What is Chatti Pathiri?

Chatti Pathiri is a layered Malabar pastry — thin crepes stacked with a sweet or savoury filling and bound with an egg-and-milk mixture, then cooked in a pot (chatti) or baked until set. The sweet version uses a coconut, cashew, raisin and cardamom filling; it's often described as a Malabar version of lasagne.

Sweet or savoury — which is traditional?

Both are traditional. The sweet version (this recipe) is the more common iftar and festival treat; the savoury version uses a spiced minced chicken or beef filling and is served as a more substantial dish.

Can I bake Chatti Pathiri instead of cooking it on the stove?

Yes. Traditionally it's cooked covered on a low flame in a heavy pot (chatti), but baking at 180°C for 25–30 minutes gives the same set top and works reliably in a home oven.

Why didn't my layers hold together?

The egg-milk binding is what sets the layers. Make sure you brush it between every layer and pour the remainder over the top so it soaks down, then rest the dish before slicing so it firms up.

Recipe

Sweet Chatti Pathiri recipe (Malabar layered pastry)

By Abdulla K P 26 May 2026 PT1H10M total

A wedge of sweet Chatti Pathiri showing the layered crepes and coconut-cashew filling.

What to expect

Chatti Pathiri rewards patience — there are three components (crepes, filling, egg-milk binding) and the assembly is the fun part. Don’t rush the rest at the end: the ten minutes it sits after cooking is what lets the layers firm into clean wedges instead of collapsing.

Learn more about Chatti Pathiri and the broader Mappila cuisine it belongs to, or read the full Malabar Snacks guide.

Recipe

Sweet Chatti Pathiri recipe (Malabar layered pastry)

Prep: PT40M
Cook: PT30M
Total: PT1H10M
Yield: 1 chatti (serves 6)
Cuisine: Malabar
Category: Dessert

Ingredients

For the crepes: 1 cup plain flour (maida)
1 egg (for the crepe batter)
About 1.25 cups milk (to make a thin crepe batter)
1 pinch salt
For the filling: 1.5 cups grated coconut
0.5 cup sugar
0.25 cup cashews, chopped
2 tbsp raisins
0.5 tsp ground cardamom
2 tbsp ghee
For the binding: 3 eggs
0.5 cup milk
2 tbsp sugar (for the egg-milk)

Method

Make thin crepes Whisk the flour, 1 egg, milk and salt into a thin, pourable batter. Make 6–8 thin crepes on a lightly greased pan, cooking each just until set. Set aside.
Make the filling Heat the ghee, add the grated coconut and sugar, and cook gently until the moisture dries off and it turns light golden. Stir in cashews, raisins and cardamom. Cool.
Make the binding mixture Beat the 3 eggs with the 0.5 cup milk and 2 tbsp sugar until smooth.
Layer Grease a deep pan or baking dish. Lay a crepe down, brush with a little of the egg-milk, spread a layer of filling. Repeat — crepe, egg-milk, filling — stacking the crepes until used up. Finish with a crepe and pour any remaining egg-milk over the top so it soaks the layers.
Cook Cover and cook on a low flame (traditional, in a heavy chatti) for about 20–25 minutes, or bake at 180°C for 25–30 minutes, until the egg-milk has set and the top is golden.
Rest and slice Let it rest 10 minutes so the layers firm up, then cut into wedges and serve warm.

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Frequently asked

What is Chatti Pathiri?
Chatti Pathiri is a layered Malabar pastry — thin crepes stacked with a sweet or savoury filling and bound with an egg-and-milk mixture, then cooked in a pot (chatti) or baked until set. The sweet version uses a coconut, cashew, raisin and cardamom filling; it's often described as a Malabar version of lasagne.
Sweet or savoury — which is traditional?
Both are traditional. The sweet version (this recipe) is the more common iftar and festival treat; the savoury version uses a spiced minced chicken or beef filling and is served as a more substantial dish.
Can I bake Chatti Pathiri instead of cooking it on the stove?
Yes. Traditionally it's cooked covered on a low flame in a heavy pot (chatti), but baking at 180°C for 25–30 minutes gives the same set top and works reliably in a home oven.
Why didn't my layers hold together?
The egg-milk binding is what sets the layers. Make sure you brush it between every layer and pour the remainder over the top so it soaks down, then rest the dish before slicing so it firms up.