Chatti Pathil

To make the batter, mix all the ingredients well in a large bowl using a balloon whisk or blend them in a blender until everything is blended without any lumps. Keep aside.

Place the chicken in a food processor, mince and set aside.

Heat a large fry pan on medium heat, then add 1 teaspoon ghee or melted butter. Add ginger garlic paste, sauté for 30 seconds.

Add onions and sauté for about 5 minutes or until soft. Move the onions to one side of the pan. Add in powdered spices to the opposite side of the pan, saute for about 1 minute, combine with onions.

Add the mushrooms, saute for 10 minutes then add the chicken mince, saute until brown.

Add in the powdered cashew nuts, chopped spinach, allow it to wilt (approximately 3 minutes). Remove mixture from the heat, set aside until completely cool.

Heat a pan, coating the pan lightly with butter or ghee remove excess with a paper towel. Pour the batter to desired size, swirl the pan to spread the batter to form a thin pancake.

Cook for a minute, then flip over and cook on the other side for half a minute or so until you see few brown spots sparingly on the pancake.

For assembling: In a bowl, pour coconut milk with whisked eggs with a pinch of salt, whisk well. Divide the mixture into 2 parts and set aside.

Take an 8 inch cake pan with a removable base and wrap it in foil to prevent leakage. Use ghee or butter to grease the bottom and sides of the pan.

Take one part of coconut milk egg mixture. Dunk one prepared crepe in the coconut milk egg mixture, remove it and place it in the pan in which you plan to bake.

Top the crepe with the completely cooled chicken mixture. Repeat and continue layering for as many layers as you choose to do or until the mixture runs out.

Pour the other remaining coconut milk egg mixture over the layered crepes. Pour 1 tablespoon melted butter or ghee over it.

Place your Chatti Pathil in a preheated moderate oven 350°F/180°C gas mark 4, until all the coconut milk egg mixture evaporates, you will notice the side “starting” to become dry and the top becomes golden.

Remove from the oven and Allow your pathil to cool for 10 minutes and them take it out of the pan, you can flip the pan on the serving plate or you can use a spring-form pan.

You may even cook this pathri on the stove top (as I have done). In a deep skillet pan too. Just layer in the same process but in the pan. Cover the pan tightly with a tight fitting lid.

Place a simmering plate (if you have one as this prevents the pathri from burning) on the heat and place the saucepan or skillet pan on the simmering plate.

Let the pathil cook on low heat until the egg mix on top is set and steam has started coming through, about 30 to 35 minutes depending on the heat and the pan used.

Flip this on to a plate, and slide it back to the pan, the top side going down. Cook for 5 to 10 more minutes.