“Patra is a popular vegetarian dish in the West region of India. It is known as aluchya vadya in Marathi, patra in Gujarati, and patrode in the Konkan region of India. Its main ingredient is crushed chickpeas, wrapped in the leaf of the taro plant” (Wikipedia)
I fondly remember my Mum sitting down on the floor and preparing the taro leaves to make patra at home. These leaves require a lot of attention so that you get the best out of them. It is then stuffed in a chickpea flour masala and steamed! Then on to curry or frying it!
These days we are extremely lucky to get pre cooked patra at its after steamed stage. Available all ready to cook and serve! We rarely deep fry anything in our home so I decided to roast the patra instead. With the onion that caramelize once roasted, a hint of fruitiness of the tomatoes and the heat of the chillies with the spicyness of the patra! What a taste sensation.
Perfect as a starter, just prep and put into the oven. No fussyness just simple food! Hope you enjoy! Much love D x
INGREDIENTS
1 ready made patra tin
1 red onion sliced into thin rings
2 tomato sliced into wedges
3 green chillies
1 tbsp sunflower oil
Fresh coriander to garnish
METHOD
• Preheat oven to 220°c. Pour in the oil in a baking dish and arrange the onion, tomato and chillies in the tray. Making sure it gets covered with the oil
• Place the patra slices onto the onion and tomato base and drizzle a little oil on top
• Roast in the oven for 15-25 minutes or longer until required crispyness. I took mone out at 20 minutes
• Serve up on a plate and garnish with fresh coriander
Shivaay Delights 