The humble egg boat or deviled egg is a Sri Lankan short-eat party must have. Egg boats are an absolute favourite in our family and no party is complete without them.
Every Sri Lankan Aunty has her own egg boat recipe. Mine relies a bit too much on my taste buds (after all one must taste test) and the “just put some more, child” mentality until it tastes just right.
Ingredients
- 4 eggs
- 25g cheese
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp mayonnaise
- 2 tsps tomato ketchup/sauce
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- Salt to taste
Cook the eggs in well salted water with a splash of vinegar for 10-12 minutes until completely hard-boiled. Immerse the eggs in cold water once boiled. This, along with the salt and vinegar while boiling, helps the shells come off easier. Using slightly older eggs also ensures easy to peel eggs. Remove the shells, halve the eggs and carefully remove the yolks.
To make Egg Boats:
1. In a food processor, finely mince cheese and egg yolks.
2. Add butter, mayonnaise and tomato sauce* and mix to a smooth paste.
3. Season with salt and chili powder.
4. Taste and adjust the ingredients accordingly.
5. Put the mixture in to a piping bag and pipe it on to the egg whites.
6. Garnish with a tiny sprig of parsley and a drop of tomato sauce.
*Classic egg boat recipes do not usually include tomato sauce in the egg yolk filing. However, the slight tang of the sauce, cuts through the richness of the buttery egg yolk mixture. It also gives the filling a lovely colour.
