Author Notes: Lately, my mother and I have been making a lot of kothu paratha, a street food common in certain parts of South India. Although the dish has origins in Sri Lanka, kothu paratha has been wholeheartedly embraced here in India. —Aysha | The Malabar Tea Room
Makes: 2 generous portions
Ingredients
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4
warm parathas
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One
1-inch piece ginger
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3
cloves garlic
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2
green chiles, slit lengthwise
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4
shallots
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3
tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
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2
eggs, beaten with a pinch of salt and pepper
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2
medium onions, finely chopped
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2
medium tomatoes, finely chopped
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1/2
teaspoon chili powder
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1/2
teaspoon garam masala
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1/2
teaspoon freshly ground pepper
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1/2
teaspoon turmeric powder
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250
grams shrimp, deveined and shelled
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2
sprigs curry leaves
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Salt, to taste
Directions
- Chop the parathas into bite-sized pieces (roughly 1 inch wide), then set them aside.
- Grind the ginger, garlic, chiles, and shallots with a mortar and pestle to a coarse paste.
- Add the eggs and scramble them gently, removing them from the heat before they get too dry. Transfer the eggs to a plate, then heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in the pan, add the chopped onions, and sauté them until they’re soft and translucent.
- Add the coarsely ground ingredients to the pan of onions. Sauté them over low heat until fragrant, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add the tomatoes, chili powder, garam masala powder, pepper, and turmeric. Sauté the mixture for another minute.
- Now, add the shrimp and curry leaves. Raise the heat to medium and let them cook, covered, for 3 to 4 minutes, until fragrant.
- Remove the lid and sauté the mixture until the shrimp are cooked through, about 2 minutes. You’ll also want to make sure that the shrimp mixture has dried out, as that will prevent the parathas from turning soggy.
- Working quickly, add in the chopped parathas and gently mix them until well-coated.
- Lastly, add the eggs and give the mixture one final stir. Serve hot—preferably on a rainy day.
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Photo by Aysha | The Malabar Tea Room
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