I consider the city of Surat to be an immensely inspiring centre of culinary excellence. The people of this city are fun-loving and vibrant and their zest for life is reflected in their cuisine.
The Surat patra is one of the city’s most popular dishes. It was at a restaurant—run mostly by women—called Sasuma, which translates as mother-in-law, that I first tasted these. I happened to peep into the kitchen and saw the staff chanting a prayer before getting on with their day’s work. I was touched by the respect they had for food.
These savoury steamed and fried colocasia rolls get their flavour from the tangy, sweet and spicy mixture of tamarind, jaggery and red chillies that goes into the filling.
Patra
8 (large) colocasia leaves
1½ cups gram flour
½ cup tamarind pulp (p. 13)
¼ tsp asafoetida powder
1½ tbsp jaggery, grated
½ tsp salt or to taste
1¼ tsp red chilli powder
Tempering
2 tbsp oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp white sesame seeds
Garnish (optional)
1 tbsp fresh coconut, finely grated
1 tbsp fresh coriander leaves, finely chopped
Patra Wash colocasia leaves well and pat dry. With a sharp knife, scrape off the thick stems and veins, taking care not to cut the leaves. In a mixing bowl, combine gram flour with tamarind pulp, asafoetida powder, jaggery, salt and chilli powder. Mix to form a thick, smooth paste. Lay the colocasia leaves flat on the table, dull side up. Brush each leaf liberally with the prepared paste. Stack 4 leaves together to make 2 sets. Starting at the stem end, roll each set of leaves tightly and tie with a cotton string to secure them. Place in a hot steamer. Steam rolls for 30 minutes. Cool and cut into ½" thick slices. Heat the oil for the tempering in a small pan. Add mustard seeds and sesame seeds. When the mustard seeds crackle, pour the tempering over the patra. Garnish with coconut and coriander leaves, if you wish. Serve immediately.