Exactly a year ago, I read this article on Virudhunagar Ennai Parotta, the pictures were so sinfully tempting! I have lived all my life in Tamil Nadu and still, this one was new for me. As expected I was taken in so much that I wanted to rush in right away to make these. I was however not able to make these and it looks like it has taken me a year to finally share this.
Of course, this was one of the first posts I made for the Indian States. Parottas are flaky, layered Indian Bread mostly made popular by the roadside shops that you find all over Tamil Nadu. It's really such wonderful art to see a parotta master flipping the parottas in the air and swirl it to a rope and quickly gathering it as a ball and pressing it down as a roti. The parottas are made with All-purpose flour, with loads of oil, and rested for over hours to get that crispy, flaky texture. There are quite a few varieties to the parottas.
The regular layered parotta is prepared by just swirling in the air, gathering the pleats, and pressing as small discs. Veechu parotta is made with the same dough, the technique varies, wherein the rolled out the disc is swirled in the air, which gains momentum and becomes very thin. The layers are gathered and folded as an envelope. These are famous in Madurai, a city in TN.
The Virudhunaga Parottas are made as to the regular parottas but are deep fried in oil.
Regular Parottas, which I make a bit more healthy by adding in the Wheat flour, is a regular dish made at home along with Paneer Butter Masala and is a favorite with my kids. In fact, only on rare occasions, I end up making Parottas with only All purpose flour, not because it is not healthy, but because I mostly don't have time to get it soaking for dinner.
So when I decided to short-list bread for Tamil Nadu, I was wondering for a while on what I can make. Parotta was an immediate choice. Since having made already, I was thinking about what else I could make when I suddenly remembered this Porucha Parotta. I did a quick search and landed on the Article I read many months ago.
The search also led me to Manjula's post, where she has made a whole platter with different shapes along with the Vegetable Salna. I decided to do the combination and checked for few more variations I might find for the Vegetable Salna.
I finally adapted Manjula's and a few of what I had bookmarked. The combination was super duper as expected. Konda, who already loves Parotta, was so excited by the fried one. Our dinner was a real hit.
I even took the parotta and chalna for my colleagues, who wanted to taste the fried one as well.
Coming to the similarities, this is exactly like the Fried Paratha from the Paratha Wali Gali Paratha, where the pan-fried bread is deep-fried and takes it to another level altogether!
Living in Madras, I know I should have done a more elaborate spread to showcase my place's beautiful cuisine, but trust me, these parottas fill up like nothing, and you are left so full and sated!
How to make the dough for the Parotta
How to make Virudhunagar Ennai Parotta / Porucha Parotta
Virudhunagar Ennai Parotta
How to make Veechu Parotta
For the Veechu parotta, the dough is the same. Except after you pinch down a ball, grease more oil, roll out a thin disc, or you can lift and drop the disc so that it starts spreading a thin layer. Then start folding from one corner, first the opposite sides and then enclose from the other sides like an envelope. This forms a square or rectangle.
Heat a Tawa, grease with oil, and cook the parotta on both sides.
Regular Layered Parotta
For regular parottas, you can make it the same way as Ennai Parotta, but just pan fry with oil on both sides.
How to make Mixed Vegetable Chalna
Vegetable Chalna
Ingredients Needed
Mixed Vegetable - 2 cups (Potato, Carrot, Beans, Peas, and Cauliflower)
Oil - 1 tbsp
Onion - 1 medium size chopped
Tomato - 1 large size chopped
Red chili powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Coriander powder - 2 tsp
Bay leaves - 2
Cloves - 2
Cardamom - 2
Ginger Garlic paste - 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Curry leaves
To grind to a smooth paste
Coconut grated - 1/4 cup
Fennel seeds - 2 tsp
Green chilies - 3 big
Cashew nuts - 5 nos
Curry leaves handful
Grind this to a smooth paste and keep it aside.
Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 39
Priya Suresh says
3 varieties of parotta, somehow i'll go for the veechu parotta, so delicious, i can happily have it with that fingerlicking chalna.
Pavani N says
Wow Valli, that is a paratha lovers dream come true.. All the parottas look amazing and restaurant quality. Vegetable chalna sounds delicious and would have tasted great with the parottas.
Varadas Kitchen says
Recipes are like hidden gems waiting to be unearthed.
Those parotta are very interesting. Never heard of them before. Such unique shapes. The gravy looks spicy!
vaishali sabnani says
Wow...simply gorgeous parothas..yes it is all about the oil but it surely gives you a heart attack. .looking at the amount of oil that goes into these..though its ok to indulge into them once in a while..
Would love to try them ..not minding to taste these..they truly tempt you.
The Pumpkin Farm says
such a long post..you have really taken lot of efforts explaining the dishes in detail. I was only aware of malabar paratha from south, and though the basic are right the way you make them alters the taste , so this is good learning for me, and the veg chalna is nice side dish
Rani acharyulu says
Amazing paratahs looks delicious along with veggie recipe.
Akhila Parthasarathy says
Amazing parottas. I have had the privilege to eat this once with my hubby and it was so good.
Nivedhanams Sowmya says
wow three varities of parotta!!! nicely done valli.. love the step wise for each of them.. hats off for your hardwork..
Harini-Jaya R says
The fried parotta looks so sinful. I am sure my family will love these varieties of parottas.
Archana Potdar says
You bring the parotha I will eat. This is amazing heer I cannot make a decent roti/ chapati and you dish out amazing stuff like this? Not fair
Padmajha PJ says
You are feeling bad for not posting an elaborate meal!!! 3 types of parotta with a side is no small feat!I have read about that fried parotta in a aval vikatan supplement.And by your description I can guess how great it would be.All this goes well with that Salna.
Nalini's Kitchen says
Nice efforts Valli,3 types of paratha and salna looks so so tempting and makes me hungry after having my breakfast..
Usha says
You did great with all the explanation and id justice to the post. So do not feel should have done more. Coming to the parathas, I am speechless. There are so many ways a simple humble paratha can be shaped into. Awesome pick for the state.
Sandhya Ramakrishnan says
I am in such an awe seeing the different types of paratha. I am so tempted to make each and every one....I love the side dish so much. Always liked the kurma style side dish 🙂
Jayanthi Padmanabhan says
parotta was on my shortlist too.. one of my favourite orders. veechu parotta looks delicious along with the vegetable salna. lipsmacking combo
Priya Srinivasan says
Somehow the veechu parotta makes me think about veechu aaruva!!! Loved all the parotta's!!! I m eyeing that salna too, not sure whether i can make it with parotta, but sure it will taste yum with roti's too!!!
Chef Mireille says
the ennai parotta looks so interesting the way it is put together - I'll have to try it one of these days
Manjula Bharath says
Oh my god valli parotta's are fav and i can have them anytime 🙂 The spread is just killing me , and thanks a lot for the mention 🙂 Love your version of chalna 🙂 just an irresistible parotta platter from TN 🙂 yummm yummm..
Sapana Behl says
You have put so much efforts to make three types of Parathas ...great !
Suma Gandlur says
Lovely parathas and spread. Valli, going by your posts, I can say that your quest for regional Indian breads have been successful.