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Consider this: the most delicious egg dishes are made without baking. When testing these recipes, realizing that using a cover generates steam to cook the top of the eggs, resulting in perfectly cooked soft-cooked egg with a tender white and flowing center. Direct oven heat from baking proves harsher than steam, often leading making dishes dry and overcook the yolk. Presenting two flavorful bases as inspiration, though feel free to experiment. Option one involves a straightforward golden coconut sauce, whereas the spicy sausage sauce reimagines classic tomato-baked eggs, or, to the likes of you and me, eggs baked in spicy tomato sauce.

Turmeric Coconut Curry Steamed Eggs (shown above)

Preparation 10 minutes
Cooking time Just under an hour
Serves Two people

Extra virgin oil
One medium onion, trimmed and minced
Salt
Two garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
Fresh ginger root, minced ginger
Golden spice
Toasted cumin
Curry leaves
Coconut milk
Chickpeas
Basil leaves, with more for garnish
4 eggs
Fresh chilies, finely sliced, as garnish

Heat a cast-iron pan at moderate-high temperature. Drizzle olive oil, incorporate onions and a pinch of salt, and cook for five to six minutes. Incorporate aromatics and spices, let them sizzle, mixing now and then for three to four minutes, then tip in the coconut milk along with chickpeas and liquid. Heat until boiling, reduce to a simmer, let it simmer for 30-35 minutes, until thick and golden. Add salt to taste, mix in fresh basil.

Use the back of a spoon to create four little pockets across the base, break eggs into each. Sprinkle the top of each egg with salt, then cover the pan with a lid, simmer over low heat for a few minutes, until egg whites firm and yolks warmed. Turn off stove, finish with a few extra basil leaves plus chili slices, then serve immediately.

Spicy Sausage Sauce with Tangy Peppers Steamed Eggs

Preparation 10 minutes
Cook Under an hour
Serves Two portions

Oil
Spicy lamb sausages
Harissa paste
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
Tomato base
Salt
Four eggs
Pickled peppers, coarsely cut
1 small handful fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
Creamy yogurt
Fresh lemon, sliced into wedges, for serving

Heat a skillet at moderate temperature. Pour in oil once hot, peel sausages and break off pieces adding to pan, like mini balls. Turn down the heat, cook until golden, extracting spicy fats. Move sausage pieces during cooking, so they colour on all sides.

After browning, add the harissa, cumin seeds and sliced garlic to the pot, turn up the heat to medium fry with mixing, briefly, until the mix smells fragrant, and the garlic has lost its raw edge. Add tomatoes, add seasoning heat to simmer. Reduce to low heat and leave to blip away for twenty minutes. Sauce will thicken, intensify in color, as oils separate.

Use the back of a spoon making indentations across base, break eggs in. Sprinkle the top of each egg lightly salted, then cover the pan with a lid. Cook for two to three minutes gently, until whites firm and yolks warmed.

Turn off stove, garnish with peppers, parsley and yogurt, and oil splash, and serve with lemon wedges.