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Aanal Desai

Patra - the Anavil way

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Cook Time 30 minutes
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 350 grams patter vel na paan/colocassia leaves select smaller and tender ones.
  • 3/4 cup juwar flour/sorghum flour
  • 3/4 cup kanki kormu flour see notes
  • 1/2 cup besan flour/chickpea flour
  • 1/2 cup atta/ whole wheat flour
  • 4 teaspoons garlic paste
  • 4 teaspoons ginger-green chilli paste
  • 3 tablespoons oil
  • 1 teaspoon hing/asafedetia
  • 1/2 teaspoon haldi/turmeric powder
  • 1.5 teaspoon red chilli powder adjust according to your preferance
  • 1 cup chaash/sour buttermilk check notes for options
  • 3-4 tablespoons jaggery grated
  • 4 tablespoon sesame seeds roasted and roughly pounded
  • 3 teaspoons cumin seeds roasted and roughly pounded
  • 1 large ripe banana
  • 1/4 teaspoon soda-bi-carb
  • salt to taste

Method
 

  1. Wash, wipe dry (with a soft muslin cloth) and destem each patra leaf/ colocassia leaves. Carefully remove all the thick stems using a sharp knife.
  2. To prepare the batter, in a large bowl mix the flours, add the dry ingredients (except salt and soda-bi-carb), garlic, ginger and chilli paste. Mix well.
  3. Add the oil and massage it well into the the flour+spice mix.
  4. Mash in the ripe banana.
  5. Add the chaash to the mix, add the grated jaggery to balance the sourness from the chaash. We are aiming for idli batter consistency for the patra batter hence, if needed add a little more chaash.
  6. Using your hands or a wide ladle mix the batter well. Add salt to taste and blend it well.
  7. Cover and allow the batter to rest for 30 minutes. This will allow the flavours to develop and blend well.
  8. Just before you prepare to spread the batter on the colocassia leaves add the soda-bi-carb and mix very well.
  9. On a clean flat surface, place the patra leaf, light green side facing upward, smear the batter all over the leaf. Now place a smaller leaf again with the light green side facing upward and the tip of the leaf on the opposite side of the bottom leaf. Smear the batter over it, fold inwards the bottom tips of the leaf so that it sticks with the smeared batter, fold in the sides of the leaves and roll lengthwise into a tight roll (like a swissroll). Secure the roll with some more batter spread over the tip and side.
  10. Repeat the above step until you have finished the leaves or the batter.
  11. Prepare a steamer, smear the steaming plate with some oil.
  12. Once the water comes to rolling boil, neatly arrange the patra rolls over the steamer plate and steam for 20-25 minutes or until a knife inserted in the steamed patra comes out clean.
  13. Allow the Patra to cool completely before you slice them into 1/2 inch thick slices.
  14. Enjoy them steamed or proceed to make Vagharela Patra/tempered patra or deep fried patra.
  15. If serving steamed, drizzle patra with some oil and lemon juice while serving.

Notes

if you do not have chaash, soak 1 tablespoons of tamarind in 1/2 cup water, squeeze and strain the water. Add this water to the batter. Proceed to prepare the batter using water instead of chaash. the Kanki Korma flour for the recipe is shared in bold in the write-up. If making Patra seems like too much of work, you may wash, dry and wipe and de-stem the Patra leaves a day before, roll them in cloth and keep them in the refrigerator. Similarly prepare the batter but do not add ginger+garlic+chilli paste and banana. You can store the batter in refrigerator and add the ginger, garlic, chilli and banana when you are ready to use it. This will not compromise the taste of Patra. Always remember, the batter for Patra should be bursting with flavours as it will mellow down a little once the Patra add on to it.