It’s that time of year when people divide themselves into two camps: those who are grossed out by a sudden surplus of hard-boiled eggs and those who celebrate it. I myself am a card-carrying member of Camp Celebration. I love hard-boiled eggs sliced up and thrown into salads, eaten for breakfast with a little hot sauce, or made into just about any kind of egg salad. This mustard-free version adds mango chutney and garam masala for a slightly sweet, Indian-inspired take on the classic. I included instructions for the perfect hard-boiled egg in case you didn’t get around to it (or failed miserably on your first try), but for those of you with eggs to burn, it’s as simple as peel, chop and stir. To gild the lily, serve this on thin slices of radish.
Madras Egg Salad
4 servings
6 eggs
4 Tbsp. mayonnaise
3 Tbsp. minced green onions
2 Tbsp. mango chutney
1 tsp. garam masala
• Place the eggs in a large pot and cover with 1 inch cold water. Bring to a boil over medium-high, then immediately cover and remove from heat. Let rest 10 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare an ice bath. Plunge eggs into ice water and let rest until cool.
• To easily shell hard-boiled eggs, place 1 egg in a small glass or mug, fill halfway with water, cover with 1 hand and shake vigorously over a sink to crack the shell. Peel the shell away, and repeat with the remaining eggs.
• Roughly chop the eggs, then add them to a large mixing bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
This article appears in March 2016.