Jackfruit Patholi (Jackfruit steamed pan cake)

Jackfruit is a seasonal fruit which is available during the summer. It has a thorny covering outside and is availale in huge sizes depending upon the species. Jackfruit is the largest fruit in the world. Its consumed as a fruit directly as well a variety of dishes are made with jackfruits – chips, sweet porridge (payasam), idli and dosa etc. Raw/Tender jackfruits are used in curry and pickle as well.  I have already put up raw jackfruit stir-fry, jackfruit spicy dosa, mulika, jackfruit sweet idlis, raw jack chakko and also payasam (gharayi) and today I would like to put up jackfruit steamed dumplings (Patholi).    Read more about jackfruit on Wikipedia – among other things, its also the national fruit of Bangladesh !

The Jack tree with Jackfruits

What you need to have:

1. Jackfruit sheyaths – 2 cups

2. Sona masoori raw rice – 1 cup

3. Fresh grated coconut – 1/2 cup

4. Grated jaggery – A handful

5. Salt – A pinch

6. Cut banana leaves – 25
The You tube link is here https://youtu.be/rZkDi5-da5

Fresh Jackfruit being cut

                                                          Seeds being removed                                                                                                              

Ingredients of jackfruit patholi

What you do with what you have:

1. Chop the ripe jackfruit and remove yellow sheyaths and also de-seed it and chop it.  Grate coconut and chop jaggery as well and keep it aside .

2. Soak rice in water for about an hour. Drain water and grind rice, jaggery, grated coconut and the chopped jack sheyaths in the mixer adding minimum water to a fine consistency. The dough should be to a spreading consistency and medium thick.

The ground patholi dough

3. This patholi should be stuffed with a mixture of fresh grated coconut and jaggery.

Ingredients of Patholi (stuffing)

1. Fresh grated coconut – 2 cups

2. Jagggery – 1 cup

Ingredients of stuffing

4. Mix both coconut and chopped jaggery in such a way that it will combine well to form a mixture                                                                                                                                              

The ready stuffing

5. Wash cut banana leaves and wipe it with a clean towel and spread the ground dough from step-3 on it .Place the stuffing also in it in the middle so that one is able to fold the leaf neatly.

Stuffing placed on the patholi

6. Repeat the process with the remaining dough and place the stuffing in the patholi. Place a wide bottomed bowl with required quantity of water in it. Bring it to boil and place the folded patholi in it in a row. Once it starts steaming, place the remaining patholi in the opposite direction above the it and cook it for 30-40 minutes closing it with the lid.

Patholi being steamed

7. When ready, enjoy it with honey and pure ghee. Yummmmmmmmmmm!!!!

Ready to serve patholi with ghee & honey

How long it takes – 1 hour

Number of servings – 20

Good to remember:

1. Always use sweet jackfruit for this dish so that jaggery can be minimised.

2. Make the dough to the required thickness so that it does not flow out of the leaf.

3. Placing the stuffing enhances the taste of the dish. Though many people add more of jaggery to the dough and avoid the stuffing.

4. One can even steam it in the pressure cooker like idly.

5. One can even use teak leaves  for the purpose.

6. One can enjoy better the next day than afresh!