CHATTI PATHIRI (MALLU LASAGNE)

INGREDIENTS (Serves 2-4)

FOR THE PANCAKES

Makes 10 small pancakes
Plain flour/Maida-1 cup
Egg-1
Water-1 1/2 cup
Salt-1/2-3/4 tsp.

FOR THE FILLING

Chicken-500 gms
Onion-2 medium
Green chillies-3-5
Ginger-garlic paste-2 tsp.
Curry leaves-2 sprigs(finely chopped)
Turmeric powder-1/2 tsp.
Coriander powder-1 tsp.
Red chilly powder-1/2 tsp.(optional)
Garam masala-1/4 tsp.
Pepper powder-1/2 tsp.
Salt-to taste
Coriander leaves-handful
Coconut oil-2-4 tblsp.
Eggs-3

METHOD

CHICKEN FILLING

1.Boil 500 gms of chicken in little water with 1/4 tsp. turmeric powder.After its cooked, drain water and shred chicken with your hands.

2.Heat a non-stick pan with 2 tblsp. oil and saute onions till slightly golden and then saute curry leaves, green chillies and add ginger- garlic paste(till raw smell fades) respectively.

3.Add all the masala powder ie. turmeric,coriander,red chilly, garam masala, pepper powder and salt and saute for a minute.

4.Add the shredded chicken and combine well. Finally add the chopped coriander leaves to the chicken mixture and let the mixture cool.
You can also use this filling for samosas as well. By adding mashed potatoes, you can use it for cutlets.

PANCAKES

1.Make the batter for the pancakes by mixing all the ingredients in a blender or whisking until you get a lump free batter.

2.Heat a non-stick pan/tawa and pour 1/4 cup to make a thin dosa like pancake to fit the size of the saucepan(that you will be using for assembling). It can be slightly bigger than the saucepan but dnt make it smaller than the saucepan/cake tin.

3.Cook only on one side and stack them in a plate making sure it doesn't stick together.

ASSEMBLING

1.Grease all sides of an 8" saucepan/cake tin with about 2 tblsp oil/ghee with most part of the oil settling at the bottom side.

2.Beat 3 eggs with little salt and then take a pancake and dip both sides of it in egg and place it in the oiled saucepan and then spread chicken filling over the pancake. Then again dip another pancake in egg and then spread it over the top of chicken mixture and again top it off with the chiken filling.

3.Continue to make layers till all the chicken filling has been used up and complete the top with a pancake and pour the rest of the egg over the top of the layers.

4.Close the saucepan with a close fitting lid so that steam won't escape while cooking.You can cover/seal with aluminium foil as an extra precaution.

5.Put the saucepan on a very low flame and cook for about 15-20 minutes till the sides of pancake remove from the pan and it slightly shrinks in size. Alternatively bake in a pre-heated oven at 180 C till top part looks cooked and no remains of uncooked egg is left.

6.After it slightly cools but is still warm,run a knife through the sides to ensure it doesn't stick to the sides and carefully invert onto the serving dish.

Serve chatti pathiri warm and marvel at the easy and wonderful creation you have managed to make. Double the recipe for a larger one.

VARIATIONS:

1.Instead of  making pancakes, you can also make chappattis with plain flour and stack it in the same manner by dipping in egg. But this is much easier and softer in texture.

2.You can make whole wheat pancakes by replacing Plain flour with Wholewheat flour/Atta and dipping in coconut milk (1 cup)instead of dipping in egg.

3.Another way to save time or if your just lazy to make the pancakes, use white bread in place of the pancakes. Remove sides the of slices of bread and just dip in egg and arrange them together in the pan to make a layer.

4.This is a savoury version of chatti pathiri from the malabar side. For this, you can also use a filling of your choice ie. beef, mutton etc.The sweet version is made by scrambling egg yolks(with sugar) and also adding ghee-roasted cashewnuts and raisins as layers instead of chicken filling over the pancakes.

SPINACH TURNOVERS (FATAYER)

INGREDIENTS (Makes 6)
All-purpose flour-1 cup
Olive oil(extra-virgin)-3 tblsp.
Salt-1/4 tsp.
Onion-1(finely chopped)
Spinach-1 bunch(chopped)
Lemon juice-1 tblsp.
Pine nuts-1 tblsp.(optional)
Sumac-1 tblsp.*
Pepper-1/2 tsp.
Salt-to taste

METHOD

1.In a bowl, sieve/combine the flour with salt and make a well in the center and add 2 tblsp. olive oil and combine well with fingers until flour is evenly moist.

2.Add about 1/3 cup water and combine till a rough dough forms, if the dough seems too dry add 1-2tblsp. of water.Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let it rest for 10 mins.

3.Turn the dough on a floured surface and knead for about 5 minutes until smooth. Cut the dough into 6 pieces and cover with a wet cloth.

4.In another bowl, toss the finely chopped onion,add in the spinach and pine nuts and drizzle lemon juice and 1 tblsp. olive oil and combine well. Add salt, pepper and sumac.

5.Preheat oven to 450 F/gas mark 8.Line a baking sheet with baking paper.

6.While oven is heating, roll out each piece of dough to a 6 inch round i.e. about 1/8 inch thick.

7.Spoon about 1-2 tblsp. spinach mixture onto the centre of the round and pick three sides of the dough together like a pyramid and squeeze the joins to seal together. You can leave sealing at the centre for the filling to show n the middle.

8.Bake for about 20 minutes and turn the grill on for 5 minutes until lightly coloured on top.You can also brush lightly with an egg for a golden glaze like the ones in the photos.

Serve warm or at room temperature with labneh or chilly garlic ketchup.

ADDITIONAL NOTES

1.You can change the filling to whatever you desire. Some ideas are chicken, spinach and feta cheese, beef mince etc.

2.You can also cook the spinach slightly by sauteing in oil onions,spinach,spices and adding lemon juice but be sure to squeeze out excess moisture and brush insides with butter to avoid a soggy fatayer.

3.Be sure not to over cook as it might turn out hard. Also after cooking, this can be refridgerated for 2 days and reheated at 375 F oven.

*Sumac is a powdered tangy spice from sumac berries used widely in mediterranean cuisine. It has a lemony flavour and no substitute for it.

SOYA CHUNKS CUTLET (MEAL MAKER CUTLET)

INGREDIENTS
2 cups Cooked Soya Chunks
5-6 Green Chillies (finely chopped)
2 Onion (finely chopped)
1/2 cup cooked and mashed Potato
1 tsp Garlic-ginger paste
1 tsp Garam masala powder
1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
1/4 tsp Red Chilly powder
Salt to taste
Oil
1 Egg (beaten)
1 cup (approximately) Bread Crumbs

RECIPE SOURCE:VANITHA

METHOD

1. Mince / grind the soya chunks finely without adding water.(Can be done in an ordinary mixie/food processor)

2.Heat oil in a pan and saute onion until it turns light brown. Add garlic-ginger paste,turmeric powder & red chilly powder. Mix well.

3.Add mashed potato, minced soya chunks, garam masala powder and salt to taste. Mix well until well combined and remove from heat.

4.Once cooled, shape the mixture into oval/round cutlets. Dip them in the beaten egg and roll it in bread crumbs.

5. Deep fry the cutlets until they turn golden brown .

NOTES:

1.You could add carrots ,beans etc along with mixture, according to your taste.