-Submitted by Dahlia on 22nd Sep 2008
(Malabar Ari Pathiri, Rice Roti, Ari Pathil, Rice Bhakri, Chokha na Rotla, Tandalachi Bhakri, Akki Roti)
Ari Pathiri or Ari Pathil is a flat bread made with raw rice flour. It is a specialty of the muslims from the Malabar region in Kerala. These rice rotis are very soft and thin, hence it is also called Ari Nice Pathiri. It is usually served in Kerala with some spicy non-veg curry. Actually rotis made of rice flour is enjoyed in many Indian states. It is known as Rice Roti or Tandalachi Bhakri in Goa and Maharashtra. In Gujarat, it is known as Chokha na Rotla and in Bangalore and Mysore it is referred to as Akki Roti. Chaawal ki roti is also made by the Biharis and enjoyed with some sabzi. It is also made in Bangladesh known as Ruti Pitha or Chaler Pitha.
In all the places, the process of making these rotis is the same. It requires a little practice to make these but they are so tasty. So I encourage everyone to do try it. It is a good variation to making regular rotis. The white color of the rotis are very eye appealing. Be sure to try out and enjoy with any side dish of your choice.
Coming to the Malabar pathiri, there are many variations also that are made. Some of the popular variants are meen pathiri (stuffed with fish), erachi pathiri (stuffed with meat), masala pathiri and nei pathiri. It is made by the muslims during Iftar after the Ramadan fast.Today I am sharing the step by step recipe of making the plain pathiri. I will be sharing the variants later.
Recipe for Malabar Ari Pathiri
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 25 minutes
Serves: 2
Ingredients
- Roasted Rice flour/ Pathiri flour - 1 cup
- Rice flour - about 1/4 cup (for dusting)
- Water - 1 cup
- Salt - to taste (about 1/4 tsp)
Method
- Take the water in a bowl and bring it to a boil.
- Reduce the flame to simmer and add the salt. Slowly mix in the rice flour.
- Once all the flour is mixed, switch off and cover with a lid. Let it for about 5 minutes. The rice flour will get cooked with the steam inside.
- Remove the dough onto a clean surface or a large plate. When the dough is still warm, wet your hands and knead it nicely like a chapatti dough. It is important to knead it when it is warm ro make a soft and pliable dough.
- Make small lemon sized balls with the dough.
- Roll it out using a chappatti rolling pin or with pathiri (roti) press. Use little rice flour to prevent it from sticking while rolling.
- Heat a griddle(tawa) on high heat and then reduce the flame to medium. You need to cook the pathiris on medium flame for best results.
- Transfer the rolled out pathiri gently to the hot tawa. After just 20-30 seconds, flip the rotis. It takes very little time to cook.
- Cook the other side for another 30 seconds. Repeat the flipping once more.
- Using the back of a spoon or a folded paper towel, press gently on the pathiri for it to puff up. Unlike wheat rotis, you don't want to get brown spots on these rotis. Remove it from the griddle and enjoy.
Detailed Steps to make Ari Pathiri
I use the regular roasted raw rice flour made at home. You can use store bought pathiri flour or idiyappam flour or rice flour and make this. Take 1 cup of rice flour and equal quantity of water. Some varieties of rice flour may need 1/2 cup more water. So keep some hot water handy.
Take the water in a small pot and boil it. Add some salt to it.
Reduce the flame to low and add the flour. Mix everything well.
If the rice flour looks dry, add some additional hot water at this stage.
Switch off and leave it for 5 minutes. The boiling water brings out the gluten in the rice flour. You cannot skip this step to get perfect pathiris. Rice flour is very low in gluten and cannot be rolled out easily like a wheat or maida in the usual way. If you use cold water the pathiri will crack and won't stretch out while rolling.
When the dough is still hot, knead it nicely like a chapatti dough. Wet your fingers or apply some oil while kneading. I always keep some additional 1/4 cup of hot water in the side. If the dough feels too dry, add litte extra water. Also, the amount of water that the flour soaks up depends on the type of rice, the way it was roasted and other factors. Keep kneading the dough till it gets smooth.
You may let the dough rest for a while at this stage. Pinch out small lemon sized balls out of the dough.
Roll it out as thin as possible using a chappatti rolling pin. You could also use a pathiri (roti) press to make it easier. You can use little rice flour to prevent it from sticking.
I personally am not very good at rolling into perfect circles. So i just roll it out and then use a lunchbox lid or cookie cutter to cut out a nice and smooth circle. It looks pretty this way.
Heat a griddle(tawa) on high heat and then reduce the flame to medium. I used a non stick pan so I din't have to grease it. If needed, grease a little.
Transfer the rolled out pathiri gently to the hot tawa. Some people like to sprinkle some water on the top surface to prevent it from getting dried up. The flour is already cooked in hot water, so I feel it needs very less time to cook. So sprinkling water is not necessary. Just cook one side for 10-30 seconds and then flip it.
Cook the other side for another 30 seconds. Flip it once again.
By now you can see small bubbles forming. Using the back of a spoon or a folded paper towel, press gently on the pathiri for it to puff up. The pathiris will be white in color with no brown spots. However, in North Indian chaawal ki roti, they cook until brown spots appear. As soon as it starts puffing, you can remove it from the griddle and enjoy.
Serving Suggestion
- This is typically served with spicy non-veg curry like egg curry, beef curry, fish curry, mutton curry or chicken curry in Kerala.
- In other states it is served with brinjal curry, pumpkin curry etc.
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