JACKFRUIT PATHOLI | MANGALOREAN PONSA PATHOLI | STEAMED CAKES

Mangalorean-style Ponsa Patholis or Jackfruit Patholi are super delicious and aromatic steamed cakes or dumplings where the rice batter is filled with coconut & jaggery mixture along with jackfruit and steamed in turmeric leaves.

The unique aroma of this dish comes from steaming patholis in turmeric leaves (haldi patra or arashina yele). You should definitely try this recipe during the monsoon festival season.

I have already shared the traditional way of making patholi (patoli, patoleo, sihi kadubu). Patholi is considered one of the healthy Indian desserts or sweets as it is oil-free, gluten-free, and free from refined sugar.

How to steam patholis?

Patholis are steamed in turmeric leaves, also known as arashina yele or haldi patra. But if you cannot find them, you can make this dish in banana leaves or frangipani (champe) leaves.

If you are from the Mangalore Udupi region and belong to the GSB Konkani community, then you know the importance of haldi leaves (turmeric leaves) for Naga Panchami (Nagara Panchami) and Gowri Ganesh Chaturthi (Vinayaka chavithi) festivals. These festivals are especially incomplete without patholi or steamed cakes. Various recipes are prepared during GANESH CHATURTHI, but nothing can beat the aroma of patholi steamed in turmeric leaves (haldi paan).

Why I made jackfruit patholi or ponasache patoli?

From July to September, fresh turmeric leaves are in peak season in Goa and the Coastal Karnataka (Mangalore, Udupi) region of India. And we have plenty of them in our home garden. Is there anything better than having access to fresh turmeric leaves from your own garden? I bet not! Always clean and fresh, plus healthy too. I constantly try to find recipes to use these leaves in my kitchen.

Because of heavy rains, jackfruit available during this season tastes more bland than sweet, and instead of eating them as a fruit, my blogging mind tells me to try some new recipe using jackfruit.

So I combined the two (turmeric leaves and jackfruit) and made jackfruit patholi. The recipe for my outer covering is the same as the traditional patholi recipe. The jackfruit flavor in the patholi is what makes this unique and special. Do try this recipe if you have both jackfruit and turmeric leaves available in your region.

INGREDIENTS FOR MANGALOREAN PONSA PATHOLI | JACKFRUIT PATOLI | HALASINA KADUBU | STEAMED JACKFRUIT CAKES

FOR THE OUTER LAYER

1 cup raw (uncooked) Rice
½ cup Coconut, grated
¼ cup Puffed rice (Popped rice/Murmura/layi) or Flattened rice (poha) – optional. It makes the outer layer soft.
½ teaspoon Salt (adjust to taste)
¼ cup water (an additional 1 or 2 tablespoon may be added if required)

FOR THE FILLING

1 tablespoon Butter or Ghee
1 cup Jackfruit, chopped into small pieces
¾ cup Jaggery
1 cup Coconut, grated
½ teaspoon Cardamom powder
16 medium-sized Turmeric leaves (check tips for substitute)

How to make MANGALOREAN PONSA PATHOLI | JACKFRUIT PATOLI | HALASINA KADUBU | STEAMED JACKFRUIT CAKES

STEP I (PREPARE BATTER FOR THE OUTER LAYER OF PATHOLI )

• Wash & soak rice in water for 1 hr and then drain.
• In a mixer, add coconut, poha or popped rice, salt, soaked & drained rice, and ¼ cup water to make a medium-thick and smooth paste. Check out my video for the correct consistency of patholi batter.

STEP II (PREPARE THE FILLING WHILE THE RICE IS SOAKED )

• Heat butter or ghee in a pan. Add the chopped jackfruit and saute until it becomes soft. Cooking time varies from about 3 to 5 minutes. Switch off the flame.
• To this, add jaggery, coconut, and cardamom powder and mix. Adjust the amount of grated coconut depending on the moisture content in the jaggery.
• The filling is ready.

STEP III (STEAMING HALASINA HANNINA KADUBU OR PONASACHE PATHOLI) - This is same as traditional patholi. 

• Wash the turmeric leaves and wipe out any excess water.
• You may have to trim ends or cut each leaf into halves depending on the size of the steamer and the leaves.
• Make your steamer ready: Depending on the steamer or cooker you are going to use, add water to it. Cover the steamer, and bring it to a rolling boil.
• Now spread the batter about 1 or 2 tablespoon on each turmeric leaf. Thick or thin is an individual choice. We love when the outer layer is on the thinner side. (Check video for more details)
• Add the filling along the length of the leaf and fold one side over.
• Place these in the steamer and steam for 12 to 14 minutes or until done.
• Let it cool so that patholis separate easily from the leaves.
• If there are any leftovers, you can store them at room temperature in an airtight container for a day or a refrigerator for 4 to 5 days.

Tips :

• If you cannot find turmeric leaves, use banana leaves, corn husk, leaves from the frangipani (Champa/Kudchampe) tree, or even parchment paper with dry turmeric (whole root, not powder) to give a traditional taste.
• Adjust the sweetness in the filling to taste.
• For more tips, you can check my traditional recipe.

Video recipe for MANGALOREAN PONSA PATHOLI | JACKFRUIT PATOLI | HALASINA KADUBU | STEAMED JACKFRUIT CAKES

Detailed recipe for MANGALOREAN PONSA PATHOLI | JACKFRUIT PATOLI | HALASINA KADUBU | STEAMED JACKFRUIT CAKES

Recipe card

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