Softly set scrambled eggs loaded with vegetables, spices and herbs make a spectacular and unusual brunch dish. Traditionally eaten without cutlery, and using torn off bits of bread to scoop up the egg, this is a very popular street breakfast in India to fuel the workers.
To make the parathas, add the flours, bllack onion seeds, sugar and salt to a large bowl and stir together. Pour in the water, mixing with a knife to a crumbly dough. Lightly oil the worktop and tip the dough on to it. Knead for 5 minutes until smooth, soft and elastic. Set aside to rest for 15 minutes.
Re-oil the worktop and roll out the dough into a large rectangle, around 35 x 45cm and 5mm thick. Spread the dough all over with the ghee or softened butter then roll up tightly like a Swiss roll. Chop into 12 even-sized pieces. Take one piece and turn it on to a cut end, pressing down firmly to form a disc, then roll the disc out to a rough circle around 17–18cm and 2mm thick. Repeat with the remaining pieces.
Set a large frying pan over a medium-high heat. Once hot, add one of the parathas and cook for a couple of minutes, pressing the surface with a fish slice from time to time to ensure it cooks evenly. Flip over and cook the other side for a further couple of minutes. Transfer to a plate and keep warm in a low oven (around 110°C/90°C Fan/Gas Mark ¼), loosely covered in foil, while you cook the remaining parathas.
While the parathas are keeping warm, you can begin the eggs. Set a heavy-based saucepan over a medium heat and add the cumin seeds. Allow to toast for a couple of minutes before reducing the heat a little and adding the butter. Once the butter has melted, add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes or so, until soft and very lightly coloured.
Stir through the ginger, garlic, chilli, turmeric, chilli powder, peas and tomatoes and fry for another couple of minutes. Tip in the eggs, season with salt and pepper and stir briefly to mix. Leave the eggs to set for a couple of minutes before giving them another brief stir; repeat this process until the eggs are softly set. It’s lovely to keep the textures of the soft egg and vegetables a little distinct from each other, and if you stir too often or too vigorously it all becomes a bit mushed up.
Fold through the coriander just before serving. Serve the egg as soon as it has set, with the warm parathas to scoop it up.
