Mughlai paratha (Bengali: মোগলাই পরোটা, romanized: Moglai pôroṭa) is a popular Bengali street food which is believed to have originated in Bengal Subah during the time of Mughal Empire as a derivative of the Turkish Gözleme.[1][2] The dish is believed to be prepared for the royal court of Mughal Emperor Jahangir.[3][4][5] It can be a soft fried bread enhanced by a stuffing of keema (minced meat), egg, onions and pepper;[6] or a paratha stuffed with the same or similar ingredients.[7]
Mughlai paratha was one of those Mughlai recipes that entered in Bengali cuisine during the Mughal Empire. It is believed that the Mughlai paratha originated during Mughal emperor Jahangir's reign and it was a creation of his cook Adil Hafiz Usman, who originally hailed from the Bardhaman district of West Bengal of Hadhrami Arab descent.[3] It is likely a derivative of the Turkish Gözleme.[8] Mughal rule mostly influenced the cuisine of the administrative capitals of Bengal Subah, like Murshidabad and Dhaka, rather than the rural part of it.[4] The dish traveled to Kolkata in West Bengal from old capitals of Bengal Subah like Murshidabad and Dhaka, after Kolkata became the capital of newly formed Bengal presidency under British Raj and the dish became a very common and popular street snack of Kolkata.[2][9]
Ingredients in the preparation of Mughlai paratha may include whole-wheat flour, ghee, eggs, finely chopped onions, chopped green chili pepper and chopped coriander leaves.[10]
Sometimes chicken or mutton keema is also used in some variants. It can also be served without meat for stuffing.
The Turks introduced Indians to Gözleme, a delicious traditional Turkish savoury. It is a flatbread recipe stuffed with spiced and minced lamb or beef filling. It is somewhat similar to Mughlai paratha and can be called the precursor of Mughlai Parantha itself.
Food Critic Bikramjeet Ray sees a lot of similarities between the Mughlai paratha and the Arabic or Lebanese breads, where you find a square-shaped and deep fried bread or wrap stuffed with meat.
The Turks introduced Indians to Gözleme, a delicious traditional Turkish savoury. It is a flatbread recipe stuffed with spiced and minced lamb or beef filling. It is somewhat similar to Mughlai paratha and can be called the precursor of Mughlai Parantha itself.
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