Kozhikode (previously Calicut) is a prominent city on the Malabar Coast. The Malabar culinary culture has been shaped by centuries of trade with Mesopotamia, Greece, Egypt, Rome, Jerusalem and the Arab world. It has its own trademark biriyani, spicy dishes and sweet snacks that you won’t find in other culinary traditions of Kerala. This video presents three popular homemade snacks of the region. The snacks were prepared by Subaida for Sahapedia.
1. Pazham nirachathu or Stuffed plantain
Ingredients:
Ripe Bananas - 2
Grated coconut - 3-4 tbsp
Sugar - 1 tbsp
Raisins - 10
Cashew nuts - 10
Ghee - 1 teaspoon
All-purpose flour - 1 tbsp
Coconut oil for frying
Process:
Mix grated coconut, raisins, cashew nuts and crushed cardamom seeds together. Add the mixture into the melted butter in the pan. Stir till nicely roasted. This is the filling. Peel the bananas and make a split but do not separate from one end to the other. Make a paste of all purpose flour with water. Stuff the bananas with the filling and seal with the paste. Deep fry in hot oil.
2. Unnakaya or spindle-shaped stuffed bananas
Ingredients:
Banana - 2
Cardamom
Raisins
Grated coconut -1 cup
Sugar - 2 tbsp
Coconut oil - 1 cup
Process:
Add eggs to the filling used in the previous recipe and stir till cooked.
Steam cook bananas in a pressure cooker. Mash the cooked bananas to form a dough, and divide into equal portions to form small balls. Flatten each ball on the palm greased with coconut oil, place the stuffing in the middle, and close the ends so that it looks like a spindle. Deep fry in hot oil.
3. Nice Pathiri or Thin flat bread
Nice pathiri is so-called because of its thinness. It is served at breakfast or dinner accompanied by meat or fish curry. It is served on special occasions like marriages and during Iftar in the Ramadan season.
Ingredients:
Rice flour - 1 cup
Water - 2 cups
Salt to taste
Rice flour for dusting
Process:
Add rice flour slowly added to boiling water and stir continuously so that no lumps are formed. Let the mixture rest for four to five minutes. While it is still warm, knead it well into a soft dough. Divide into equal portions and make small balls. Roll each one out into a thin flat circle. Cook on medium flame on a tawa. Flip on both sides and cook till it puffs up and brown spots appear.
