231) MUTTA ROAST

MUTTA ROAST

ONION CHILI ROAST WITH BOILED EGGS

A TRADITIONAL KERALA TEASHOP DISH

Ingredients:

     1)    Eggs – 10 Nos.

     2)    Onions – 700 gm.

     3)    Hot red chili powder – 2 teaspoons

     4)    Turmeric powder – ½ teaspoon

     5)    Coconut oil or any other cooking oil – 2 tablespoons

     6)    Salt – 1 teaspoons

To boil the eggs:

          Put 10 eggs in a pan or vessel together with a teaspoon of salt. Pour in enough water to immerse the eggs. Set on the stove. As soon as the water is just starting to boil, turn down the heat and cook for exactly 10 minutes on a simmering flame. Turn off the heat and drain off the hot water. Pour in cold water to keep the eggs from cooking further and to loosen up the shells. Change the water after a minute. Repeat once more. Now the eggs are cool enough to be shelled. The salt we added at the beginning helps to remove the shells causing no damage to the egg whites. Taking out of the water one by one, shell all the eggs and set aside.

To roast the onions:

          Peel the onions and cut off the hard root portion. Cut the onions lengthwise into thin long pieces. Set a thick cast iron wok (for greater taste) on high heat. Pour in the coconut oil. Tip in the onions and the salt. Taking care not to let the onions burn at the base; stir continuously till they turn a golden brown in colour.

          Now sprinkle the chili powder and the turmeric powder. Stir well for a minute and taste. Add more salt or chili powder if required. Garnish with the boiled eggs and serve with vellappams, soyyea polos, chappatis, porottas, pathiris or with freshly baked bread.

Enjoy!!!

Note:

          I have given you a highly enjoyable milder form of the mutta roast which is nowadays usually served as a very fiery dish capable of bringing tears to your eyes and a burning sensation in your stomach in small teashops across Kerala; owing to the quantity of chili powder used. The onions are also under-roasted with a profit motive which was not the case some decades ago.

          The teashop owners of those times used to serve wholesome, delicious food in generous helpings with minimum profit, as they were more quality-conscious and had more love in their hearts. Alas! Most deplorable is the case of the vast majority of teashops today. The sweetness of the perfectly caramelized (neither raw nor burnt) onions has to be balanced by the heat of the chilies and by the right amount of salt and cooking oil.

          So, dear viewers, do not yield to the temptation of the beautiful red mutta roast that you see in teashop windows. Rather, cook your own healthy, balanced and delicious mutta roast at home and enjoy.