Maharaj Bhanwar Singh draws inspiration from Gujarat's famous Surti Pattice or Petis while putting together his signature pattices, but hypes them up a notch or two by adding dry fruit and mava.

His Khajoor Ni Pattice tastes special with green chutney.

Khajoor Ni Pattice

Servings: 10

Ingredients

For the covering

• 500 gm potatoes, boiled, peeled and mashed
• 20 gm paniphal or arrowroot powder (add more if dough is too wet)
• Salt to taste

For the stuffing

• 100 gm khajoor or dates, finely chopped
• 20 gm kaju or cashews, finely chopped
• 10 gm raisins, chopped
• 10 gm anar dana or dried pomegranate seeds
• ½ tsp elaichi or green cardamom powder
• 10 gm ghee
• 20 gm mava or milk solids
• Oil for frying the dry fruit and nuts and deep frying the pattices

Method

For the covering

• In a bowl, combine all the ingredients for the covering. 
  Mix well till it has a dough-like texture.
  Keep aside.

For the stuffing

• Heat a little oil in a heavy-bottomed kadhai or saucepan.
  Add the ghee.
  Add the nuts and dry fruits and fry for 1-2 minutes.
  Add the mava.
  Keep stirring till it warms up and softens, about 2-3 minutes.
  Take off heat.
  Add the anar dana and mix.
  Keep aside to cool.

For the assembly

• Roll the potato mixture into 10 balls of about 2-inch diameter each.
  Make a hole in the centre of each ball and stuff with the filling.
• Alternatively divide the potato mixture in 10 small balls of about 2-inch diameter each.
  Roll the balls out into pooris.
  Place 1 tbsp of the stuffing in the centre.
  Carefully seal the edges.
  Roll to shape into a smooth ball.
• Repeat the process for the rest of the balls.
• Heat oil over high heat in a kadhai to deep fry the pattices.
  Fry the stuffed pattices in batches in the hot oil till golden brown.
  Keep flipping till golden and they cook evenly.
  Drain onto a tissue or paper towel-lined plate.
  Serve hot with green mint chutney.

Editor's Note: Make your own green mint chutney at home using the chutney recipe here.

For a Jain version of this pattice, use an equivalent amount of boiled, peeled and mashed green bananas and maida or cornstarch instead of arrowroot.

Certain varieties of potatoes become very wet after boiling -- opt for what is termed as 'wafer alus' and take care not to over-boil the potatoes. Yukon gold and russet potatoes work well too. Old potatoes generally do better than new potatoes.

To reduce the sugar content, skip the dates and raisins and go with a mava and nut stuffing only. For a pattice with less carbs, try an equivalent amount of boiled mashed cauliflower instead.

Maharaj Bhanwar Singh is the corporate chef at Khandani Rajdhani, a chain of restaurants serving Rajasthani and Gujarati thalis.

• REDIFF RECIPES