Cholko – A piece of leaf. Usually a piece of banana leaf is called ‘cholko’ in Konkani.
Vayli – on top of
‘Cholkya vayli bhakri’ or ‘cholkya bhakri’ means a rotti prepared on banana leaf. I have no such explanation for the name ‘mumbri’ :).
As I mentioned here, this is one of my favorite breakfasts. Aayi serves this rotti with chutney pitto-ghee or vaygana bajji or ‘dhidir chutney’ (Mix 1/2 cup grated coconut with 3/4 tea spn chili powder, 1/2 tea spn sugar and salt. Mix well with hand) or coconut chutney. My personal preference is Mumbri with Vaygana bajji and dhidir chutney.
I have seen sweet bhakri also where this dish is prepared with jack fruit. I loved the simple non-sweet version among all.
In the last 9 months, I searched every possible store here for banana leaves. But last week when I found a frozen packet in Chinese store here, I immediately grabbed it and prepared my favorite breakfast. It tasted heavenly. I do not think any paper(like parchment paper) can replace the banana leaf, because banana leaf leaves a nice aroma when it is fried.
All the pictures for this post were taken at my native.
Ingredients:
1 cup rice flour
1/2 cup coconut(fresh or frozen)
1/4 cup onion(optional)
Ghee
Salt
I did not use onion while taking the picture.
Method:
Mix all the ingredients into a soft dough with water (do not make it too hard, there should be some water to make spreading easier).
Take a piece of banana leaf. Spread a thin layer of dough on it(use a little water if it is difficult to spread).
Cover with a banana leaf of same size.
Heat tava and fry the roti. When the bottom side leaf looks a bit brownish, turn over(along with the leaf).
Remove the brownish leaf slowly and discard. Again turn and remove the second leaf. Fry on both sides(without leaf). Apply ghee if desired.
Serve hot with any of the above mentioned sides.
Serves : 2-3
Preparation time : 15mins
Note: The softness of this rotti depends largely on rice flour. In Bangalore, I had tried it many times and always felt it was not up to the mark. At my native, Aayi’s version is always very soft. Then she told me the flour which I bought in Bangalore was not very fine. With same proportions I tried here and it was superb. So make sure to use very fine rice flour.
Shilpa,
This is one of my favorite food. Looking at the picture I remember my mother. Thanks for posting it. Yum Yum.
I have not eaten this version in my moms place, but yes in native place. I have a lot of rice flour here and not aware what to do except alyi pitta roti and chakuli. Now that i have a nice recipe of Mumbri by you. I can give it a try, in case i am able to get the banana leaf and the Indian egg plant today, i am going to try it for tomm breakfast. Hope it come out well as in your pictures. Thanks for a wonderful recipe.
I think the strength of this recipe lies in the fact that it uses simple ingredients and yet has something very unique to it. You’re right, there is no replacement for banana leaves, parchment paper may suffice every once in a while but it surely is not the real deal !
Shilpa,
You just don’t seem to run out of recipes. And every recipe is so unique. If all of that comes from your mother, then she must be ‘Annapoorna’. Really.
Hi Shilpa – you have so many delicious-sounding things lately it’s hard to keep up — I need to devote an entire day to reading your blog 🙂 I would love to try this if I can find a banana leaf — since you said you used frozen, will look next time I’m in the asian grocery. Looks just great.
There you go again with banana leaf!! 😀 I donot get it anywhere here! Anyway, looks like my akki rotti except it’s totally diff, how it;s made!! Wonderful with brinjal bajji!! Yum!!thanks and keep it up!! :)))
Hi,
I am very impressed with your patience to click photographs everytime you cook and each step. My rotti also never came out soft initially when I started off venturing with my kitchen. Then my mom said, to add 2 tbsp cooked rice (par boiled) paste to this. It came out fine then. Try!.
Hi Shilpa,
looks like akki roti in banana leaf. A very simple and neat recipe. I love eating food in Banana leaf. The aroma sure is different and it tastes heavenly.Thanks for the recipe shilpa
yum recipe. thanks
This is such a unique recipe. Thanks for posting it. This reminds me of yelai vadams. Traditionally made with rice paste spread on banana leaves and steamed.
Wow Shilpa. This looks delicious! I love Rice rotti (Akki rotti like we call it)! This is the first time I have seen the banana leaf version. Sounds delicious! We dotn get any banana leaves here, if not I would have surely given it a try!
And I apologize for not havign sent u any lunch recipes! I have been so busy lately, I have not had a chance to blog much!
Cheers
Latha
Wow Shilpa, this is such a unique recipe! Thanks for sharing…
Hi!!
I had tried it before once but as u smentioned they turned out hard and thick so i was reluctunt to make it again !!!then i decided to give it a try for one more time and i tried ur recipe yesterday !! i had not added coconut previously so i added it this time and i also added a tablespoon of wheat flour to it!!!
Result was quite better!!! it turned out just perfect!! not too hard not too soft!!!
and i liked it a lot!! 🙂 I think i will make it again!!
I willtry ragi chakali this sunday and will let u know how it turn out!!!
Bye for now!!!
🙂
We make a similar type of rice cake but the rice is drier and the rice cake is thicker. The rice (thick variety) is soaked overnight and ground with salt with as little water as possible in the stone grinder. The coconut is added towards the end of grinding and is given a couple of turns only. This dough is made into large balls and is spread on the banana leaf from the centre working outwards. The same method that you have used is used to roast it. The end result is that the sides are crispy while the inside is soft. This is usually eaten with pork.
If using a mixie to grind the batter, the excess water can be dried by putting the batter on a slow fire till it achieves the desired consistency and then the coconut is added.
I like this dish very much and sometimes eat it plain. Your recipe must be equally delicious. Shall try it when banana leaves are available at the grocery store.
This sounds excellent. I just got done pulling a couple of eggplants of the coals and was looking for something to do with it. I’ll have to make it right when I have more time, but for now I’m going to make a sticky rice dumpling stuffed with eggplant and tomato curry and smoke them in some banana leaves from the yard. First time cooking with either eggplant or banana leaves, so I’m hoping it comes out well. For those that are having trouble getting banana leaves, would corn husks be an alternative?
Shilpa: No Scott, I don’t think they are interchangeable. Because banana leaves give a very good aroma which almost cannot be replaced by something else.
You are right, the banana imparted a great aroma and subtle taste which could not be replaced. I ended up following your recipe almost exactly except that I put the vaygana bajji two layers of the dough and smoked it together. It came out delicious. Thanks very much for the idea
The dough need not be as thin as that of patholi, right?
Shilpa: Yes Varsha. It should be a bit thicker than patholi.
You have raised a very good query about “mumbri”. Well, I am from Konkan and am trying to answer from what I konw. We used to have fire places ( cooking ranges – using wood). There usually used to be a set of four. two in front and two in the rear. Just like we have here in US – electric cooking ranges.
The rear ones were used for dishes requiring slow – or delecate -controlled fire. That was called ‘mumber’. I remember we used to use these back burners for Cashew, Onion, Potato or some other roots to be roasted.
Hope I have clarified.
Shilpakka
Today, CHOLKYA VAYLI BHAKRI was shown on MiMarathi Channel in their Cookery Show (between 02.30 and 3.00) LAAJATDAR, with the name PAANGI. The celebrity guest in the show used Milk instead of water, but she failed to mention the side dish for CVB.
it,s great
here in mizoram i wanted to make the tandalachi panagi
thanks
Hi Shilpa
Nice to see that you have included one of the most favorate food of Sirsi-Siddapura regions. Recently i had dinner in a Gujarathi styled wedding, there i found a similar kind to Mumbri but its in different Gujarathi name. Please can you provide me more details on Gujarathi Mumbri ?
Shilpa: I googled for it and found it is called panki. I will see if I can find more details
Hi Shilpa,
There is a lovely gujju dish that is similar to this – it is called Panki ( you have already posted the comment I see)
However, it is made with sour rice dough – either fermeted or soured up with one / two day old curd / buttermilk and cooked witha bit of Ghee / Butter & seved with Papaya chutney or Marcha nu achar! Absolutely delicious!
i have tried this bhakri on large haldi (turmeric) leaves. the aroma is even more exotic and the taste is infinitely enhanced! try it.
Hi shilpa
My mom also adds green chillies, cilantro and a small qty of rava to the other mumbri ingredients while making it… and we love to eat it with butter and chatni-pitto 🙂
shilpa,
please let me know what is parchment paper ?. Is it butter paper ?
where can i find it ? i want to prepare patholi as well as mumbri, so pls let me know.
waiting for your reply.
Sorry, I don’t know what butter paper is. But according to this article, you can use butter paper too.
Hi Shilpa,
This dish brings me sweet memories of my amma(grandma), she used to do it for all her battalion of grandkids and family. If i am right she used to grind rice and coconut. I do not remember my mom doing it.
Pl do tell me which chinese store did u find the banana leaf. If you do not get banana leaf how do u use the parchment paper? I think it melts once put on hot tawa.
These days I make it without any leaves/paper. Just spread it on the tava. It does not have same aroma as making on the leaf though.
Thanks a lot Shilpa…Today I shall try n make mumbri….The word ‘ mumbri ” brought back good old memories .. We tend to forget some dishes in our busy schedules….thanks again