Pathrade (pronounced pathra-day) also spelled as 'Pathrode' is steamed, savoury cakes made from rice & colocasia leaves. These are then sliced and added to curries or marinated with salt & chilli paste & shallow fried. Enjoy them as you like!
6-7very large or 17-18 small colocasia leaves/Arbi leaves
To be ground
500gramsboiled rice - washed and soaked for a minimum of 2 hours
1/2tspturmeric powder
5 bedgi chillies
1/2tspjeera/cumin
1marble size ball tamarind
1/2cupgrated coconutoptional
Salt to tasteapprox 3/4th - 1 level tsp
For wrapping & steaming
6large or 10-12 small teak leaves - Washed and wiped dry
Instructions
Drain the soaked rice well and grind it along with the other ingredients mentioned under 'To be ground' using very little water (just to get the mixie blade going). The batter should be finely ground but dryish.
Shred the colocasia leaves finely and mix it to the ground batter well. The best way to shred the leaves is to place one of top of the other (stacked uand then roll them together and shred in one go. This will save you a lot of time.
On a working surface place a Teak leaf (below pictures are of another locally available leaand place about 2 portions of batter in the centre along the spine of the leaf. Leave out the corner edges so that batter doesn't spill out.
Fold the leaves along the sides & tips & fasten with wooden toothpicks
While you are busy making the remaining 'packets' of batter, place sufficient water in a Tondor (steameand bring it to a boil
Place all the pathrades on the shelf inside the Tondor, cover & steam for 20 minutes on high flame
Remove from the steamer & allow to cool. Now you can open up the packet & cut into pieces of about 1/2 inch width & use in the curry or just apply Meet Mirsang (Salt+Chilli paste+vinegaand fry as you would fry fish
You can store these for as long as 5-6 months in a deep freezer, but just ensure that you place them in ip lock (freezer safe seal bags), otherwise when you thaw them the next time around you will have slightly soggy Pathrades which will need a little squeeze before using.