HYDERABAD: Parathas layered or stuffed with eggs are part of many regional cuisines of India. You have Lappa Parathas from deep down South, Baida Roti from Western India and Muttabaq, a Hyderabadi dish of Arabic influence.
But one of the most popular egg-based flat bread recipes is Moghlai Paratha from Bengal, which is usually served with a lightly spiced potato sabzi and salad. It is one of the most sought-after evening snacks in the City of Joy found in the small restaurants in the city popularly known as “cabin”.
It is not clear how this egg laced rectangular paratha got its name. It is said that this was originally a creation in Mughal Emperor Jehangir’s kitchen by a certain chef Usman whose descendants migrated to Bardhaman in Bengal and popularised the recipe there.
An alternate theory points at the dish being part of the Mughal influenced Muslim cuisine at Dhaka, and which subsequently travelled all over undivided Bengal, and become popular in Kolkata in particular. In that city, Anadi Cabin in Central Kolkata is perhaps the most well-known destination for this even today. The dish has become so popular, that it is available in almost all the Bengali restaurants across the world.
To prepare this paratha, maida is kneaded into a soft dough with oil or ghee. The dough is then covered by cloth and allowed to rest for a while. The paratha is then rolled out as thin as possible. A thin layer of egg batter is added on top. A separately prepared filling which can either be vegetable based or more popularly with mutton and chicken mince with chillies and onions at the centre.
The paratha is then folded into a rectangular envelope, and fried to crispiness in oil on a tawa flipping it from side to side. A dry potato preparation and onion and cucumber based salad usually accompany the dish. Some prefer their Moghlai Paratha to go with Kosha Mangsho, another popular mutton based signature dish from the Bengali cuisine.
In Hyderabad, quite a few restaurants and fast food counters serve this delicacy. Sarkar’s Kitchen, a popular Bengali eatery at Madhapur which has recently expanded to a much bigger location serves both the mutton and chicken versions. According to Sarita Sarkar, who runs this restaurant, some people specifically look for this item on their menu. Roll Call, which has kiosks all over the city, has lots of demand for this dish apart from their popular Kolkata rolls. Amantran, the Bengali restaurant in Domalguda and Raj Bhavan Road is also known for their Moghlai Parathas. Sabyasachi is a food enthusiast and blogs at www.foodaholix.in