Haldi paan patholi / sweet dumpling on turmeric leaf

Haldi paan patholi or sweet dumpling on turmeric leaf is a Konkani delicacy. The turmeric leaves used to make these dumplings infuse its aroma into the dish. Though this dish can be made using banana leaves in stead of the turmeric leaves, the end product is not as flavoursome.

Patholi has an outer covering of rice and coconut ground together. Inside it lies the sweet coconut stuffing made with jaggery and richly laced with cardamom.

Ingredients: This makes 21 patholis.

Outer covering:
Rice - 250 g (soaked for an hour)
Coconut - 2-3 tbsp freshly grated
Salt to taste.

Grind the rice and coconut together to make a fine paste, slightly thick, dosa-batter consistency. Mine turned out to be a little thinner and flowing.

For the filling:
Jaggery - two lemon-sized.
Coconut - 1 cup
Cardamom - 10 finely powdered.

      Firstly, melt the jaggery on a medium flame. Take care not to burn the jaggery. You may sprinkle a few drops of water to avoid burning. Cook it until a string  forms when you press the melted jaggery between your thumb and your finger.

 Then add the coconut. Mix well and cook until the coconut and the jaggery form a gooey mass together. Then add the cardamom powder.

                                                    Turn off the flame and cool.

Wash the turmeric leaves and wipe them dry.

Trim both ends of the leaves and lay them on a flat surface.

Now streak the leaf with a ladleful of the batter.

Next, add a thin line of stuffing along the middle of the leaf.

Fold the leaf  into half along the length and place them into a steamer and steam for 10-15 minutes (until the leaves change colour).

Peel away the leaves and serve hot with ghee.