Masala omelette with parathas
A spicy masala omelette is my ‘go to’ weekend brunch. My mother always made it for us in India. The combination of ground spices, chillies and eggs just works. It's lightly crisp around the edges but moist, with a fiery chilli kick. It's great served with parathas.
Ingredients
- ½ tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp coriander seeds
- 2 green chillies
- 1 large onion, finely chopped (200g)
- 2 tbsp fresh coriander, roughly chopped
- ½ tsp kashmiri chilli powder (or mild paprika)
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- 4 free-range eggs
- salt, to taste
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil or butter, for frying
- 1 tsp lemon juice, to serve
For the parathas
- 250g/9oz chapatti flour, plus extra for dusting
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 160–170ml water
- knob of ghee or butter, melted
Method
To make the parathas, put the flour in a mixing bowl and add the oil and salt to taste. Pour in the water a little at a time, mixing with a spoon or your fingers, until it starts to come together. Knead well to form a smooth dough. Cover with cling film and leave to rest for 10 minutes.
Divide the dough into eight equal portions. Roll out each portion into a 15cm/5in diameter circle. Spread a little melted ghee over the paratha and dust with a little flour. Fold it in half. Spread a little more ghee followed by a little more flour and fold it into a quarter. Using very little flour to dust, roll it out again to around 18cm/7in diameter.
Heat the frying pan over a low heat. Fry each paratha for 1–2 minutes. Turn it over and fry for a further 2 minutes, until there are brown speckles across it. Spread ½ teaspoon of melted ghee over the top and flip it over, adding more ghee to the top. Cook for 30 seconds. Keep warm while you make the rest of the parathas.
To make the omelette, grind the cumin, coriander seeds and chillies in a pestle and mortar to a coarse paste. Place in a mixing bowl and add the onion, fresh coriander, chilli and turmeric. Mix and add salt to taste. Break in the eggs and whisk lightly.
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large, non-stick frying pan. Pour in half the egg mixture, making sure you distribute it evenly across the pan. Cook for 2 minutes on a medium heat, until it sets, is light brown and slightly crisp around the edges.
Flip the omelette over, press lightly with the back of a spatula and cook for 2–3 minutes more. Set aside and keep warm.
Repeat to make the second omelette.
Serve immediately, sprinkled with lemon juice, with the parathas.
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