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Consider this: the best baked eggs are made without baking. During recipe development, I found that simply adding a lid generates steam that gently cooks the eggs, resulting in perfectly cooked soft-cooked egg with firm whites and a warm, runny yolk. Direct oven heat from baking acts stronger compared to steaming, typically causing making dishes dry resulting in firm yolks. Here are two sauce options to get started, but get creative. 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 cooked in zesty tomato base.

Turmeric Coconut Curry Steamed Eggs (pictured above)

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

Olive oil
1 onion, trimmed and minced
Fine sea salt
Two garlic cloves, crushed and chopped
Fresh ginger root, peeled and finely chopped
1 tbsp ground turmeric
Toasted cumin
6-8 curry leaves
Coconut milk
400g tin chickpeas
Basil leaves, plus extra to serve
Four eggs
Green chilies, finely sliced, for serving

Set a 25cm heavy cast-iron pot at moderate-high temperature. Drizzle olive oil, toss in the onion seasoned with salt, fry until softened. Mix in garlic, ginger, and spices, allow to cook, stirring occasionally for a few minutes, pour in creamy liquid including chickpea can contents. Heat until boiling, lower heat to gentle cook, let it simmer for half an hour, until thickened and deep yellow in colour. Add salt to taste, incorporate basil.

Use the back of a spoon to create four little pockets within the sauce, add eggs individually. Dust each egg with a little salt, cover the skillet, gently heat briefly, until the whites are set and the yolks just warm. Remove from heat, finish with a few extra basil leaves and thinly sliced finger chillies, ready to enjoy.

Merguez Ragu with Tangy Peppers Steamed Eggs

Preparation 10 minutes
Cook 45 min
Yields 2

Olive oil
Merguez sausages
Harissa paste
Cumin seeds
Garlic cloves, sliced thin
Canned tomatoes
Salt
4 eggs
Tangy peppers, roughly chopped
Chopped herbs, finely chopped
Creamy yogurt
1 lemon, wedge-cut, to serve

Set a 25cm heavy cast-iron pot on a medium heat. Drizzle olive oil when heated, remove the skins from the sausages and break off pieces adding to pan, almost like little meatballs. Reduce heat, then slowly brown the sausagemeat, extracting spicy fats. Move sausage pieces while cooking, so they colour on all sides.

Once browned, mix in spices and garlic into the skillet, increase to medium heat fry with mixing, for several minutes, until aromatic, and garlic softens. Pour in tomato contents, salt to taste let it bubble. Lower to gentle simmer and simmer slowly about 20 minutes. The ragu will reduce, thicken and deepen in colour, as oils separate.

Employ utensil to create four little pockets across base, add eggs individually. Dust with salt with a little salt, then cover the pan with a lid. Heat for minutes gently, until whites firm and the yolks just warm.

Remove from heat, garnish with peppers, parsley and yogurt, and a drizzle of oil, accompanied by lemon.