Raj eggs

Raj eggs Method 1. For the curry sauce: heat the oil in a frying pan and gently cook the shallot, ginger and spices for a few minutes, until the onion is softened and the spices are fragrant.

Add the apple and apple juice and bring to the boil. Mix the cornflour with a little water, then add to the apple juice and stir well. Simmer the mixture over a medium heat until thickened.

Transfer the sauce to a blender and process until smooth. Strain the sauce through a sieve and season with salt and pepper.

For the eggs: place 4 eggs into boiling water and cook for 7 minutes, then place in ice cold water to cool. Once completely cold, peel the eggs and set aside.

Heat the milk with the bay, thyme and haddock and in a large wide pan until scalding.

Poach the haddock in the milk over a gentle heat for 5-8 minutes, or until the flesh turns opaque and just starts to flake. Remove the fillet from the milk, place on a plate and set aside cool. Reserve the poaching milk.

Melt the butter in a medium pan and fry the shallot and fresh ginger for 2-3 minutes, or until softened. Add the dry spices and the rice and fry for 1 minute, until the rice is translucent.

Add a little of the poaching milk, and stir constantly until the rice absorbs it, then add a little more milk and repeat with the rest of the milk, until the rice is tender and cooked through.

Stir in the flaked haddock, chopped parsley and the cornichons. Spread the mixture in a thin layer on a tray and chill in the fridge. When the mixture is cool, cover each egg in an even layer of the rice.

. Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Beat the remaining egg with a little splash of milk. Place the flour, beaten egg mixture and breadcrumbs into separate shallow containers. Dip each rice-coated egg in the flour, then into the beaten egg and then roll them in the breadcrumbs until completely coated.

. Heat a 10cm depth of oil in a deep saucepan until it reaches a temperature of 180C (use an oil thermometer). Fry the eggs for 3-4 minutes, or until golden. Transfer the eggs to a baking tray and bake for 5 minutes, or until piping hot. Serve the eggs with the curry sauce.