There has recently been this demand for the recipe of the chilli parotta that I make once in a while. So I thought I'd put pen to paper, or rather some fingers to the keyboard and write it down. Its a very simple thing to make for those people whose cooking skills are better than making just Maggi noodles and toasting bread (Trust me, there are people who struggle to do even that). This is a delicacy in Tamil Nadu and this recipe is dedicated to all my school and college friends with whom I've enjoyed this item umpteen number of times in Chennai and Trichy.
Here's what all you need to make it for 3 people
Oil
Cumin seeds - 1 spoon
Cloves - 2 pieces
Onions- 1 big or 2 small
Mixed veggies- 1 cup
Green Chillies- 4 to 6 (depending on how spicy you wanna make it)
Bread- 10 slices
Salt- 2 spoons (I guess. :) You'll know how much is needed)
Red Chilli powder- 1.5 to 2 spoons (again, depending on how spicy you want to make it)
Crushed Tomatoes/Puree or Tomato Ketchup- 3 to 4 spoons (Both work perfectly fine)
Garam Masala- 1 spoon
Ginger Garlic Paste- 1 spoon (If available)
The procedure is as follows:
1. Toast the ten slices of bread without any oil/ghee/butter on a pan. In the meantime, boil the mixed veggies till they become a little soft.
2. Chop the onion(s) into tiny pieces.
3. Heat the cooking pan and add 4 to 5 spoons of oil to it. (Dear cooks, you would know how much to add, so do the needful)
4. Once the oil is hot, add the cumin seeds and cloves.
5. Once the cumin seeds have turned dark brown, add the chopped onions and fry them for a while.
6. Next, add the Ginger Garlic paste and mix nicely.
7. Before the paste gets sticky on the pan, add the mixed veggies. Fry the veggies for a few minutes.
8. Add the salt next. (Make sure you add enough for the vegetables and the bread you will add later)
9. Add the green chillies and the red chilli powder to the veggies and mix it well. (This is just to spice things up)
11. Add Garam masala and sprinkle some water.
10. Add the tomato puree/crushed tomatoes to make it a mild gravy. Make sure that you don't make it watery. The gravy should just be enough to give colour to the bread.
11. As the gravy melds with the veggies, make little pieces from the bread that you had once toasted. (Seems like a long time ago doesn't it)
12. Add the bread pieces and mix it nicely with the gravy. Mix it such that the bread pieces take the cover of the gravy. (If the colour is not red/orange, something is very wrong with how you prepared this. :))
13. Add a little oil and mix well so that the bread also cooks well.
14. Mix continuously and fry for a few minutes and make sure the taste is fine. (Especially the salt)
15. Once you think its done, just add some Cilantro/Coriander leaves on top to garnish and switch off the burner.
As Chef Ramsey or that famous cook on Star Plus would say, "The dish is now all set and ready to be relished by the lucky people who are gonna eat it." It is best served with plain yoghurt or onion raitha.
If you want to make it a little more authentic, you can use parathas or chappathis but make sure that they are properly roasted/toasted with the pan before you add them to the gravy.
Tip: If you think the salt is slightly excess (in any dish for that matter), add a little lemon extract to contain it. The lemon should be added when the dish is still cooking and the lemon can diminish the effect of the salt.
If you have any further questions, comment here or feel free to write to me. The so called "Critics" are welcome to insult/abuse at their own risk. Be advised that I have a spy in every one of your homes.
Signing off! Chef Vats
