Have you ever tasted Patoli, a Goan delicacy?

Patoli's outer covering is made of a thick (parboiled) rice paste, and it's stuffed with a generous filling of jaggery, shredded coconut and cardamom powder, then wrapped in a turmeric leaf and steamed to perfection.

This sweet pancake does remind me of the Ela Ada that Malayalees make from jaggery, rice flour and fresh grated coconut, but with banana leaves.

You can dig into a Patola for breakfast, post lunch or as a snack with tea.

Patoli

Serves: 4 to 6

Ingredients

• 1½ cup parboiled rice
• 3-4 tbsp rice powder, optional
• 1½ cup jaggery, crumbled (ideally use a mixture of palm and sugarcane jaggery)
• 1 fresh coconut
• 5 whole green elaichi or cardamom, crushed or powdered
• 8-10 haldi or turmeric leaves
• Salt to taste, around 1 tsp
• Water

Method

• Rinse the rice well and soak overnight in a bowl of water.
• Drain the excess water and grind the rice with 1 cup water until it has a smooth texture.
  Avoid adding too much water, as it will dilute the batter and ruin the consistency.
  The trick is to add the water little by little, so that it doesn't get too watery.
  The paste should be thick and not of flowing consistency.
  Add the salt and mix.
  If the paste is runny, add a few tbsp of rice powder to thicken it.
  Keep aside.
• Grate the fresh coconut and transfer into a bowl.
  You will require around 1½ to 2 cups of the freshly grated coconut.
  Add in the crumbled jaggery.
  Mix until well combined.
  Once the jaggery melts, it will coat the shredded coconut, and you'll have a nice, coarse mixture.
  Add the crushed/powdered cardamom.
  Mix.
• Wash the turmeric leaves and wipe dry.
  Cut off the ends.
  Place a turmeric leaf on a flat surface or plate.
  Add the rice paste and gently, using your fingers, spread it out evenly to cover the entire leaf.
  Ideally the paste should be thick so that it sticks to the leaf.
  Add 1 tbsp or more of the coconut-jaggery filling in the centre. 
  Bring the ends of the leaf together (please se the pic above) and press it to seal it. 
  Repeat the process with the rest of the leaves and the balance rice paste till all the filling is used up.
• Heat sufficient water in a steamer over medium heat.
  As the water begins to boil, place a tray/plate inside the steamer and carefully place the patolis on it.
  You can place all the patolis on the plate in a single batch.
  Close the steamer and let the patolis steam for 15 to 20 minutes or until cooked.
  Take off heat, remove the patoli immediately and let cool.
  Over-steaming the patolis will cause them to harden.
  It's best served warm.

• REDIFF FOOD