Turkey (Thurki) Pathiri

Turkey or Thurki Pathiri is an awesome snack from the Malabar region in Kerala. It is interesting how there are so many different variations of Pathiri in the Malabar region. Pathiri is basically a crepe or a pancake made from rice flour. But many snacks such as this Thurki Pathiri are not made using rice flour. These different types of “pathiri” snacks have many types of fillings too and hence called differently.

Thurki Pathiri, at a first glance, will look like a fried dumpling or a fried money bag. But then the size of these could vary from a small size with just one layer and single filling to many different layers inside each other. The innermost layer usually has half of a boiled egg along with a meat. Once you fill the rolled out dough with the egg and meat filling, it is shaped like a money bag and deep fried. And then this fried piece is kept in another larger size rolled out dough along with another meat filling and then again shaped like a money bag and fried. This process is sometimes repeated upto 7 times – which means a total of 7 thurki pathiris kept one inside the other. And sometimes the meat filling inside each layer is also different. That ways am sure it will be an explosion of flavours when you eat it.

There are other snacks also in the Malabar region which have such multiple layers. Usually they will be made in a single or double layer, but when prepared for a special occasion, it definitely calls for some drama!

This is my first recipe in this Ramadan season. Over the next one month, I plan to share with you more Ifthar recipes – all from different regions. This week let’s travel to the southern most part of India and try out some Ifthar recipes from Kerala.

Turkey (Thurki) Pathiri

Course: SnacksCuisine: Indian, KeralaDifficulty: Moderate

Servings

8

servings

Prep time

30

minutes

Cooking time

15

minutes

Resting Time

30

minutes

Total time

45

minutes

A wonderful evening snack from the Malabar region. It is a great snack to serve for Ifthar too!

Ingredients

• For the dough

• All Purpose Flour – 1 cup

• Salt – ½ tsp

• Oil – 1 tbsp

• Water – for kneading

• Flour – for rolling the dough

• For the filling

• Garlic – 4-5 cloves, finely chopped

• Ginger – ¼ inch piece, finely chopped

• Onion – 1 medium size, finely chopped

• Green chilli – 2, finely chopped

• Curry Leaves – a few, finely chopped

• Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder – 1 tsp

• Turmeric Powder – ½ tsp

• Coriander Powder – ½ tsp

• Garam Masala Powder – ½ tsp

• Boneless Chicken – 250 gms, cooked with some salt and shredded

• Salt – as per taste

• Eggs – 4, hard boiled, peeled and sliced into two

• Oil – for frying

Directions

• Knead together the flour, salt and oil with some water into a soft yet firm dough. Cover it and let it rest for 30 min while the filling is being prepared.
• In a pan, add some oil.
• Add the ginger and garlic and saute till it starts changing color.
• Add the onion, green chilli and curry leaves and saute the onions are translucent.
• Add the chilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder and garam masala powder and saute well.
• Add the shredded chicken to this along with some salt and cook till everything is well combined. Keep this aside to cool.
• Divide the dough into 8 balls. Roll out each ball into a thin disk.
• Place the filling in the centre and then place half piece of a boiled egg on top of it.
• Gather the edges together to make it like a money bag.
• Pinch the pleats together to seal it well. Repeat this for the remaining balls.
• Heat oil in a pan and add the pathiris one by one and fry on a medium heat till golden brown on all sides.
• Serve hot!

Recipe Video