What is Irachi Pathiri?

A Malabar snack of rice flatbread (pathiri) stuffed with a spiced minced-meat filling, folded and sealed, dipped in beaten egg and shallow-fried until golden. Irachi means meat in Malayalam.

Can I use chicken instead of beef?

Yes - beef is traditional in many Mappila households but minced chicken works equally well. Cook the filling until dry so the pathiri doesn't turn soggy.

Can I make Irachi Pathiri ahead for iftar?

Prepare the filling and the pathiris ahead, then assemble, dip and fry just before serving so they stay crisp and the egg coating is fresh.

What's the difference between Irachi Pathiri and Meen Pathiri?

The same technique with a different filling - irachi pathiri uses spiced minced meat; meen pathiri uses a spiced fish filling. Both are folded, egg-dipped and fried.

Irachi Pathiri recipe (Malabar meat-stuffed rice bread)

Built on the pathiri

Irachi Pathiri starts with a plain rice pathiri - make those first (or keep some from a previous batch), then it’s just filling, folding and frying. Cook the meat until genuinely dry so the bread stays intact. More on Mappila cuisine in our glossary.

The recipe

Irachi Pathiri recipe (Malabar meat-stuffed rice bread)

Prep: 30 min
Cook: 20 min
Total: 50 min
Yield: 8 pieces
Cuisine: Malabar
Category: Snack

Ingredients

8 thin rice pathiris (see our Ari Pathiri recipe)
300 g minced beef or chicken
2 onions, finely chopped
1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
2 green chillies, finely chopped
0.5 tsp fennel seeds, crushed
0.5 tsp garam masala
0.25 tsp turmeric
0.5 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
2 eggs, beaten (for dipping)
Coconut oil, for shallow frying
Salt to taste

Method

Make the meat filling Heat a little coconut oil, fry the onions, ginger-garlic, green chilli and crushed fennel until soft. Add turmeric, chilli powder and the minced meat; cook until the meat is done and dry. Stir in garam masala, coriander and salt. Cool.
Fill the pathiri Place a spoon of filling on one half of each cooked pathiri, fold over into a half-moon, and press the edges to seal. (A little beaten egg along the edge helps it stick.)
Dip in egg Dip each filled pathiri in the beaten egg to coat both sides.
Shallow-fry Heat coconut oil on a tawa or shallow pan. Fry the egg-coated pathiris over medium heat until golden on both sides - about 1–2 minutes per side.
Serve hot Serve immediately with chaya or Sulaimani. Best eaten fresh and hot.

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Frequently asked

What is Irachi Pathiri?
A Malabar snack of rice flatbread (pathiri) stuffed with a spiced minced-meat filling, folded and sealed, dipped in beaten egg and shallow-fried until golden. Irachi means meat in Malayalam.
Can I use chicken instead of beef?
Yes - beef is traditional in many Mappila households but minced chicken works equally well. Cook the filling until dry so the pathiri doesn't turn soggy.
Can I make Irachi Pathiri ahead for iftar?
Prepare the filling and the pathiris ahead, then assemble, dip and fry just before serving so they stay crisp and the egg coating is fresh.
What's the difference between Irachi Pathiri and Meen Pathiri?
The same technique with a different filling - irachi pathiri uses spiced minced meat; meen pathiri uses a spiced fish filling. Both are folded, egg-dipped and fried.