chalna Archives - MyEdibleCravings

Kothu parotta is a tasty dish from my state, Tamilnadu. It is wildly popular in south Tamilnadu (Madurai, Virudhunagar districts). It is basically a dish made from minced parottas, eggs and meat (usually chicken).
Kothu parotta is a special dish for me since it is the very first recipe that I tried in my life 🙂 I learned to prepare this dish from my mom. Back in my native, you can hear the distinct sound of mincing parottas on large open iron skillets (does not have handle and is set on top of an iron cauldron of fire) using spatulas in the evenings. I miss that sound badly 🙁 There are different varieties to make kothu parotta and there is one variety where you add gravy, called as chalna, to the minced parottas which tastes delicious – kothu parotta in restaurants are made this way and the chalna used is chicken based (yummy!
I personally like parotta more than chappati or poori and kothu parotta is my favorite. The Chalna used in kothu parotta, again has different varieties. I have tried different recipes and I believe I have narrowed it down to one particular recipe. I will post the recipe of soon. There are both vegetarian and non-vegetarian kothu parotta. I personally prefer the non-vegetarian one (for obvious reasons! – egg and chicken)

Here is the recipe for the tasty and filling kothu parotta. Enjoy!

KOTHU PAROTTA | EGG KOTHU PAROTTA | CHICKEN KOTHU PAROTTA

Recipe type: Dinner

Cuisine: Indian

Prep time: 5 mins

Cook time: 15 mins

Total time: 20 mins

Serves: 2

Ingredients

Oil – 1 !/2 tbsp
Onion (Finely chopped) – 1
Curry leaves – a sprig , divided
Tomato (Finely chopped,divided) – 1
Ginger garlic paste – 1 tbs
Green Chili (slits) – 3
Eggs – 2
Parotta – 4
Chalna – ½ cup
Salt as required
Black pepper powder – 1 tsp

Instructions

Shred the parottas into very small pieces with the help of your hand.
Heat a wok or a heavy bottomed kadai with oil, add chopped onion and curry leaves. sauté until the onion turns light brown/translucent.
Add in ginger-garlic paste. Stir fry till the raw aroma of ginger-garlic disappears.
Add chopped tomato and green chillies and sauté until the tomatoes are half cooked.
Add in the minced parottas and mix well and move the parotta pieces to one side of the pan.
Now add the beaten eggs along with salt on the side of the same pan and sauté (without mixing with the parottas) until the eggs are well cooked.
Mix well the eggs and the parottas.
Now comes the interesting part. Sprinkle chalna on top and mix well.
When the chalna is well combined with the parotta pieces, sprinkle black pepper ,curry leaves and remaining ¼ tomato pieces on top. Sauté for a minute and switch off the flame.

Notes

1. Here I have given the restaurant touch by dividing the tomatoes. But it can also be added altogether.
2. Avoid adding more chalna to the parattos as it might turn soggy.
3. In case if you have added more chalna, sauté until the parottas comes to the desired consistency.
4. Adding black pepper at last is my mom’s touch. It adds taste and takes egg smell.
5. Vegetarians can add green peas and potato instead of eggs.

Chalna is a popular Tamilian dish that is had mainly with parotta (again, a tamilian take on north Indian paratha). It is also known as saervai in Chennai. Chalna is also used as an ingredient for kothu parotta in restaurants. It is mainly added to compensate the dryness of parotta.
Back in my home state, Chalna served in restaurants is watery but mine is a little bit thick. I personally like to have it with dosa as well. Chalna poured over shredded parotta is a common sight in restaurants back home and having it like that tastes so good 🙂 There are different varieties of Chalna; plain, vegetarian, non-vegetarian etc. The recipe I had given here is plain. In vegetarian Chalna, potato is added and in non-vegetarian version, meat (chicken or mutton – mainly bones) is added.
The Chalna recipe that I had given here is the end product of numerous trials and errors and is the best version to date, guaranteed! So, do try this wonderful recipe in your kitchen and let me know your experiences.

CHALNA |SALNA

Recipe type: Breakfast / Dinner

Cuisine: Indian

Prep time: 15 mins

Cook time: 15 mins

Total time: 30 mins

Serves: 2

Ingredients

For the powder:

Oil - 2 drops
Coriander seeds - 1 ½ tbsp
Cumin seeds -3/4 tbsp
Red chillies – 4 nos
Whole green chilli – 2nos (don’t cut)
Curry leaves- 6 to 7 nos
Cinnamon stick - 1 “
Fennel seeds- ½ tsp

For the Paste:

Oil - ½ tbsp
Big onion - 1
Shallots - 2 nos
Ginger - a small piece
Garlic - 2 cloves
Poppy seeds – 1 tbsp
Cashews – 3 nos
Green chillies – the same above sautéed ones.
Ripen tomato – 1 (roughly chopped)
Grated coconut – 1 ½ tbsp

Other ingredients:

Gingelly oil – 2 tbsp
Cinnamon – 1”
Clove -1
Fennel seeds – 2 pinch
curry leaves – 6 nos
turmeric powder – ½ tsp
salt as required
Chicken – ¼ kg
Water – 1 to 1 ½ cup
Chopped cilantro for garnishing

Instructions

Step 1:

Heat oil in a pan and add in coriander seeds, cumin seeds, red chillies, whole green chillies and curry leaves one by one. Sauté for 40 seconds. Add in cinnamon and fennel seeds. Give a quick stir and switch off the flame.
Remove the green chillies and keep aside. Allow the above mixture to cool and make a powder.

Step 2:

Heat oil in a pan and add in roughly chopped onion, shallots, ginger and garlic. Sauté for few seconds. Add in poppy seeds and cashews and green chillies (the same above sautéed ones). Give a stir and add roughly chopped tomato. Sauté for few seconds and switch off the flame. Allow it to cool and make a paste.

Step 3:

Grind coconut separately to a fine paste.

Step 4:

Heat oil in a small pressure cooker and add in cinnamon, clove and fennel seeds. When they start to sizzle add in curry leaves and give a stir.
Now add in the ground onion paste and sauté for few seconds. Add the ground masala powder along with turmeric powder and salt and sauté until the color changes and oil separates.
Add in the chicken pieces and stir well until the paste is well blended. Add water and mix well. cover the lid and cook for a whistle. When done add in the coconut paste and bring it to a boil – at this stage you will start to notice oil in the rim. Check salt and switch off the flame. Garnish with chopped cilantro.
Serve hot with plain parotta or roti or kothu parotta or idli or dosa. Enjoy!

Notes

Vegetarians can add vegetables instead of chicken or simply make plain chalna. I tried both and it tasted heavenly.