Pothichoru Recipe, also known as pothi choru, kattu choru or பொதி சோறு. A Kerala nostalgic food parcel wrapped in banana leaf. Variety of dishes including Kerala red rice (matta rice), chammanthi, thoran, egg omelette, fish fry and achaar which is packed in a banana leaf. This parcel brings back childhood school memories.
Pothichoru
A kerala favorite. It is normally made the day before and taken to lunch the next day. Since everything is wrapped in banana leaf nothing gets spoiled. It taste better as it sits for hours.
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I want to try this recipe for so long now. Finally I made it today. It turned out perfect and tasty. This pothi choru is nothing but food wrapped in banana leaf along with a poriyal, coconut chammathi, fish fry and omelette.
About Pothichoru
Pothichoru, also known as pothi choru, kattu choru is a Kerala staple dish. It is also made across many parts of Tamilnadu. Pothi means parcel and choru means rice, the name pothichoru literally translates to rice parcel.
It has many side dishes packed together in a banana leaf. Since it is wrapped in toasted banana leaf this foods stays fresh for a long time. So it is a best dish to make and take it for travel.
Memories of me and pothi choru takes me back to my childhood school days when Amma packs this for me. It brings so much joy when opening it during lunch time and sharing it with my friends.
Similar Recipes
Pothichoru usually has main dish which is rice. Traditionally Kerala red rice also known as matta rice is packed. But you can use white rice as well. Some kind of veggie dish like thoran or mezhukupuratti is added.
Main dish is chammanthi which is thick coconut chutney. When making chammanthi you shouldn’t add any water which may make it spoil faster. Fish fry, omelette, achaar is packed.
If you want it completely vegetarian, you can skip fish fry and mutta omelette. I like to make buttermilk and pack it in a bottle which makes the whole dish satisfying and filling. Optionally you can include fish curry as well.
What Makes this So Special & Nostalgic
This is not just food but emotion wrapped in paper. Traditionally packed in banana leaf on an old newspaper.
This is packed together in a banana leaf in the morning and when had for lunch the rice soaks up all the flavours from the side dishes like thoran, mezhukkupuratti, chammanthi, pickle, omelette, fish fry which makes it so tasty.
This brings many memories from school trips, long train journeys, temple festivals, beach outings, and amma packing food early in the morning. So good.
What I Packed in Pothichoru
- Matta Rice – this is also known as Kerala red rice. It is traditional, but you can pack white rice too.
- Beetroot thoran – this is my favorite vegetable dish to pack. I like to change vegetables when making thoran like carrots, ladyfinger, cabbage.
- Thengai Chammanthi – one of the must have dish when making pothichoru. when mixed with rice, this chammanthi hits the spot.
- Tawa Fish Fry – My all time favorite fry recipe is this one. Simple marination but taste spectacular. This marination for fish can be applied to any variety of fish.
- Omelette – to increase protein intake and to make this dish satisfying, add an mutta omelette.
- Buttermilk – this buttermilk also known as moru has ginger, curry leaves and chillies added which makes a refreshing finishing dish.
- Pickle or Achaar – you can add any type of pickle when packing. The spicy and pungent tanginess compliments other side dishes perfectly.
Step by Step Pictures
Making Dishes
1)Start by cooking the rice. I am using matta rice or Kerala red rice. This is how you cook matta rice in pressure cooker.
2)Make some kind of veggie side dish. I went with beetroot thoran this time.
3)This is fish marinated in basic spices, ginger, garlic, lemon. Check my tawa fish fry recipe. The fish which I used is vila meen, any fish would work for this marination.
4)Pan fry the fish in coconut oil, make sure to sprinkle lots of curry leaves when frying the fish.
5)Spicy and delicious fish fry is ready.
6)This is thengai chammanthi. Thick coconut chutney made with coconut, shallots, curry leaves, chillies, ginger, tamarind, salt, coconut oil. It is so flavourful and must pack dish in pothichoru.
Once I grind the chammanthi, I like to portion it into individual balls to pack.
7)Last dish to make is muttai omelette. This is Basic Indian style omelette, I mixed 4 eggs, 1 chopped onions, 2 chopped green chillies, 1 sprig curry leaves, salt and black pepper powder.
8)Heat oil in a pan. Pour in egg mixture and cook for 1 minute.
9)Flip over and cook other side too. This is your egg omelette. And usually I cut this omelette in half and pack.
Wilting Banana Leaf
10)Pothi choru is packed in banana leaf. You have to wilt the banana leaf by showing it on open flame. This makes the banana leaf soft and flexible which makes the wrapping easy.
11)Show both sides on open flame until it is pliable.
Wrapping
12)Usually final wrapping is done in newspaper. But I like to use aluminium foil which makes this process easier.
Place a sheet of foil in the base, place banana leaf over it. You can place a small piece of banana leaf in the middle which makes the base more stable.
13)Spoon required amount of cooked rice over the banana leaf.
14)Place all the side dishes over the rice. I added beet thoran, egg omelette, chammanthi, fish fry and achaar.
15)Now with the help of foil, wrap the whole thing tightly and secure it. Thats it pothi choru is wrapped. Allow the parcel to rest for at least 3 hours before having.
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Pothichoru Recipe ( Kerala Pothi Choru பொதிச்சோறு)
Pothichoru Recipe, also known as pothi choru, kattu choru or பொதி சோறு. A Kerala nostalgic food parcel wrapped in banana leaf. Variety of dishes including Kerala red rice (matta rice), chammanthi, thoran, egg omelette, fish fry and achaar which is packed in a banana leaf. This parcel brings back childhood school memories.
Equipment
Newspaper or Aluminium Foil
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