1. Hard-boil the eggs: place eggs in a saucepan, cover with cold water by 1 inch (2.5 cm), bring to a full boil over medium-high heat, then remove from heat, cover, and let stand 12 minutes. Transfer to an ice-water bath until fully cool, about 10 minutes, then peel.
2. Heat the whole milk in a small saucepan over low heat until steaming and small bubbles form around the edges (scalding: heating a liquid to just below the boiling point, approximately 180°F / 82°C). Do not boil. Remove from heat and set aside.
3. In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the butter until foamy but not browned, about 1-2 minutes.
4. Add the flour, salt, curry powder, and black pepper to the melted butter. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon or whisk for 1-2 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste (this forms a roux: a cooked mixture of fat and flour used to thicken sauces). The mixture should turn slightly golden and smell nutty.
5. Gradually add the hot milk to the roux in a slow, steady stream, whisking constantly to prevent lumps (this technique is tempering: adding a hot liquid incrementally to a cooked starch base to achieve a smooth sauce). Cook over medium-low heat, stirring continuously, for 4-6 minutes, until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon and no floury taste remains.
6. Cut each hard-boiled egg into eighths lengthwise, yielding 8 wedges per egg.
7. Gently fold the egg wedges into the sauce and reheat over low heat for 2-3 minutes, until the eggs are warmed through and the sauce is uniformly coating them. Do not allow the sauce to boil once the eggs are added, as this may cause the eggs to toughen. Serve immediately.
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