Do you feel the need to spruce up your lunch every time you enter the kitchen? India is a carb-loving nation, as expressed by Dr. Jagmeet Madan in an interview and it comes as no surprise to us that carbs are a part and parcel of our meals. Right from the breakfast parathas or appams to chapattis and parottas for lunch, there’s hardly any meal that doesn’t feature a carb-based dish. In North India, a phulka, roti or chapatti is the staple accompaniment for dry subzis while rice is paired with curries. Parathas, the stuffed Indian flatbread that is popular for breakfast, is a wholesome meal in itself and is usually accompanied by a bowl of fresh curd, butter or even achaar (pickle). Then there are naans, kulchas, laccha parathas and what not. Each of them also has an even wider variety once you start digging into it.
Similarly, South India’s obsession with rice is no stranger to us. From their idlis to dosa and uttapam, almost all dishes use rice in one form or another. The batter for these dishes is made using rice flour and served with sambhar and coconut chutney. However, steamed rice is also paired with spicy, hot curries from their cuisine. One popular bread that reminds us of the Malabar region of Kerala is the Malabar parotta or simply parotta. Usually paired with a meaty curry, the parotta is a flaky and fluffy bread with several layers. Little did we know that there is a rice pancake too that can replace the parotta at times. It is called Pathiri. Hailing from the same region, pathiri, for the unversed, is a thin, round pancake made with rice flour. Mixed with coconut milk, the pathiri ends up being extremely soft and slightly sweet.
While it is commonly eaten in the Muslim households of the Malabar region, also known as Mappilas, the Pathiri can be served along several curry combinations. Want to try some for lunch today. Here you go.
1. Kerala Kadala Curry
Do you like the idea of chole and kulche? Along similar lines, the South Indian version of that dish can be pathiri with kadala curry. Instead of white, black chickpeas are used, cooked in coconut milk and tamarind water. It has onions, potatoes, red chillies and a host of other spices to make it the perfect pairing.
2. Kerala Egg Curry
The Indian fare is home to plenty of egg curries. Each region makes it in their own way, with local spices. The Kerala egg curry can be a great way to spruce up the pathiri. Also known as mutta curry, it is cooked with curry leaves, tomatoes, onions and ginger-garlic. The vibrant red curry is dunked with boiled eggs and full of spices and flavour.
3. Kerala Chicken Curry
A meaty curry can never go wrong with any kind of rice bread. When the pathiri is dipped into a bowl of a fiery chicken curry, filled with peppercorns and hot chillies. Garnish with some curry leaves and your red hot curry is ready to be eaten with pathiri.
4. Kerala Fish Curry
Also known as meen in the local language, this is a simple yet robust fish curry. The large fish pieces are dunked into a pool of onions, ginger-garlic, curry leaves and red chilli powder-based curry. With a hint of kudampuli and fenugreek powder, the fish is a delightful treat.
