Recently I made a visit to a Philippine produce store and saw frozen banana leaves for the first time. Since my mother had often mentioned that certain Goan foods were cooked in a banana leaf and that the local villagers traditionally ate on banana leaves instead of plates I was instantly drawn to the frozen package which came home with me.
As I talked to my mother to get ideas on what to cook with the banana leaves, a word popped in to my mind almost immediately "en papilotte" and I started to laugh. My mother took a pause and asked me what was so funny. I told her that when I first started to cook fish I used to wrap the fillets individually in parchment paper with their condiments and then poach or bake the little parcels. At that time my French Cookbook called the process "en papilotte", loosely translated from French as "enveloped in paper". I was amused that in Goa we had the same process going but in a more environmentally friendly and flavorful manner.
In cooking circles today "en papilotte" simply means steamed in a packet - a perfect description for the Goan traditional process of cooking in a banana leaf or turmeric leaf. In Goa fish is often marinated, or stuffed with masala and then wrapped in banana leaves and cooked. Several sweet dishes are similarly wrapped in banana leaves and steamed or grilled. This process not only keeps the food moist but also imparts a sweet fragrance from the type of leaves being used.
In Goa the banana leaf also serves as an environmentally friendly lunch box. For a lot of the poorer people who have to walk long distances to work or some of their destinations, food is often wrapped up in a banana leaf and carried with the traveler. My mother tells me that in Goa it is a tradition to go to the beach at least once a year and bathe in the Ocean water as a measure of maintaining good health. The lunch box of the poorer folk would usually consist of rice, some chutney and a pickle of some sort, most usually a water pickle.
For this recipe I made a few changes for simplicity. Bhakri is usually cooked individually in a chapati style form , and served individually. The down side to this method is that each bhakri takes about 20 minutes to steam or roast on a pan. Hence I made one bhakri and cut it into squares. For this recipe you will get about four servings.
Tips
- If you cannot find banana leaves substitute parchment paper to make your bhakri
- Goa jaggery might be hard to find, you can substitute brown sugar or Splenda brown sugar
Ingredients
1/2 cup rice flour1/2 cup grated coconut (fresh or desiccated ), I used unsweetened desiccated coconut
1 heaped tablespoon of Goa jaggery or to taste ( brown sugar or Splenda brown sugar can be substituted)
1/4 cup cashew nuts coarsely chopped (optional)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamon
1/2 - 3/4 cup water
Banana leaf or parchment paper to wrap
Method
Put all the dry ingredients into a bowl . Use a whisk to blend the ingredients.
Cover the mixture with a dishcloth and leave aside for at least 15 minutes.
In the mean time. Cut a banana leaf or parchment paper about 24 inches in a square.
Wash the banana leaf and wipe dry with a paper towel. Lay the leaf flat.
After fifteen minutes take the paste and put it on the center of the banana leaf.
Gently fold the sides of the leaves over the paste to form an envelope or package so the paste is completely sealed.
Flip the package over and place gently in your steamer.
Steam for 20 minutes. The leaf will have change from a bright green to a dull cooked green.
Remove the package and carefully unwrap. The bhakri will be nice and firm. Cut into pie shaped pieces or into squares and enjoy!!
Approximate nutritional values per serving with nuts, based on 4 servings
- Calories 211.7
- Total Fat 12.6 g
- Total Carbohydrate 19.6 g
- Dietary Fiber 2.5 g
- Sugars 1.4 g
- Protein3.4 g
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