Chatti Pathiri

A layered Malabar pastry — thin crepes layered with a sweet or savoury filling, bound with egg and baked in a pot.

Chatti Pathiri is a layered baked dish unique to the Malabar coast, often described as a Malabar version of lasagne. Thin rice- or wheat-flour crepes are stacked in a chatti (a deep pot) with a filling between each layer, then a beaten egg-and-milk mixture is poured over and the whole thing is cooked gently until it sets.

The sweet version layers beaten egg, sugar, raisins, cashews, grated coconut and cardamom; the savoury version uses a spiced minced chicken or beef masala. It is a celebrated iftar and festival dish, requiring patience to assemble.