P is for...

(This is my contribution for the letter P in Nupur’s A-Z series)

Note: Of all the letters in A-Z, “P” happens to be my favorite letter. The reason – my hubby’s name starts with a P. P also happens to be such a versatile letter that I thought of many, many dishes starting with P. I was so hooked to this letter, that I even wrote a small poem on it. Check out at the end of the post.)

Last Monday, my dear friend A was all set to leave neighborhood and move to a brand new state and city far away from me. We enjoyed our last supper together and settled down to chat. I and A have spent considerable afternoons chatting about everything and nothing. I know all about her past jobs, family, schooling, friends and she knows about me. On this last afternoon, she mentioned that she loved a dish called “Papeta-Pur-Eedu”. She worked with a lot of Parsi colleagues in her last job, and got to taste the Parsi cuisine. She described that the Parsis break eggs on most of their dishes, even on okra. Papeta-Pur-Eedu is a famous Parsi dish and when A described how it tastes, I knew I had to make it. I confirmed and re-confirmed the dish name from her. A Google search rewarded me with the perfect recipe. Here’s how to make this fabulous dish.

Papeta-Pur-Eedu/ Eggs on potato baked dish

(Adapted from this recipe)
Serves: 3
Cooking level: Easy – Medium (2/5)
Preparation time: Around an hour

Ingredients
1.4 Medium size Boiled Potatoes chopped into cubes and sprinkled with salt & pepper
2.1 tbsp Cooking Oil
3.1 Medium Onion – chopped
4.1 capsicum – chopped (optional)
5.½ tsp cumin seeds
6.1 medium Tomato – chopped
7.2 Tablespoons Coriander - chopped
8.1 Tablespoon freshly ground Ginger/Garlic paste
9.1 tsp red chilli powder
10.½ tsp cumin powder
11.½ tsp coriander powder
12.¼ tsp tumeric powder
13.1 tbsp mild salsa (or 1 Cup Beef or Chicken Broth)
14.½ cup water
15.Salt to taste
16.2 eggs beaten with salt & pepper

How to make it:
1.Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds and after they change color, add the onions. Fry till the onions turn golden brown. Add the ginger-garlic paste and sauté for some time. Next, add the capsicum and fry for 3-4 minutes.
2.Add the turmeric powder, red chilli powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, and fry for 1-2 minutes.
3.Add chopped tomatoes and coriander leaves, cover and simmer over low flame for 5 minutes.
4.Add the salsa, salt, and ½ cup of water. Boil for 2 minutes. You can substitute the salsa with vegetable/chicken broth.
5.Add the chopped potatoes. Boil for 2-3 minutes. Turn off the heat.
6.Grease a baking dish with butter. I used my loaf pan. Spread the potato mixture in the baking pan. Pour the beaten eggs on the potato mixture.

(Ready to go in the oven)
7.Bake in a 350 degree oven for 15-20 minutes till the egg is semi-set. Do not over bake the eggs. Serve hot.

(Back from the oven)
Verdict: Delicious, spicy, and heavy. Although, I was skeptical to break an egg on the potato mixture (as I had never done this before), the end result turned out amazing. You can roll this mix into a chapatti/tortiIla, wrap it in a taco, or eat it with bread. I will definitely be trying more dishes from the Parsi cuisine.

My last contribution for the letter P is none other than Pattice. This uses an onion-coriander filling in the potato patty.

Pattice

(Adapted from Mangala Barve’s Annapoorna)

Yields: 10-12 pattices
Cooking level: Medium (3/5)
Preparation time: 1 hour

To make the pattice:

1.Boil 4 big potatoes. Peel and mash them.
2.Take 4 bread slices. Dip and take out each slice in water. Squeeze out the water from the bread. Mix potatoes, breads, and salt into a dough.
3.Finely chop 1 big onion, 4 green chillies, and a bunch of coriander leaves.
4.Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan. Add ½ tsp cumin seeds and ¼ tsp turmeric powder. Add green chillies and chopped onions. Fry till the onion turns light brown. Next, add 1/2 cup peas, ¼ tsp red chilli powder, ½ tsp garam masala powder, and salt to taste. Turn off the heat. Add the chopped coriander leaves in this mixture.
5.Take a small portion of the potato-bread dough in your hand. Press it between your hands. Now, bring your fingers together so that your hand makes cavity. Fill a small amount of onion-coriander mixture in this cavity. Close the cavity and press again so that it forms a cutlet.

(Before)
6.Heat a pan. Add a dollop of butter. Shallow fry 2-3 patties at a time. Serve hot with ketchup.

(After frying)
The pattice says:
1.Pour cooked chickpeas, shev, chopped onion, chopped coriander, tamarind chutney on me and enjoy me as Ragda – Pattice.
2.Hide me in a burger bun, and give me company of lettuce, sliced tomato, sliced onion, butter, chutney, and cheese. Enjoy veggie burger.
I took the pattice’s second advice.

This is my small, silly poem:
P is for Pani Puri, my favorite chat item
P is for Pasta, an Italian dish
P is for Palak, from which Popeye got his energy
P is for Puran Poli, a yummy Maharashtrian dessert
P is for Pizza, bread topped with veggies
P is for Panchamrit, a unique combination of 5 ingredients
P is for Phulka, a puffed Indian roti
P is for Paneer, which gives birth to yummy vaggies
P is for Papad, enjoy it fried or roasted
P is for Pohe, my favorite breakfast item
P is for Paan, an Indian mouth-freshener
P is for Peas, use it as a combo with any veggie
P is for Pulav, delightful combo of rice and veggies
P is for Paratha, bread stuffed with veggies
P is for Pakoras, a mix of besan and veggies
P is for Pav-bhaji, spicy blend of veggies