Weekend Getaway to Kerala, "God's Own Country"
I am starting this album with the intention of sharing my recipes
I have received across the world. Each week I’ll take you to a country where I
can share some of the authentic recipes that I have received from my close
friends, along with sharing their passions & hobbies.
But before I start with any Country, I have to take you to my Home
country India and my native land Kerala the place I was born and raised for 23
years before I relocated to US.
Bestowed with a pleasant and equable climate throughout the year,
Kerala, as the name says is a Land of “Coconut trees” , endless
artforms, Spices, festivals, pilgrim centers wild life &
monsoons. . When I visited Miami few years back, I felt like I am
somewhere in Kerala , but really miss the monsoons and homely food.
Recently Kerala
has been featured in http://www.lonelyplanet.com/india/kerala. You can also visit their Tourism websites
at https://www.keralatourism.org/kerala-at-a-glance/ if
you like to know more about it.
Certain things I recommend visiting if you are in Kerala are
1. Trivandrum Padmanabha Swamy Temple
2. Kovalam and Poovar in Trivandrum
3. Kumarakom House Boat Trip
4. Backwater & Lagoons in Cochin
5. Wayanad Wild life Sanctuary
6. Thekkady
Main Festivals of Kerala are Onam, Vishu, Ramzan & Christmas
but we Keralites celebrate something atleast once in a month.
There are so many
recipes in my mind, but let's start with Kerala Pathiri /Ari Pathiri.
Pathiri otherwise called as Ari Pathiri is a traditional
Roti/Crepe made of rice flour. It is a Popular dish among Kerala Muslims but
the word traces its origin to Arabic word Fateerah meaning Pastry. It is a main
dish regularly served during Ramadan. This dish is something you can try
with your kids. When I make Pathiri, my little girl will join me in
Kitchen. She loves to knead the dough and rolling them. I think they enjoy
the mess but its a great experience. They gave a new name to it
called “Moon Chappathi” .
Steps to make Pathiri
3 cups of Water
2 ½ cups of Roasted Rice Flour
Salt – 1 tsp
Oil
Instructions
Boil the water with salt in a Dutch oven. When
you see the water bubbling turn the flames to low and add rice flour slowly
stirring continuously. Switch off the oven and keep mixing the dough with a
wooden spatula making sure there are no lumps. Now keep the dough aside for 5
minutes. Start kneading again, this time with your hands. The dough might
still be warm, keep kneading until its smooth, you can add some oil to your
handswhich prevents the dough from sticking.
Now make small equal sized balls out of the
kneaded dough. Meanwhile, keep a cast iron skillet over medium flame. You
can either roll this using or a rolling board but I prefer the Pathiri Presser.
It saves a lot of time for me.
Take the Presser, smear little bit oil on both
sides and keep the ball in the center. Now press it in to small circles. Immediately
after you make one, dust them slightly in rice flour and keep them aside in a
plate. You should not use lot of rice flour. Finish it with the rest of the
dough
Now take each pathiri and dust off the remaining
flour from it and place it on the skillet. After a few seconds, turn it over.
Repeat this once more. When you see the pathiri it puffing up, use the back of
a spoon to spread the heat, without pressing down too hard. When it puffs up,
remove it from the griddle.
DO NOT COOK IT FOR LONG TIME. It should
remain white and soft, to be enjoyed properly.
Dip the Pathiri in coconut milk and serve it
with hot meat curry.
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