Pathrode

Colacacia or Arbi is the common leafy and root vegetable plant available throughout the year in many parts of tropical countries. It is very popular in India and Malaysia. Roots, stems and leaves of this plant are highly nutritious and fibrous. Plant is rich in good fiber, iron, magnesium, calcium, zinc and vitamin K.  Roots of these plants are known as taro roots that are rich in carbohydrates. Both roots and leaves have great flavors. Roots can be cooked and impart a nutty flavor, whereas the leaves taste somewhat like cabbage. Several dishes can be prepared using root- like curries, chips, can be roasted, boiled, steamed, pureed etc. Tender stem can also be made into curry, saambar and various other dishes.  In addition, using leaves one can prepare curry, daal curry, saambar and a famous dish called patra or pathrode.Pathrode  is a delicious winter and monsoon dish prepared in Karnataka, India and is a delicacy of Karnataka. Here is the recipe for pathrode.

Ingredients:

• 12 – Colocasia leaves (make sure to get tender leaves and not fully grown leaves )
• 1/2 cup – grated coconut
• 8-10 red chillies
• 2- green chillies
• medium lemon sized tamarind
• 1/2 cup soaked chenna daal
• 1/4 cup soaked toor daal
• 1/4 cup soaked rice
• Salt as needed
• Asafetida – little

Preparation:

1. Thoroughly wash the leaves. Remove the stalk and thick veins from the back of the leaves.
2. Grind the coconut,green and red chillies , tamarind, soaked daals, rice. Add hing and salt at the end of grinding. Use very little water for grinding, after grinding masala should be like paste.
3. Place big leaf upside down on a paper or a plate and apply the masala on both side of the midrib. Place a second leaf upside down on the first leaf and apply masala again. Similarly prepare 6 or 3 sets of masala leaves using 12 leaves. Now, roll leaves into a log.
4. Place the rolled leaves in a steam cooker and cook this for about 30 to 35 minutes
5. After releasing the steam, remove pathrode from the cooker and allow it to cool.
6. One can eat pathrode in 3 different ways – a) after cooled down cut into slices and eat with coconut oil b) Cut into slices and place it on thava – fry both sides with little oil c) Make small pieces of pathrode and in a pan put oil, mustard, curry leaves, one red chilli -transfer pathrode pieces and mix. Serve with white rice, chapatti, roti or as a side dish.

Images: Google

Recipe: www.werindia.com