Topic: PATHIA - anyone got close to BIR taste yet ?

[SnS]

Anyone know of a good Pathia recipe (using base gravy - not from scratch).

There does seem to be a distinct absence of recipes for this dish - I only found one on this forum.

The typical sweet is from jaggery or sugar - and the sour is from the tamarind - but what else gives it that distinctive taste?

I will be experimenting during the next week using my recent curry base recipe so if anyone has any suggestions please let me know.

 ;D

Regards
Smokenspices

[Cory Ander]

Hi SnS,

I found three patia recipes (all for chicken) here:

http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=114.msg408#msg408
http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=755.msg7023#msg7023
http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=973.msg8506#msg8506

The top two use sugar as the sweetner and lemon juice as the souring agent.
The third uses sugar as the sweetner but doesn't have a souring agent...looks more like a Ceylon to me?

I would basically make a Madras (or Bhuna for milder) sauce and add:

• several tablespoons, or so, of white sugar as a sweetner - or jaggery, brown sugar, or honey, if you prefer
• a tablespoon, or so, of lime or lemon juice (lime being a little less sharp) as a souring agent - or 1 or 2 teaspoons of tamarind, or vinegar, if you prefer (concentrate from a jar would be my choice...cos BIRs are most likely to use this...though from a compressed block will also do)
• anything else that you normally find in your patia (e.g. chopped fresh tomatoes?)

You need to start with a decent Curry Base to get "the taste" and "the smell" of course.

I hope this helps.

I'm happy to post a proper recipe if you prefer? 

[SnS]

Thanks for that CA

Have you tries any of these recipes?

Regards
sns

[Cory Ander]

I haven't I'm afraid....but there should be comments, from those that have, within those threads

[curryqueen]

When I make a prawn pathia I usually use 2 tablespoons sugar and 1.5 tablespoons of lemon juice to 10fl oz base.  OH's favourite curry! CQ

[Secret Santa]

Yes pathia is supposed to be a sweet and sour curry. It always weirds me out when I see recipes with just sugar or just the souring agent and it makes me wonder if the author has ever actually eaten a BIR pathia.