HOMEMADE PATHA

 

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This Recipe Makes ± 10 Patha Slices

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Patha is an exquisite delicacy that is extremely well known, particularly among Indian South Africans. Homemade Patha is much more delicious as you can play around with the ingredients instead of purchasing it from the store.

It is a combination of a spicy chili pasted mixture & layered yam leaves (madumbi) or spinach leaves. These leaves are wrapped into a roll (like a swiss roll) & thereafter steamed for 45 minutes until cooked. The rolls are cut into finger thick slices & fried till crisp. The patha slices are traditionally served with puri, a white floured Indian flat bread that is deep fried. The combination of the two is fulled with mouth-watering flavour.

It is flavorful yet fairly tedious to prepare. Most people settle for the frozen store bought ones, but I honestly think that anything that is freshly homemade is always the best.

Homemade Patha Ingredients:

• ± 12 yam/spinach leaves
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ cups gram flour (chickpea/besan flour)
  
• 2 teaspoons crushed ginger & garlic
• 1 cup semolina
• 1 tablespoon coriander (dhania) seeds
• 1 teaspoon cumin (jeera) seeds
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
• 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• ½ cup white vinegar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 ½ tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon red chili flakes
• 3 ½ teaspoons tamarind or 1 tablespoon concentrated paste
• 100 ml water
• 2 cups plain yoghurt
• 1 cup water for steaming

Method:

1. 1. For crushing the cumin (jeera) seeds & the coriander (dhania) seeds, i am using a pestle & mortar.
   2. 
   3. Add the cumin (jeera) seeds & the coriander (dhania) seeds to the mortar.
   4. 
   5. Crush the seeds & set aside.
   6. 
   7. 
   8. Place the tamarind into a bowl.
   9. 
   10. Pour in the 100 ml water.
   11. 
   12. Press the tamarind between your fingers & smash it to allow it to be diluted in the water. Once done, you should have a brownish coloured water.
   13. 
   14. 
   15. Using a strainer, strain the tamarind water to get rid of the pulp that may have been left over. Set aside.
   16. 
   17. 
   18. To a mixing bowl, add in the all-purpose flour.
   19. 
   20. To the flour, add in the gram (chickpea/besan) flour.
   21. 
   22. Next, add in the semolina.
   23. 
   24. Add in the white sugar.
   25. 
   26. Add in the salt & bicarbonate of soda.
   27. 
   28. Thereafter, add the sesame seeds & red chili flakes.
   29. 
   30. Add the crushed ginger & garlic.
   31. 
   32. Next, drop in the crushed cumin (jeera) seeds & the coriander (dhania) seeds.
   33. 
   34. Give it a mix.
   35. 
   36. Pour in the vegetable oil.
   37. 
   38. Pour in the tamarind water & the vinegar.
   39. 
   40. Mix well.
   41. 
   42. Finally, add in the plain yoghurt.
   43. 
   44. Mix well until it forms a batter.
   45. 
   46. The batter should be thick & not runny. Set aside until ready to use.
   47. 
   48. Rinse yam or spinach leaves.I have used spinach leaves.
   49. 
   50. Place the spinach leaves onto a board or counter top & cut off the extended stems.
   51. 
   52. The stem in the middle is usually tough so the next step is to roll them out.
   53. 
   54. Roll the leaves out using a rolling pin, this will flatten the stem & help soften it.
   55. 
   56. Once all of the leaves are rolled out, it is time to start layering them.
   57. 
   58. Place one of the leaves onto a working surface & scoop some of the batter onto the leaf. Spread out the batter so that it covers the entire leaf.
   59. 
   60. Thereafter, place another leaf over the batter.
   61. 
   62. Another layer of the batter goes onto that leaf & so forth – it should create layers.
   63. 
   64. The last layer should end with the batter.
   65. 
   66. Fold the sides of the leaves over.
   67. 
   68. Thereafter, roll all the leaves lengthwise (roll it like a swiss roll).
   69. 
   70. Tightly wrap the patha in foil.
   71. 
   72. Steam it for 45 minutes. I used my Instant Pot for this step but it can also be done on the stove-top. Fill the Instant Pot or a large pot with 1 cup of water.
   73. 
   74. Place the patha onto a trivet & put it inside the Instant Pot. Alternatively, place it onto a trivet or stand & put it into a pot.
   75. 
   76. Steam for 45 minutes.
   77. 
   78. After 45 minutes, turn off the Instant Pot or heat on the stove-top.
   79. 
   80. Remove the patha from the pot & allow it to cool completely before opening the foil.
   81. 
   82. Once the patha is completely cooled, unravel it.
   83. 
   84. Cut the patha into slices (finger thickness).
   85. 
   86. 
   87. Now you will be able to see all those lovely layers.
   88. 
   89. If they aren’t going to be consumed straight away, this Homemade Patha can be refrigerated for up to a week or it can be frozen for a good couple of months, simply allow it to thaw out before frying or baking them.
   90. 
   91. To prepare these pathas, heat 2-3 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a pan on medium heat. When the oil is hot, place the patha slices into the pan, without overcrowding the pan. Fry until it becomes slightly golden in colour. It should take ± 10 minutes to fry & then drain on paper towels. Add a splash of lemon juice onto each of the pathas.
   92. Serve them with soft puris.
   93. 
   94. These are known as Puri Pathas.
   95. 
   96. These Pathas can also be cut into halves & folded into spring roll sheets & then fried.
   97. 
   98. Also sandwich them between puff pastry & bake until the puff pastry is cooked.
   99. 
   100. 

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