Mappila stuffed mutton flatbread (Erachi pathiri)

One is a dish from India's West Coast; the other is from Malaysia, but its story starts in the Middle East. This is a journey of trade, migration, and the stories our grandmothers told us.

Folded flatbreads originated in the Middle East; the Arabic word "mutabbaq" means “folded.” Between the 8th and 11th centuries CE, Arabic traders sailed the monsoon winds to India for spices, ivory, and jewels. Arab traders settled on the West coast of what is now northern Kerala and intermarried, giving rise to the Mapilla community. Missing their home cuisine, the traders brought knowledge of unleavened flatbread, fateer, which became the Kerala paratha. They also stuffed the paratha with meat, a delicacy.

I made and wrote about Murtabal after my trip to Malaysia. It remains one of my favorite dishes. More on this dish here.

The stuffed bread spread through maritime trade to India and the Malay Archipelago around the same time, picking up local nuances as each community adopted it.

Erachi pathiri is superb. The combination of a crisp bread stuffed with a savory meat filling is delicious and wholesome. The pathiri is aromatic from the start, and although most versions are deep-fried, I chose to make it on a pan with minimal oil. I served it with yogurt and a side of spicy mango pickle on the side.

This cookbook is the definitive guide to Kerala's Mapilla cuisine. It is for those of us who love authentic, specialized regional cuisine. The dishes are genuine, and the recipes are simple but pop with flavor and local style. Most regard Ummi Abdulla as the doyenne of this cuisine, and this book highlights her skill and knowledge.

For more recipes from this cookbook, click here.

Ingredients:

For the dough:

1 cup whole wheat flour

1/4 cup water

Salt, to taste

For the meat:

2 tablespoons oil

2 onions, thinly sliced

2-3 green chilies, minced

1/2 teaspoon ginger paste

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander seed

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

1 teaspoon ground aniseed

6 oz. ground mutton

Salt, to taste

1 teaspoon garam masala

3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, minced

15 cashews, toasted and diced

3 tablespoons golden raisins

1 hard-boiled egg, minced

Ghee, for frying

Method:

For the dough:

Mix the flour, water, and salt to form a soft dough. Cover and rest for at least 30 minutes to develop the gluten.

For the meat:

Heat the oil over medium-low heat in a pot, add the onions, and sauté until light golden, about 4 minutes. Add the green chilies, ginger, and garlic, and cook for about 2 minutes, until the ginger no longer smells raw.

Add the spices: chili powder, ground coriander, turmeric, and ground aniseed, and mix well. Add the meat and fry for 15 minutes, until the liquid is almost absorbed. Don't make the mix too dry, or the dish will be dry.

Remove from the heat, add the garam masala, cilantro, cashews, and raisins, and mix well. Once the mix has completely cooled, add the egg and mix it in. Set aside.

To make and cook the paratha:

Make the bread into 8 balls. Roll a dough ball out until very thin. Top with about 2 tablespoons of the meat mix. Roll another ball out until very thin. Place it on the layered bread and roll gently to seal. Crimp the edges with your fingers so the package does not open during cooking.

Heat a pan with ghee. Add the paratha and cook over medium-low heat for 4-5 minutes on the first side. Flip and cook for 3-4 minutes. The base on both sides should be crisp and well-fried.

Serve immediately.

Note: This dish is best served straight from the stove and cannot be prepared ahead.