Patholi ~ steamed rice cakes with jaggery stuffing

Patholi is a sweet dish that is prepared on NagarPanchami, Ganapathi Chowthi etc. This sweet is wrapped in fresh tumeric leaves and steam cooked. Tastes best when served hot with a dollop of homemade ghee.

I wanted to make a complete tutorial of this but was unable to do it. But next time I make it will surely update this post. I had brought some turmeric leaves from my uncle's garden during my recent trip to India. While hubby was on vacation we could not prepare it hence I got these leaves with me and made it. If you do not get turmeric leaves you can even make it with Banana leaves.

Here is what's needed:

1 cup Idli rice (Any rice will do. I use idli rice as this is the only one available. At home we use sona masuri) soaked for 4-6 hrs

2 tbsp grated coconut

salt to taste

P.S: Some add a small amount of jaggery about a tbsp or two to the outer batter. It tastes better. I avoided as I wanted to use the leftover batter if any for dosa.

Filling:

1 cup grated coconut

1/2 - 3/4 cup jaggery

1/2 tsp cardamom powder

1 fistful Poha roasted lightly and powdered

Procedure:

1) Grind soaked rice, grated coconut and salt with little water to smooth paste. Keep the consistency of the batter thick.

2) Heat 2 tbsp of water and add jaggery. When jaggery has melted and the syrup is slightly thicker add cardamom powder and switch it off. When it has cooled slightly mix the grated coconut and poha powder. Poha powder is optional. I used it as it acts as a binding agent. [Even

Laayi pitto can be used instead of poha]

How to assemble it:

1) Clean and pat dry all the leaves and trim its edges. (Do not discard them. It can be used to make cheppi kheeri..Coming up soon!)

2) With a spoon spread the prepared batter evenly leaving the edges.

3) Take a tbsp of filling and spread it lengthwise along the center.

4) Fold the leaf along the center. Repeat it with the remaining batter. Cook the patholi in a steamer for about 15 mins. When they are done the leaves change the colour and kitchen is filled with wonderful aroma of turmeric leaves.

Remove the leaf and serve the steamed patholi with a some ghee.

Note:If the outer batter remains then you can simply make Panpolo out of it. The inner filling also called the choornu can be served along with panpolo. It is one of the famous combi breakfast in our hometown.