Dimer Chop - A deviled yummy time snack

Bengali cuisine needs no introduction as it offers a delectable range of delightful appetizers. One of such classic street food appetizers is Dimer Devil/Dimer Chop. As the Bengali's are already gearing up to celebrate their favourite festival that is ‘Durga Puja’ this recipe could savour to one's heart content. I still remember while doing the pandal hopping with friends in our final year of graduation we were all tantalized when the food stall owner said he/she was selling dimer devil.

Now, because it's called the Egg Devil, you don't think this dish is filled with demons, or you can only have it if you're devil full. It's nothing like that if we consider the root of Egg Devil to be one of the legends claimed to have originated from a European dish called Scotch Eggs. Another hypothesis suggests that this is influenced by the Mughal delicacy of Nargisi Kofta.

While readily available in the street food stalls, cafes and cabins of Kolkata, the dish underwent many variations after being introduced by the British rulers of Kolkata in the Raj period. Basically, it is a stuffed egg and then deep-fried. Stuffing may vary from potatoes to minced chicken/chicken keema or soya chunk. But today I am sharing the recipe with minced chicken/chicken keema stuffing. 

HOW TO MAKE EGG DEVIL?

To begin with, the recipe of egg devil you need to finely chop the green chillies, onions, garlic and ginger.

Making the outer mixture 

• In a small bowl add 1½ tbsp of coriander powder, 1 tbsp of cumin powder, ½ tbsp of Kashmiri red chilli powder, 1 tbsp of salt and ½ tbsp of turmeric powder. Mix well.
• Take the minced chicken/chicken keema in a large bowel and mash it with 50g of water until it forms a slurry. This prevents the keema from tufting when cooked.
• Heat the mustard oil in a non-stick frying pan, add bay leaves, onions and fry for a couple of minutes. Then add green chillies, ginger and garlic and sauté on medium heat until it becomes brown.
• Add the mixture of ground spices and saute it on medium heat for a few minutes. Add 50g of hot water at this stage and sauté it until oil separates.
• Reduce heat to low and add the keema slurry. Stir continuously and break any remaining lumps.
• Now set the heat to medium-high and dry off the remaining water.
• Add tomato ketchup and fry it for a couple of minutes.
• Add garam masala powder and amchur powder. Mix well. Discard the bay leaves at this stage.
• Add 50g of breadcrumbs and mash the mixture so that it can be moulded around the eggs.
• Divide the mixture into 6 equal portions.

Preparing the eggs

• Boil the eggs in a pot for 7 - 9 minutes. Don't overcook.

Tips: After boiling the eggs immediately immerse it in cold water. This basically gives a shock to the eggs, releasing it from its shell so that it comes out clean when peeled. Start peeling from the broader end an air pocket is here which makes the initial peeling easier.

• Divide the eggs into two halves (use threads to divide).

Moulding & breading the devils 

• Take one portion of the mixture in your hand and flatten across your palm. Place an egg half yolk side down and mould the keema around the egg. 
• In three separate bowl add breadcrumbs, all-purpose flour and 2 beaten eggs. Season each with a pinch of salt.
• Put the moulded ovals in the all-purpose flour and coat it well. Now, dip it in beaten egg and bread crumbs. Repeat this step for the rest of the pieces.
• Refrigerate the devils for approx 30 minutes.
• Heat vegetable oil in a deep frying pan or kadhai. Fry the dimer devil/chop until they are golden brown.
• Remove the excess oil using a paper towel.

Serve hot by sprinkling some black salt on the devil. Don't forget to dip it in kasundi (Bengali mustard sauce) for that extra kick!

Loved the recipe of Egg Devil? 

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