At the 65-year-old Arumugam Mess in Madurai, we watch skilled parotta masters cook the iconic kothu parotta with artsy expertise. Here’s a step-wise explanation of their method
Ten kilos of maida are kneaded with water, salt and baking soda to make a homogeneously smooth dough
Handfuls of the dough are pinched and rolled into balls of equal size.
The balls are flattened by hand, sprinkled with oil and fanned repeatedly to a thin membrane-like consistency, which is either folded into squares known as madakku parotta or rolled out into discs.
The flattened breadlike parottas are tossed on a hot tawa with oil until they turn golden-brown.
Chopped onions, tomatoes and curry leaves are tossed on to the tawa, to which a pinch each of salt, pepper, chilli and turmeric powders is added. Further, two raw eggs and some oil are poured on the mixture.
Shredded parottas are added finally and the whole mixture is given a good round of beating with two metal plates, giving out a rhythmic tingling sound and a flavoursome aroma.
Crispy oil-fried curry leaves are strewn on top and the tasty kothu parotta is served with salna.