Oratti | Rice Bread

I just love this!!!

Back at home when I was in 4th grade, we moved to our new home. And that time on wards I always always get excited during Eid.  The site of moon crescent marks the beginning of Eid Celebrations. Soon after it is announced, ours neighbors start bringing us lot of home made goodies. It is a gesture of love and sharing their happiness. We too do the same during Onam Festival. So along with Eid snacks there will be Oratti (rarely they bring Pathiri) and non-vegetarian curries. I start eating these delicacies. And I eat it for my dinner, and possibly for the next 2 meals too..It is that YUM!!

Oratti is a thick rice bread. Pathiri is more thinner. It goes very well with non vegetarian gravy….My mom do make it once in a while. Somehow I like the one which comes home during Eid.

When I started working in Bangalore, I was explored to more cuisines and one among them was Akki Roti. Akki means Rice in Kannada language. One of my colleague gets it for lunch. Akki rotti contains rice flour, coconut, green chilies , cilantro (coriander) leaves. It is served with a salsa/chutney made of roasted aubergine/ eggplant. Need to try that also some time.. Let me share the recipe of Oratti which we prepare at home

You need,

• Roasted rice powder – 1 cup (Easily available in Indian Grocery stores)
• Shallots (Small onions) – 5 to 6 nos, skinned trimmed the top and roots
• Freshly scrapped coconut – 1/2 cup
• Water – 1 cup 1 + 1/4 cup
• Cumin seeds – 1/2 teaspoon
• Coconut Oil – 1 tbsp + extra if required during kneading the dough
• Salt to taste

You have to

• Grind coconut, shallots and cumin seeds to smooth  coarse paste without adding water.
• Boil water, oil, salt in a pan in medium flame.
• When it starts boiling add coconut paste and rice powder.
• Add rice powder little by little and stir it. 
• Keep it on fire till all the water is absorbed by the rice powder.
• Remove from fire. Close and keep it for 5-10 minutes
• Kneed this mix to form a soft dough. If sticky add few drops of coconut oil
• Make small small balls (marble shaped or lemon sized)
• There are different ways to flatten this dough
•  Smear oil on a banana leaf and flatten some dough on it. Or place the dough between two oiled banana leaves and use a rolling pin to spread it.
•  Use a butter paper instead of oiled banana leaves.
•  Dust the dough with rice flour and flatten the rice dough in a wooden board using rolling pin
•  Use a roti maker to flatten the dough balls.
• Heat a non stick iron skillet or pan 
• Cook the flattened oratti till both sides are done

• Make sure to cook on a medium flame. 
• Serve with the bread with  chicken curry or mutton curry or fish curry or vegetable curry

Pathiris are generally made without the coconut, shallot and cumin paste. Instead of water replace it with coconut milk. It still tastes yum!! Recipe is here

See what google says about it

Pathiri is a pancake made of rice flour. Crushed rice is made into a white dough and baked on pans called oadu. After preparation it is sometimes soaked in coconut milk to keep it soft and to improve the flavor.

Pathiri is also known as ari pathil or pathil in some parts of the Malabar region. It is believed that pathiri itself originated with the Arabs in Malabar.

Today, pathiri is still a popular dish among the Muslims in Kerala. It is usually prepared for dinner and served with meat or fish. In some regions, pathiri is regularly served during Iftar in the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan.

Variants of pathiri include neypathiri (made with ghee), poricha pathiri (fried rather than baked), meen pathiri (stuffed with fish), and irachi pathiri (stuffed with meat).