Petti Pathiri(Petti Pathil) | Chicken Box Patties (Step by Step Pics)

Petti Pathiri(petti pathil / pettiyappam) is a Malabar style iftar dish that gets its name by the shape of the pathiri. 'Petti' means 'box' in Malayalam, is an interesting pathiri shaped like a box or petti with a creamy white sauce chicken-veg filling. There are a number of pathiri recipes from Malabar that are prepared for Iftar and other festive occasions. The filling is placed on prepared pancakes (steps listed below) and then it is folded in a box shape, dipped in egg mixture, coated with bread crumbs and fried. The dough can also be prepared just like chapathis or pooris, roll out as pooris and the filling is kept on one poori and covered with another poori. The sides are cut in square shape and sealed by pressing with a fork and the remaining steps remain the same. 

                                              

I have made this filling using chicken, but you can prepare with beef too. I saw this recipe in a cookery channel and the best part that I liked about this recipe is that the filling is not the traditional type and this is more of a chicken pot pie like filling. When I say chicken pot pie filling, its white creamy sauce filling with chicken and veggies whereas the traditional pathiri filling is just like we make Irachi Pathiri. But this filling tastes totaly different in a Kerala style recipe, but we definitely liked it. You can even add grated cheese to this filling to make it richer. Do give this a try if you liked it and enjoy with your loved ones !!

Preparation time ~ 20 minutes

Cooking time ~ 20 minutes

Serves ~ 8

Author ~ Julie

Ingredients

for filling
cabbage chopped 1/2 cup
beans chopped 1/2 cup
carrot grated 1/2 cup
salt
pepper powder 1/4 tsp

oil 2tbsp

to cook chicken

chicken boneless 250 gms

pepper powder 1/4 tsp

salt

for white sauce
butter 1tbsp
maida(all purpose flour) 1tbsp

pepper powder 1/2 tsp
salt
whole milk 1 cup

for pancakes or pathiri
maida (all-purpose flour)1 cup

egg 1
salt
pepper powder 1/4 tsp
water

for cover
egg 1
bread crumbs

                                                                             

Method

• Wash and clean the chicken pieces. Add the chicken pieces, add pepper powder 1/2 tsp and salt. Add enough water to cook the chicken and cook till done. 

                                                  

• Add the chicken pieces to a blender jar once cooled and pulse once or twice to get shredded chicken (reserve the chicken stock if any, can use this when making white sauce).

                                               

• To make filling- Heat oil in a pan and add all the veggies, sauté till the raw smell disappears(a slight crunch is good in the filling). 

                                            

• Add salt, pepper powder and add the shredded chicken. Mix well and remove from this from pan. To the same pan, add butter then and add all-purpose flour(maida) and sauté till its roasted nice To this, add milk gradually to make a lump free paste. When the sauce thickens(add any reserved chicken stock at this point), add the sautéed veggies and chicken mix. Give a quick mix, stir and switch off flame. Filling is ready.

                                        

• Now, prepare a batter using the ingredients listed under pancake/ pathiri. Make a dosa like batter for making pancakes/ pathiri. Heat a pan and make thin dosas/ pancakes. Cover and cook for a minute (you don't have to wait for dosas/ pancakes to brown or get crisp, try making this on a non-stick pan). Remove each dosa on a plate and place 1.5 tbsp of filling in the center of the pancake and fold like a box/ pockets type(see pic). Repeat making all the pancakes till you finish with the filling (Don't try to make all pathiris and fill the filling because these pathiris may stick to each other. If you plan to make all pathiris and then do the filling, then place each pathiri separately rathe than stacking one upon another).

                                        

• Dip the boxes or pockets in beaten egg and roll in bread crumbs. Repeat this step for all pockets.
• Heat oil in a pan and shallow fry the pockets/ appams by flipping all the sides. Drain and remove on a paper towel. Enjoy warm with ketchup.

NOTES

* You can use beef or use any meat but should be boneless instead of chicken. 

* Alter the veggies too as per preference or availability.

* You can even try the traditional style filling for this recipe like I made the Irachi Pathiri if you like that way instead of the white sauce type filling. And you can omit the veggies in the traditional filling.

* You can even add grated cheese to this white sauce filling for a richer variation.

* The dough can also be prepared just like chapathis or pooris, in that caseyou can omit the egg in the pancake batter and prepare the dough. Pinch out the dough, roll out as pooris and the filling is kept on one poori and covered with another poori. The sides are cut in square shape and sealed by pressing with a fork and the remaining steps remain the same. 

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