Lately, my mother and I have been making a lot of kothu paratha, a street food common in certain parts of South India. Although the dish has origins in Sri Lanka, kothu paratha has been wholeheartedly embraced here in India.

Ingredients

• 4 warm parathas
• one 1-inch piece ginger
• 3 cloves garlic
• 2 green chiles, slit lengthwise
• 4 shallots
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
• 2 eggs, beaten with a pinch of salt and pepper
• 2 medium onions, finely chopped
• 2 medium tomatoes, finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 250 grams shrimp, deveined and shelled
• 2 sprigs curry leaves
• salt, to taste

Directions

1. Chop the parathas into bite-sized pieces (roughly 1 inch wide), then set them aside.
2. Grind the ginger, garlic, chiles, and shallots with a mortar and pestle to a coarse paste.
3. Add the eggs and scramble them gently, removing them from the heat before they get too dry. Transfer the eggs to a plate, then heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in the pan, add the chopped onions, and sauté them until they're soft and translucent.
4. Add the coarsely ground ingredients to the pan of onions. Sauté them over low heat until fragrant, about 2 to 3 minutes.
5. Add the tomatoes, chili powder, garam masala powder, pepper, and turmeric. Sauté the mixture for another minute.
6. Now, add the shrimp and curry leaves. Raise the heat to medium and let them cook, covered, for 3 to 4 minutes, until fragrant.
7. Remove the lid and sauté the mixture until the shrimp are cooked through, about 2 minutes. You'll also want to make sure that the shrimp mixture has dried out, as that will prevent the parathas from turning soggy.
8. Working quickly, add in the chopped parathas and gently mix them until well-coated.
9. Lastly, add the eggs and give the mixture one final stir. Serve hot—preferably on a rainy day.