Patra

Here are my moist and glossy Patra made by rolling colocasia leaves with a sweet and sour gram flour mix. The rolls are steamed then I like to temper the cut pieces in oil and water, not deep fry. They're always the most popular part of my Gujarati thali!

Note – This recipe has been updated from our recipe archives with new images and helpful content. The tried and tested recipe remains the same. First published 4th February 2010.

Depending on the region, patra are known by different names - in Maharastra, they're alu vadi, in Karnataka, they're patrode and in Gujarat, they're patra. My Dad calls them timpa as he's from East Africa.

Important Ingredients notes

Colocasia leaf - this heart-shaped leaf is the most important part of getting patra right. They're available in most Indian supermarkets throughout the year often sold as arbi ke patte.

The batter:

The base of the batter is made with besan and rice flour. The heat comes from crushed green chillies and ginger. After that, it's the usual Indian spice powders.

The "sour" flavour comes from tamarind. I like to soak tamarind in water to make a pulp but lemon juice works here too.

I add sugar for sweetness but grated jaggery works equally well. If you find they are not sweet enough after steaming, you can also add sugar to the tempering water.

The tempering:

I like to make the tempering sweet, tart and spicy even though the flavours have already been added to the paste. I've found that steaming the patra reduces the flavour so I like to add it back in through the tempering water which the patra will abosrb. I use mustard seeds, hing, curry leaves, slit green chillies and sesame seeds. The extra sweetness comes from sugar and lemon juice that's added to the water.

They're then finished with desiccated coconut and lots of chopped coriander. Bliss!

How to make patra step by step

Follow the step by step pictures below and check out the recipe video below.

TL:DR

1. Make smooth spiced besan paste
2. Spread thinly on colocasia leaves
3. Layer, roll tightly
4. Steam until firm
5. Slice, temper, and serve

Preparing the patra leaves

Rinse each leaf a few times under running water and pat dry with a clean kitchen towel.

Slice the stalk from the base of each leaf. I also like to remove the large middle vein as this makes the patra easier to roll. You can also try using a rolling pin to squash the veins, but I prefer cutting them off.

Gather the leaves into similar sized groups of 4.

Assembling and making the patra rolls

Now work on a large clean surface.

Place the largest leaf in a group with the vein side facing you. Apply a thin layer of the batter evenly over the whole leaf, covering the edges too.

Place the next largest size on top (vein still facing up) but turned the opposite way. I find placing the patra in opposite directions helps to roll easily later.

Again spread over a thin layer of the mixture.

Repeat with the remaining two leaves, going in opposite directions and with the smallest leaf on top.

Now fold both edges of your stack inwards which helps prevent the paste leaking out the sides. Apply a little paste if needed to secure it down.

Starting from the side nearest to you, roll the patra leaves tightly to make a cylinder. Keep the folded side underneath to prevent unravelling as you work withe remainder of the patra.

Steam the patra rolls

Place these rolls in a greased steamer pan.

Steam for 20 to 25 minutes in a steamer on medium heat. To check they are done, pierce with a knife which should come out clean. The rolls should hold their shape as the mixture has firmed up as it cooked.

Allow to cool slightly before attempting to remove from the steamer pan.

Then cut the patra into half an inch thick pieces.

Make Tempering

Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. As they crackle, add hing, curry leaves, white sesame seeds and slit green chillies.

Fry for few seconds until the sesame seeds crackle and the curry leaves become crisp.

The pour in the water and optionally add more lemon juice and sugar to give the patra an extra boost of flavour.

Now add in the sliced colocasia rolls and sauté on low heat for few minutes turning as needed.

Once the patra are moist and the water has been absorbed, switch off the heat. Garnish with coconut and finely chopped coriander.

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📖 Recipe

Patra

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Here are my moist and glossy Patra made by rolling colocasia leaves with a sweet and sour gram flour mix. The rolls are steamed then I like to temper the cut pieces in oil and water, not deep fry. They're always the most popular part of my Gujarati thali!

Course Snacks

Cuisine Gujarati

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr

Servings 40 pieces

Author Hayley Dhanecha

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Equipment

• Steamer

Ingredients

• 16 colocasia leaves taro leaves (arbi leaves), about 12–16 medium leaves

For the paste (batter)

• 250 grams besan
• 100 grams rice flour
• 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 3 teaspoons green chilli and ginger paste
• 2 teaspoons red chilli powder
• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 2 teaspoons dhana jeera powder
• 1 teaspoon garam masala powder
• 4 tablespoons sugar or jaggery
• 3 tablespoons tamarind paste or lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon carom seeds ajwain, crushed
• fresh coriander finely chopped
• salt to taste

For the tempering (vaghar/tadka)

• 4 tablespoons oil
• 1 tablespoon mustard seeds
• ½ teaspoon asafoetida hing
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 3 chillies slit
• 3 tablespoons sesame seeds
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• ½ cup water

For garnishing

• fresh coriander finely chopped
• grated coconut

Instructions

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• Rinse the 16 colocasia leaves thoroughly under running water and pat dry with a clean kitchen towel. Trim the stalk from the base of each leaf. If the central vein is thick, carefully remove it to make rolling easier.
• In a large bowl, combine the 250 grams besan, 100 grams rice flour, 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda, salt, 3 teaspoons green chilli and ginger paste, 2 teaspoons red chilli powder, 2 teaspoons dhana jeera powder, 1 teaspoon garam masala powder, 4 tablespoons sugar or jaggery, 3 tablespoons tamarind paste or lemon juice, crushed 1 teaspoon carom seeds, and fresh coriander. Add a little water at a time and mix to form a smooth, lump-free, spreadable paste. Set aside.
• Arrange the leaves into groups of four, sorted by size. Place the largest leaf on a clean work surface with the vein side facing up. Spread a thin, even layer of the paste over the entire leaf, right to the edges.
• Place the next leaf on top, facing the opposite direction, and spread another thin layer of paste. Repeat with the remaining two leaves, alternating directions and finishing with the smallest leaf on top.
• Fold the sides of the stacked leaves slightly inwards. Starting from the end closest to you, roll tightly into a cylinder, keeping the seam side underneath. Place the rolls in a lightly greased steamer tray. Repeat with the remaining leaves.
• Steam on medium heat for 20–25 minutes, or until the rolls are firm and cooked through. A knife inserted into the centre should come out clean. Allow the rolls to cool slightly, then slice into pieces about ½ inch thick.
• Heat4 tablespoons oil in a pan over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon mustard seeds and allow them to crackle, then add ½ teaspoon asafoetida, 1 sprig curry leaves, 3 tablespoons sesame seeds, and slit green 3 chillies. Cook briefly until the sesame seeds begin to crackle.
• Add ½ cup water to the pan with 1 tablespoon sugar and 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Bring it to first boil, then add the sliced patra. Toss gently and cook on low heat for a few minutes, allowing the patra to absorb the flavours and the water to evaporate.
• Once heated through and slightly moist, remove from the heat. Garnish with fresh coriander and grated coconut before serving.

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1piece | Calories: 60kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 0.2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Sodium: 37mg | Potassium: 103mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 260IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 16mg | Iron: 1mg

PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.

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