

Why

Not fried long enough.

Fix next time

Fry until oil separates.

Why

Overboiled.

Fix next time

Boil 9 minutes, then cool in cold water.

Swap smart

Ingredient roles and substitutes

IngredientJob in the dishSwap with
Boiled eggsMainFried or scrambled eggs (anda masala)
TomatoesBaseCanned tomatoes
OilFryingGhee
OnionsSweetnessShallots

After the meal

Serve, store, reheat

Serve with

Paratha, roti or rice.

Store

Best eaten the same day; fridge 1 day, as boiled eggs turn rubbery.

Reheat

Warm the masala first, then add the eggs for the last 2 minutes.

How we tested this recipe

Tested in a home kitchen, not a studio

Farwa Zeeshan

Recipe developed and tested by Farwa Zeeshan, who cooks and tests every NineFoods recipe on a regular home stove.

  • Cooked from start to finish with the exact quantities above for 3 servings, using both the metric and US cup measures.
  • Every one of the 4 stages was timed at the stove; heat levels and the 'look for' cues are what we saw in the pan.
  • The doneness check (is the masala ready for the eggs) and the troubleshooter come from batches that went wrong, and how we fixed them.
  • Reheating and storage advice was checked on leftovers, not guessed.

Read our full testing process

Keep cooking

Related recipes and guides

All Pakistani recipes10 Essential Pakistani Spices and How to Use ThemHow to Make Garam Masala at HomeHow to Make Ginger Garlic Paste

Quick answers

Anda Bhuna FAQ

What is anda bhuna?

Boiled eggs fried in a thick onion and tomato masala.

How long should I boil the eggs?

About 9 minutes for firm yolks.

Why score the eggs?

So the masala can flavour the inside.

Can I add potatoes?

Yes, small fried potato cubes make anda aloo.