Masala Mushroom Cheese Omelette

Whenever I have an omelette I go down the road of nostalgia where so many things that come to my mind. Back in those days omelettes had to be cooked in separate vessels and not in the kitchen. I still remember a Bud Spencer movie where he eats a 12 egg omlette. The most I've gone up to has been 3. 😀 The "bread (masala) omelette" in Kovai Express was always something we looked forward to in our trips to Madras. Fast forward few decades later cheese omelettes came into play thanks to Denny's and IHOPs. So here's a mix of few of those memories - Masala Mushroom Cheese Omelette.

Ingredients

1. Eggs - 2 (or 1 or 3 or 12 if you like) :)
2. Onions - 1 table spoon (finely minced)
3. Green chilli - 1 (minced)
4. Mushroom  - 2 tablespoon (minced)
5. Grated cheese - 2 table spoons I used a 3 cheese mix (Mozzarella, Parmesan & Cheddar)
6. Turmeric powder - 1 pinch
7. Cumin powder - 1 pinch
8. Salt - 1 pinch
9. Black pepper powder - 1/2 tea spoon

Method

1. Heat a wide sauce pan and grease it with a few drops of any vegetable oil.
2. Saute the onions, chillies and mushroom along with salt, turmeric powder and cumin powder.
3. Beat the eggs well with a pinch of salt until the yolks and white are blended well.
4. Add the sauteed onions, chillies and mushrooms to the egg and mix well.
5. Grease the sauce pan (while keeping the stove to low flame / heat)
6. Add the egg mixture and circle around the pan to have an even spread.
7. Add the grated cheese and cook with a covered lid for about a minute until the cheese melts.
8. Roll the omelette up and serve with toast (and tomato ketchup).

Enjoy!!

C

Masala Egg Puff

Masala Egg Puff - one of those quintessential bakery snack from Tamil Nadu. The economic snack that filled many a student's hunger pang - oh well we can go on and on about the egg puff. Yet again one of those snacks that you don't easily get outside of Tamil Nadu (may extend to Kerala). After a few attempts of making mixed vegetable and panneer puffs (post about it another time), gave it a shot to try the highschool / uni time favourite snack. Of course it is best accompanied with tomato sauce and masala tea to wash it down.

What goes in:

1) Boiled Eggs (1 egg makes 2 puffs + 1 egg white for brushing later)
2) Frozen Pastry sheets - I wish I could this from scratch as well - maybe another time
3) Onions - Thinly sliced
4) Tomatoes - Thinly sliced
5) Ginger Garlic Paste
6) Turmeric powder
7) Garam masala - Any masala mix would do
8) Oil - to saute




The method:

1) Thaw the frozen pastry sheets for about 10 minutes. Cut it into rectangular pieces before it thaws else it becomes a slightly sticky affair.

2) Saute the onions, tomatoes, turmeric paste and ginger-garlic paste for a few minutes.

3) Add garam masala and salt (to taste) and saute until the tomatoes get mashed up well.You can add some red chilli powder if you want to kick it up a notch.

4) Once done, mix the boiled eggs along with this masala - careful not to break the eggs. Got to toss them in carefully.

5) Place the individual pastry sheets on a tray covered with baking sheet. While you are at this step - preheat the oven at about 220 Deg.

5) Place one egg half - yolk down on each piece of pastry sheet and add the onion/tomato mix on top.

6) Wrap them up as good as you can. This is where it will be some trial and error to cut the right shape and size of the pastry sheet.



7) Brush egg whites on to the top of the pastry sheet.

8) Place the tray in the oven and bake for about 5 minutes. Keep a close watch on the oven as the pastry can get burnt very easily.






Crisp - fluffy - spicy Egg Puffs Ready!!

Happy Cooking!!

C

Kothu Parotta

Every country boasts of it's own "street food". Pad thai for Thai, Kway Teaw for Malay, probably a hot dog for the US of A. When it comes to South Indian cusine, my vote would be for Kothu Parotta. Kothu parotta (meaning "chopped" up parotta) is a typical road side delicacy you would find on any road side non-vegetarian stall in Tamil Nadu. If my memory serves right, the first time I had a "professional" kothu was on a roadside shop on the way from Coimbatore to Salem. Don't remember the place, but probably returning from one of my uncle's wedding. My first successful kothu  was done in Portland, OR with the help of THE Mangalam masala. I have to time the preparation of KP right along with making a chicken curry and hence the perfect sequel to Chicken Chettinad. Left over chicken curry gives the extra kick or the professional touch. 

What goes in:

1. Parotta. This has to be the flaky kerala style or ceylon style parotta available in Indian stores. For those in India...try to get it from the nearby kaiyendhi bhavan (road side shop).
2. Eggs
3. Onions
4. Tomatos
5. Chicken masala powder
6. Chicken curry (Should not be too thick. If thick, lighten it up with water.)
7. Green chillies 
8. Curry leaves 

The method:

1. Chop up the parotta into as small pieces as possible. Recently I found a technique with the frozen parottas. I heat it up on a tava and chop (kothu) it up with a knife. I used to do it with hand but found the knife to be doing a better job. (Edit: I used a blender today and "pulsed" the parotta. It gave a texture close to what you get in a restaurant.)
2. Beat up the eggs separately to make an even spread. (Or just break it open on the parotta later).
3. Sautee mustard seeds until they splatter.
4. Sautee the green chillies and onions for a few minutes.
5. Add the tomatoes to the mix. Need to make sure we dont over cook the tomato. Should maintain the chunky pieces.
6. Add the chopped up parotta and the masalas (powder and half of the chicken curry).
7. Add salt as required.
8. Mix it up well so the masala gets mixed evenly.
9. Create a space in the middle of the kadai by pushing the parotta mix to the side. (Alternatively just break open the eggs on the parotta or pour the beaten egg over the parotta).
10. Pour the beaten egg and scramble it until its 3/4ths cooked.
11. Mix up the parotta along with the scrambled egg so that a light coating of the egg is applied on to the parotta as well.
12. Empty the remaining chicken curry into the mix.
13. Add curry leaves and coriander as garnish and give it a final toss.

The result:

Enjoy

C