Scrambled Paratha or "Kothu Parotta"

I love this recipe for a variety of reasons. It does not require any curry or side dish and can be had on its own. It’s versatile as a snack or a mini-meal any time of the day. It’s perfect to recycle any leftover parottas, veggies, or chicken. It can be made in a jiffy and everyone will love it. It’s a great way to combine bread, eggs, meat, and vegetables, all in one dish! Vegetarians can easily modify this-see the Tips section below to know how! If porottas aren't accessible for you, then maybe you could use tortillas instead or any other type of flat breads!

Those of you who are familiar with “parathas” must be wondering at the spelling in the title above. Well, this one refers to the Kerala paratha, which is more authentically called parotta. This is basically an unleavened bread, very popular in the South Indian state of Kerala. While the North Indian parathas are normally made with wheat flour, the Kerala parotta is usually made with refined flour (maida), eggs and vegetable fat. Not the healthiest of foods, but definitely irresistible to many (the most dangerous things are often the most tempting, isn’t it?). In Kerala, this is a speciality of road-side eateries called “thattukadas”, where they are often served in combination with various curries or beef fry. See a previous post of mine for an egg curry that goes well with this.

I have never made parotta from scratch, at home. Much simpler to just buy them frozen or fresh from stores, but if you would like to attempt a DIY, a simple Google search will throw up a wealth of information! This one here seemed easy to follow.

Now onto the recipe, which is sourced from a cookery program by Chef Naushad on a Malayalam TV channel. As is my habit, I did not note down the measurements from the original recipe and just modified it to suit our taste and requirements, so follow your own!

To serve 4

1. 4 Kerala parottas (if frozen, follow the instructions on the pack and cook. Whether frozen or fresh, layer them up one on top of the other and cut into strips. Chop them again into smaller bits).
2. 200 gram boneless chicken, cut into smaller pieces
3. 3 eggs
4. 1 medium sized carrot, chopped into similar size pieces
5. 1/2 cup fresh or frozen green peas (if frozen, immerse in water for a few minutes)
6. 1 large onion, chopped fine
7. 1-inch ginger, chopped fine
8. 5 cloves garlic, chopped fine
9. 1 tablespoon tomato sauce
10. 1 teaspoon soy sauce
11. A handful of cilantro, chopped fine
12. Salt and pepper to taste
13. 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

• In a frying pan, heat the oil and add the ginger and garlic.
• When it starts to sizzle, put in the chicken pieces, salt and pepper. Stir fry on high heat for 2 minutes, then turn it down to a slow simmer, covered with a lid, and cook for another 5 to 10 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.
• Now add the onions, carrot, and green peas. Again stir fry on high heat for 2 minutes and then cover and cook till done, which might take barely 2 to 3 minutes since the vegetables are cut into smaller pieces.
• Now pour in the tomato sauce and soy sauce and mix well.
• Make a well in the center and break the 3 eggs into it. Wait for a minute for it to coagulate, then scramble it up and finally mix with the rest.
• Lastly add the chopped parotta pieces, season with more salt and pepper if required, and garnish with the cilantro.
• Give everything one last stir-around with a little more oil for some crispiness and serve immediately with a smug smile of satisfaction!

TIPS:

If you have leftover chicken fry or pieces from a chicken curry, you could use that instead to cut down the cooking time.

You could try using different kinds of breads, if parotta is not available.

The vegetables that can be added to this are a matter of personal choice-experiment!

Vegetarians could substitute the chicken with paneer, soya granules or mushrooms, maybe!