MOGLAI POROTA

Are you laughing at the spelling 'MOGLAI POROTA'? This is how it is pronounced back home. An extremely popular street food, you find this every 200 metres being sold in wheel carts, besides the very old cafes still struggling to survive in strict competition to the boutique restaurants. It is still sold as hot cakes, but the quality has gone down. This is because people prefer to flock the mall hangouts, it is because college goers these days have fatter pockets, they can afford to watch a movie spending 200 bucks following a lunch in a decent eatery. Back in the 90's, it was college goers like us who really helped these small  stalls to survive. In spite of mom packing our lunch boxes, we would manage to save our pocket money, flock to those wheel cart pullers or cafeteria's for a Moglai Porota / Chicken Roll / Fowl Cutlet / Fish Fry. We shared one into two, just as we shared our joys, sorrows, innermost feelings.

In the present day, I cannot digest Moglai Porota. My love for it started when I was pretty young. I would pester mom to buy. Mom would not saying they are unhealthy. The girl who prioritised taste over health, as every other child of her age would, failed to understand her mom. Her anger lingered quite for sometime though mom made them at home which never tasted as good as the stall ones. My brother hated food & eggs in his younger days, in the present day he enjoys a Moglai / Mughlai Porota, actually he loves anything that has meat in it; much like T and our son! 

Mine too I do not claim to be as authentic as the popular eateries. They never divulge their secret recipes fully. These are stuffed parathas, the filling generally made with cooked spiced up mutton mince / keema, then brushed with beaten eggs, folded in square shapes and fried. It is served with curry based boiled potato and onion rings. We preferred to have it with a serving of salad & sauces for the day!

  

INGREDIENTS : [for the filling]

Minced Mutton : 250-300 gm
Chopped Onion : 3 tbsp
Chopped Green Chilli : 3

Chopped Coriander : 2 tbsp

Minced Garlic : 2 tbsp
Turmeric Powder : 1 tsp
Red Chilli Powder : 1 tsp

Cumin Powder : 1 tsp

Coriander Powder : 1 tsp

Biryani Masala : 2 tbsp

Cumin Seed : 1/2 tsp
Lemon Juice : 2 tbsp

Bread Crumb : 3-4 tbsp
Salt : As required

Sugar : 1 tsp [optional]
Oil : 2 tbsp

INGREDIENTS : [for the dough]

All Purpose Flour : 2 coffee mug
Salt : As required

Oil : 2 tbsp

Water : As Required [warm water preferably]

INGREDIENTS : [for the finished product]

The Cooked Filling

The Refined Flour Dough

Eggs : 3- 4 beaten
Oil : 100-150 ml or enough to deep fry

METHOD :

Let us prepare the dough first. Take the flour in a bowl. Add 2tbsp oil and 2 pinches of salt, rub well for 1 minute.

Prepare a smooth dough adding little water at a time. Cover it for half an hour with a wet cloth. I used a plate!

Let us prepare the filling now. Wash the minced mutton thoroughly. Marinate with enough salt, wash thoroughly after about two hours! This helps get rid of the raw meat smell! Again marinate with a little of salt & turmeric! Keep aside for 2 hours!

Chop, mince & wash the spices required!

Heat oil in a wok, temper with cumin seeds. Add the minced garlic. As it releases aroma, add the chopped onion & green chillies, fry for a minute at low heat!.

Add the minced mutton, stir and cover, set the heat at minimal.

Remove cover after 25-30 minutes, add the powdered spices, mix well & cover again! Cook at minimal heat for 12 to 15 minutes, remove cover, increase the heat, stir fry to dry the remaining release water!

Add the bread crumbs, fold in well! Add the sugar if using, adjust the salt if required, fold in well! Add the chopped coriander! Stir & mix, take down on a plate!

Now remove the cover from the dough, knead for a minute make balls from it! Roll out round shaped parathas. At this point I failed to roll them paper thin as in the shops!

Place 2-3 tbsp of filling on it, brush with generous amount of beaten egg. Fold in from all the sides. It will take the shape of a square! Just lightly roll, I fear breakage!

Heat enough oil in a wok. Deep fry each at a time, flipping over after 1 side is done.

We are to serve & have them immediately, else they get soggy!