PATHRADE

Ingredients for the Batter:
Red boiled rice- 2 cups
Cumin seeds- 1Tspn
Long red chili’s- 3
Chana dal- 2 Tbspns
Tamarind seeds- 2
Turmeric Powder- ½ Tspn
Salt to taste
Colocasia Leaves- 5 to 6

Ingredients for the masala:
Red Chili - 3 long, 2 short
Cumin seeds –1 Tspn
Coriander seeds - 2 Tbspn
Mustard seeds -1/4 Tspn
Methi( Fenugreek) seeds-1/4 Tspn
Pepper corns- 5 to 6
Tamarind- 2 seeds
Coconut Grated- ½
Onion sliced- ½
Oil/Ghee- 1Tspn Oil / ½ Ghee

Additional Ingredients:
Ghee-1 Tbspn, Oil- 1Tbspn
Onions- ½ (of a big one)finely sliced
Curry Leaves- 1 Sprig
Coconut milk- 1 cup thick
Salt to taste

Method:
Wash Rice and Chana dal together and soak for atleast 6 hrs or overnight.
Drain the water and grind this along with Tamarind, Red Chili, Turmeric and salt.
The batter should be very thick. Add only sufficient water.
Wash the Colocasia Leaves and pat dry with the cloth. Chop the leaves and add this to the batter and mix well with your hand.Keep the Steamer (Thondor in Konkanni) on the fire. Line the steamer with banana leaves or muslin cloth.
Now pour the batter on it and spread it around. Cover this layer with banana leaf or muslin cloth.
Close the lid of the steamer and steam it for atleast 40 to 60 mnts.Feel the batter to ensure it is hard ( means it’s cooked). Alternatively, insert a knife and check. Set aside. When it is cool, slice them to desired size/shape.Dry roast all the dry ingredients listed under masala. Set this aside.
In the same pan, add oil and ghee, fry the onions. When the onions turn soft, add grated coconut and fry till it is dry.
Once this is cool, grind to a fine paste along with tamarind, turmeric powder with sufficient water.
In a big deep and wide vessel, add oil/Ghee, fry onions till slight brown. Add curry leaves. Add grounded masala.
Add atleast 3 cups of water, add salt and let it boil for some time.
Now add the pathrade pcs. Ensure all the pcs are well soaked in the batter.
You may add water in case you feel the liquid is less.
Let this cook for some time ( 2 to 3 mnts). The pathrade absorbs the liquid rapidly and hence always keep the curry waterish.Check the salt.
Now add the thick coconut milk. Hold both side of handle of the vessel and give a good shake, so the coconut milk will spread well with the curry and pathrade pcs.
Now give one more boil and turn off the flame.

PS: While slicing the pathrode, if you feel its not cooked, you can put the pieces back in the steamer and steam them until they are cooked well.