Coconut Egg Curry with Red Rice and Crispy Shallots

To make the rice: In a medium sauce pan over medium-high heat, warm the peanut oil until shimmering.

Add the leeks, and sprinkle with a little salt to draw out their moisture.

Saute until softened.

Add the rice, and stir until each grain is coated in oil.

Add the bay leaves and stock. Bring to a boil, and cook 20 minutes without removing the lid. When the rice has absorbed the liquid and is cooked through, remove the pan from the heat and set aside. Keep warm.

To make the curry: Fill a large sauce pan halfway with water and bring to a boil. Gently add the eggs, lowering them into the water using a big spoon. Cook for 14 minutes. Cook's Note: lower the heat if the sauce pan starts to boil over. Immediately put the eggs in a bowl of ice water, to prevent the gray ring from forming around the rim of the yolks. Allow the eggs to cool for a few minutes, then peel the eggs and slice in half.

In a large skillet, warm a couple tablespoons of peanut oil, and when shimmering, add the onions and garlic, and cook until golden brown. While they're cooking, dry toast the chiles, coriander seeds, and cumin seeds in a small skillet over medium heat, shaking every now and then to keep them from burning. Toast the chiles until fragrant, then grind in a spice grinder until finely ground.

Add the ground chiles to the onion mixture, along with the coriander, cumin seeds, and turmeric, and saute for 30 seconds.

Add the coconut milk and water. Bring the mixture back up to a boil, then cover and simmer for 20 minutes to develop the flavors.

Place the eggs halves in the curry sauce during the last 5 minutes of cooking. Gently stir in a generous handful of cilantro. Be mindful of the eggs.

Fill a small sauce pan with peanut oil to 2-inches up the sides of the pan. Toss the shallots in the rice flour, and test whether the oil is ready by dropping a shallot ring in it should instantly sizzle and rise to the top and start browning. Fry the shallots in batches and set on a paper towel-lined plate when they're done. Season with salt.

Assemble each plate with a spoonful of rice, a generous ladle of curry sauce, and an egg half.

Garnish with the fried shallots.

Serve immediately.