Patole

Patole is a special sweet dish of Maharashtra originated in Konkan Region.  This sweet dish is prepared during Shraavan month particularly on Nag Panchami. It is offered as Naivedhya to Nagdevta. Some people also prepare this dish during Ganesh festival. You’ll find similar dish in other states of India but with different ingredients.

This recipe is prepared using turmeric leaves or banana leaves. I prefer
to use turmeric leaves because its aroma makes the dish tastier. The process of preparing this dish is a bit lengthy. But you’ll just love this Konkani dish. Here it goes…

Preparation Time –  1 Hour 30 Mins

Cook Time – 30 mins

Total Time – 2 hours

Ingredients:

• 10 medium size turmeric leaves (Haldichi Pane/ Haldi Ke Patte)
• 3 bowl grated coconut
• 2 bowl grated jaggery
• 2 bowl rice flour
• 5 green cardamom powder (Optional)
• 2 teaspoon ghee
• 2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• Water as required
• Salt to taste

Serves:  7 persons (2/3 for each person)

Directions / Procedure :

The following procedure consists of  four processes which includes preparing the stuffing for Patole, preparing dough, process of making Patole and steaming the same.

Process to make puran (stuffing) for Patole

1. Heat kadai or non-stick deep pan on low flame and add 2 teaspoon ghee and grated coconut and saute for one minutes then add grated jaggary. Stir the above mixture very well. Cook the above mixture on low flame.

2. Now jaggery start melting, here in between stirring is must because base of the mixture immediately turns brown. Add cardamom powder and mix it very well. Cook this mixture till the jaggery begins to dry and mixture become thick.

3. Here your Patole stuffing is ready, keep this mixture aside for cooling.

 Process to prepare dough (outer cover of Patole)

1. In a deep pan add 1 or 1/2 bowl water, 1 teaspoon ghee, turmeric powder and salt to taste. Stir the mixture well and keep it on high flame gas. Water will start boiling.

2. Reduce the gas flame low, add rice flour in hot water pan, stir the mixture immediately. Stir the mixture of water and rice flour very well. Turn off the flame and cover the dough with lid for 5 minutes.

3. After 5 minutes take the above dough in big deep plate, knead the dough carefully. means gather the rice flour mixture together and start to knead the dough very well.

4. Check the softness of dough, if dough is very hard and dry then add little amount hot water, again knead the dough properly.

5. Now your very soft yellow colour dough is ready for making the Patole. It looks like very soft yellow colour dough.

Process to make the Patole

1. Wash the turmeric leaves with water and keep aside. If leaves are large, then cut the leaves horizontally in two parts.
2. Now keep the leaf in big plate and apply some ghee (one drop).
3. Take lemon size dough and keep it in centre of the leaf. Then spread the dough evenly using hand fingers and make oval shape in the centre of the leaf.
4. Fill the puran i.e. coconut mixture in centre of the spreaded dough.
5. Carefully fold the leaf horizontally and press the edges of the leaf. Cut the extra portion of leaf if any.
6. Make all remaining Patole in the same way. Here your process of preparing Patole is completed. Now next step is to steam the Patole.

Process to steam the Patole

1. Keep the steamer pan / big vessel on low flame gas and add 2 small glass of water in the steamer / vessel. If water start boiling, keep the flame low.
2. Slightly apply / rough the ghee on steamer patra plate or colander and keep all Patole on steamer patra plate / colander.
3. Now place the steamer patra plate / colander over the steamer / vessel and cover the steamer patra plate /colander with lid.
4. Steam the Patole at least 20 minutes on medium flame gas.
5. After 20 minutes turn off the flame and cool down the Steamer / vessel for 5- 7 minutes.
6. When the steamer cools down, take out the Patole from colander and place them in a plate.

Here your Patole are ready now for Naivedhya.

Tips / suggestions:

• Your dough should be very soft
• If required apply some water to dough while spreading the dough on leaf
• Use sugar instead of grated jaggery
• Instead of cardamom, use grated nutmeg
• In puran, add crushed dry fruits like Cashew, Pista, Almond (Optional)

 Photos for reference: