Chemmeen Pathil (Shrimp Stuffed Rice Bread)

This super awesome recipe in a traditional Malabar recipe. It requires a bit of patience to make this and my wife had all the patience in the world to make it for me. It's totally worth the effort.

It's a full meal in a bite. You could try the same with meat too and it's another popular dish "Erachi pathil" across the Malabar region.

Try it out... Enjoi...

Serves: 4

Spice level: Medium

Preparation time: 40 Min.

Cook time (incl. Prep. time): 1 Hr. 30 Mins.

Ingredients:

For Filling:

1. Shrimp (Prawns) - 1 Lb. (cleaned)

2. Kashmiri Chilli Powder - 2 Tsp.

3. Turmeric Powder - 1/2 Tsp.

4. Garam Masala Powder - 1/4 Tsp.

5. Black Pepper Powder - 1 pinch

6. Salt - to taste

7. Veg. Oil - 6 Tbsp.

8. Red Onion - 2 (Large, sliced)

9. Ginger - 1 Tbsp. (finely chopped)

10. Green Chill - 2

11. Garlic - 1 Tbsp. (finely Grated)

12. Fennel Seeds - 1/2 Tsp.

13. Coriander Leaves - 1/4 Cup (chopped)

14. Mint Leaves - 1/4 Cup (chopped)

15. Shredded Coconut - 1/4 Cup

For Pathiri:

16. Rice Flour - 1 Cup

17. Shredded Coconut - 1/4 Cup

18. Shallots - 2

19. Cumin Seeds - 1/2 Tsp.

20. Water - 1 1/2 Cup

21. Salt - to taste

Preparation:

Filling:

1. Marinate the shrimp for about 15 mins. with 1/4 tsp. of red chilli powder, 1/4 tsp. turmeric powder and salt.

2. In a sauce pan, cook the marinated shrimp with water just enough to cover the shrimp. Cook for about 20 mins. on medium flame until the shrimp is soft.

3. Remove the cooked shrimp off the flame and set it aside.

4. Heat oil in a pan and add onions and green chillies. Cook until the onions are transparent.

5. Add ginger and garlic into the pan and sauté for couple more minutes until the raw smell is gone.

6. Add all the powders (ingredients 2-7) and cook for couple more minutes until its cooked

7. Add cooked shrimp, coconut, coriander leaves and mint leaves, mix well and cook it covered for 10 mins.

8. Get the pan off the stove and set aside.

Pathiri:

9. Add water, salt, shredded coconut, cumin seeds and shallots into a sauce pan and let it boil.

10. To the boiling water add rice flour in parts constantly stirring with a wooden spoon. Make sure not to get any lumps.

11. Reduce the flame to the lowest cook covered for a minute. Covering the pan is very important as this lets the rice flour absorb all the water.

12. Get the mixture off the flame and kneed the warm mixture on a flat surface to make a thick dough.

13. On a butter paper, place a 2 inch ball of the dough and roll it out to a flat thin circular disc (pathiri) and set it aside.

14. Take another slightly bigger ball of dough and rill it out similar to the first one, but an inch bigger in diameter than the first one.

15. Place the first pathiri along with the butter paper on a flat surface and spread the filling mix evenly over it.

16. Cover it with the second pathiri and stick the edges by pressing it with fingers or a fork.

17. Keep the pathiri along with the butter paper in a steamer and cook for 10 - 12 mins. or until the upper part is firm.

18. Get it off the steamed, cut into slices and serve it warm.