It is not a voodoo or something. I just wanted to move away from my regular routine of writing about various experiences in my life and this time I am taking you through my culinary experiences. This is a peek into my kitchen. Welcome aboard.

This post is all about , how an ordinary, green colocasia leaf can be transformed into a delicacy by adding a few simple ingredients.

This could be a whole meal by it self or a snack depending on the mood one is . Green leaves are rich in iron and calcium and as Colocasia leaves grow easily in the wild on every road side you find in Kerala which gets a very good rainfall .As many do not know that this leaf is palatable probably it is still available freely.

Let me not carry on with the guessing game . This dish royale is known by the name Patharvodo in Konkani as it is a Vada made of Patha ( leaves)

The recipe for Patharvodo

Ingredients:
Colocasia leaves        – 25 -30
Rice                                 –   2 cups ( 1 cup each of parbolied and raw rice)
Coconut scrapings    – 2 cups
Red chillies                  – 8 Nos.
Tamarind                      – 1″ diameter ball
Turmeric Powder      – 2 tsps
Asafoetida                     – 2 tsps.
Salt                                    – to taste

Method

1.Soak the rice for 4-5 hours.
2.Grind to a coarse paste by adding all ingredients except tamarind and salt.
3.Soak tamarind in water and squeeze the juice and add it to above paste.
4.Add salt to taste and keep it aside.
5.Devein the leaves and wash it well.
6.Spread one leaf on a plate and apply a thin layer of the above paste.Keep another leaf over it and apply the paste similarly. Repeat the process with about 10- 15 leaves.
7.Make it into a roll and apply the paste over the roll and keep it aside. Make another roll similarly.
8.Keep these two rolls in a pressure cooker and steam for 1 hour.
9.Open it once it is done and serve it hot with coconut oil or any other edible oil .
10.When Patharvodo is cold it can be made into slices and can be shallow or deep fried which enhances it taste.
11.Yet another variation for eating Patharvodo is breaking it into bits and seasoning it with oil , mustard, black gram dal, jeera and curry leaves.
One thing is sure ,yummy taste is guaranteed for all those foodies who love to adventure on trying variety of mysterious delicacies.
Caution: Who ever is trying it, ensure you make three or four rolls so that you will not be disappointed not having enough to try all the variation given above.
If you want to enlighten yourself more on Patharvodo read this humorous post here.
Bon Appetit !!!

Colocasia leaf

Deveining

Leaf with the rice -coconut paste applied

Arranging leaves for applying paste.

Rolls ready for steaming.

Patharvodo ready to eat.