Kannur Style Vaatti Pathiri

Pathiri or Pathil, the Kerala Muslim Rice-based flatbread, is a much-loved recipe. It is made regularly, especially in the homes of Malabar.

Planning ahead is required. Total time is not inclusive of the time taken to soak the rice. 4 plus 5 hours. Makes about 25 pathiris.

The Recipe Intro↓ has , more information on Kannur Style Vaatti Pathiri ..as well as Recipe Video. Don’t forget to check it out.

Ingredients:

Method:

1. Rinse both varieties of rice together in a bowl several times, till the water runs clear.
2. Cover with Hot, Boiled water. The water should be very hot to the touch.
3. Leave to soak for 5 hours or more. If you soak the rice, after breakfast time, it should be ready to grind by evening.
4. Grind in a wet grinder or Strong blender, adding very little water. Grind till a very smooth and thick batter is obtained.
5. If you find the batter has become too thin, you can add to a flat basin and place a muslin cloth lightly over the top OR pour into a muslin cloth and hang for a bit. The batter should be thick, just about the thickness of idli batter. If it is too runny, you will not be able to pour and spread the batter properly.
6. Don’t forget to add salt to taste to the batter, either while grinding or later and mix through.
7. Set this batter aside for another 3-4 hours.
8. Before starting the cooking process, prepare fresh coconut milk and set aside. Learn how, here.
9. Traditionally, ladlefuls of the batter is cooked on cast iron pans on pieces of banana leaves. You place another banana leaf over the batter once spread, and cook very briefly.  Then flip over, encased in the leaves and cook the other side, again briefly.
10. Nowadays, we can use a good non-stick pan instead. On a moderately hot pan, lightly greased if needed – add a ladleful of batter and spread, just as you would do for dosa. However, we cook this very very briefly. Cover and cook for 30 seconds on medium heat. Then flip over, cover and cook the other side about 30 seconds as well.
11. If you find that spreading the batter with the ladle is difficult ( this can vary according to the variety of rice that is used), you can simply wet your fingers and spread out the dough on the pan. (Method as seen in this video).
12. We are not cooking these through. We want the crepes/dosa to just set on both sides and become opaque. They should also no longer be sticky to the touch. They will not be cooked through, and should not develop any skin on the surface, from cooking too long, or any golden colour. This will make the next step impossible or very difficult to accomplish.
13. Add the dosas to a bowl, as they are par-cooked in this method.
14. Once you have 2-3 in the bowl, add 1 or two ladles of fresh coconut milk, and knead the crepes while they are still hot. Keep kneading the crepes as you keep adding the par-cooked crepes from the pan. Adding a little coconut milk after each addition. (Refer Video). Add just enough coconut milk to help the kneading process. Eventually, it will start looking like a regular dough. Do not add too much coconut milk.
15. Knead for approximately 15 minutes, till you get a soft, bouncy dough that is not sticky. Having one person par-cook the crepes and one person kneading them as they fall into the bowl, makes life easier.
16. Roll into lime sized balls using the pressure of your palms till the balls are completely smooth with no cracks. Flatten slightly.
17. Make balls similarly of all the dough and keep covered, to prevent them from drying out.
18. Use a chapati press/ tortilla press to press the pathiri as large as possible.
19. I find that placing flat plastic sheets/bags over both sides of the press helps to get a larger rounded pathiri.
20. You can get the same result by pressing two flat bottomed steel plates, lightly greased.
21. Then continue to cut out with an appropriate sized round cutter, to get more perfect edges.
22. Heat a flat non-stick skillet or Tawa on moderate heat and place one pathiri at a time.
23. When you see tiny bubbles appearing, flip the pathiri over cook the other side for 30 seconds or so till it puffs up. Press gently with a spatula to help the ‘puffing up’ process.
24. Once the pathiri is cooked on both sides, transfer to a casserole dish and start the next one.
25. I like to press 3-4 pathiris before starting to roast them. Then I press and roast side by side till all the pathiri balls are used.
26. Dip the pathiris 3-4 at a time in a deep plate of coconut milk. Keep them for 2-3 minutes and then remove them to serving dish. Soaking these pathiris in the coconut milk is what makes them so deliciously soft.
27. Serve with Mutton stew or Chicken Curry and more coconut milk on the side, to pour as desired.

Kannur Style Vaatti Pathiri

Notes:

• If you do not have Kaima rice, you can try Basmati as a substitute. Different aroma.
• Using the cutter after pressing the pathiris, not only gives more perfect circles, it also helps the pathiris to puff up better.
• Make sure there are no folds or cracks in the pathiris or they will not puff up well.
• Some people add a spoon of ghee to the coconut milk used for soaking the cooked pathiris before serving.

Key Ingredients: Rice, Water, Salt, Coconut Milk.

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