Scotch Egg ~ Parsi style

Chutney Eeda na Pattice | Parsi-style Scotch Egg

These "Scotch eggs" are a delicious variation on the classic, but even the classic may have its roots in India! Although London’s Fortnum & Mason claims they invented the Scotch egg in the 1730’s, and other sources say it came about in 19^th century Yorkshire, it is now believed that this English version is based upon the Indian nargisi kofta, a rich Mughlai dish which has many similarities with the Scotch egg.
While variations of these are relished in the cuisines of Belgium, Netherlands, Italy and the USA, the most well-known version consists of a hard-boiled egg covered in sausage meat and deep fried with a crust of breadcrumbs. They are generally served cold for picnics, etc.
The Parsi-style Scotch egg is even more delightful in my opinion; wrapped in coconut and coriander chutney, covered with a layer of mashed potatoes, and fried to a golden brown.

 

Here is my version with a softer than normal hard boiled egg as I prefer mine creamy and not dry. The crust has got breadcrumbs hence the darker colour.

Makes 6 large Scotch eggs

6 eggs, hard-boiled, peeled
1 kg/ 2.2 lb potatoes, boiled, peeled and mashed with butter, milk and salt 
454 g/1 lb coconut and coriander chutney (recipe on p. xx)
1 egg + 3 tbsp cold water for the egg wash
Oil to fry

Divide the mashed potatoes and the chutney into 6 equal parts.

Taking one part of the potato in the palm of your hand, squash to make a saucer shape. Add one part of the chutney in the center of the potato and place the egg on top. Gently push the potato upward to cover the egg, turning it gently with two hands while patting it to enclose the entire egg.
Repeat for each egg.

Beat the egg and water to prepare the egg wash. Heat the oil in a shallow frying pan.
Dip each prepared Scotch egg into the egg wash and gently lower into the oil with a spoon. Keep rolling it over each side gently with the help of the back of a spoon. Remove when golden brown. Serve warm.

 

 

 

 

Tips

It is easier to prepare this when the mashed potatoes and chutney are chilled overnight.

The chutney should be thick and not too soft.

The mashed potatoes should be smooth and thick, not lumpy, or creamy, and properly seasoned with butter, salt and a dash of milk or cream as needed.

While not traditional, dip the Scotch eggs into a fine breadcrumb mixture after the egg wash to hold shape better while turning it in the frying pan.

To keep the patties smaller and make more of them, slice the boiled eggs in half lengthwise before preparing them.

My published cookbooks are available for sale through myself and on amazon.

The World of Parsi Cooking: Food Across Borders is a 3 award winning book. It has been self published in July 2019 and will be going into its second print in 2022. 

The Art of Parsi Cooking; reviving an ancient cuisine was published in 2016 by Austin Macauley and continues to be available through amazon book depot book depository and from the publishers.

Green Coconut Chutney

Coconut Chutney



The key to a perfect green coconut chutney is the balance of the Holy Trinity of Parsi Cooking, Tikkhu-Khattu-Mitthu ( spicy-sour-sweet). It is easy to prepare and is used in many dishes like the Patra ni Machi, Chutney and Fish Pastry Roll, Ribbon Rice, sandwiches, and many more recipes. 

Enjoy my version from Niloufer's Kitchen.

Makes approximately 2 cups of chutney.

1 cup desiccated coconut

1 ½ cups of coriander leaves; tightly packed 

2 tbsp jaggery

6 green chillies

½ tsp salt

¼ cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed

2 unripe, peeled mangoes

10 fresh mint leaves

In an electric grinder/food processor or blender; grind till fine and smooth the desiccated coconut. Then add the rest of the ingredients in order: green chillies, salt, coriander leaves, salt, diced mangoes, mint leaves, and lemon juice. Taste for the salt, the heat from the chillies, the sourness and the sweetness. Balance must be perfect to suit your palate. 

Tips

Prepare ahead of time and freeze. It will stay for up to one month.
Defrost it for 24 hours in your fridge. 
The texture of the chutney must be as smooth as possible. This will depend on your grinder and the coconut. 

To read more about #ParsiFood its history, traditions and culture you can click the link for my cookbooks The World of Parsi Cooking: Food Across Borders and  The Art of Parsi Cooking; reviving an ancient cuisine.


For more recipes
Niloufer's Kitchen Quick and Easy available from read.amazon.com

Eggplant and Chutney

Eggplant and Chutney
Ravaiya Vengna~Chutney na Vengna

These eggplants are slit and filled with green coconut chutney. They are called Ravaiya/raveya, which literally translated means attitude! (Generally the bad kind of attitude, lol!!) 
Whoever named this dish was not in a good mood while creating this delicious dish. 

The idea is to serve them ''moist'' at the end of the cooking. Shallow fry them lightly in oil all over, turning them only once very carefully, and then cover the lid and allow them to cook through. To make it simpler, add 1 cup of coconut water to the pan before steaming them. This is two-fold: it will allow for the moisture without the chance of burning and it will keep the chutney taste intact. Tying a thread around before frying to keep it together is an option.

Steaming them in the oil and coconut water helps them cook through without burning. However it is important to allow it all to evaporate as there is little or no gravy in this dish - just some juicy succulent chutney filled eggplants to enjoy. 

Eggplant Stuffed with Green Coconut Chutney

Vengna na Ravaiya

Green Coconut Chutney

2 cups fresh or dry grated coconut

10-15 green chillies (or to taste)

1 packed cup coriander leaves

1 small raw green mango, peeled and chopped with seed removed

Juice of ½-1 lemon

2 tbsp jaggery or sugar (or to taste)

¼ tsp salt

10 mint leaves

Grind the ingredients very finely to make a smooth chutney. 

The chutney should be spicy, sweet, and sour  tweaked to suit your taste. 

For the eggplant 

8 long, thin Japanese eggplants with stems on; slit lengthwise on one side, leaving stem on.

Oil (for shallow frying) 

Stuff the eggplants with the chutney and tie them with thin white thread. 

Heat the oil in a big fry pan. Fry the eggplants, turning to cook on all sides until they are soft all around.

As an alternative to frying, sprinkle some oil on the stuffed eggplants and bake them in a at 170°C| 350F oven for approximately 30 minutes, or until cooked, turning them once halfway through. 

To read about an ancient cuisine you can purchase my cookbooks called The World of Parsi Cooking; Food Across Borders and The Art of Parsi Cooking; reviving an ancient cuisine.  

Niloufer's Kitchen: Quick and Easy  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HBSBLI4

Niloufer's Kitchen : Autumn   http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FCZC36C

Read more about Niloufer's Kitchen on The Huffington Post Blog

Photo Credit Sheriar Hirjikaka