Meat Pattichu Varathathu

(4 reviews)

Serves: 4 people
Cooking: 4 minutes
Views: 148
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Meat Pattichu Varathathu is a traditional Kerala dish where the meat is cooked slowly until it becomes very tender and breaks apart, thus earning its name. After cooking, the meat is roasted with spices until it gets a nice brown color and rich flavor. This simple but delicious recipe has been loved by Kerala families for many years.

Ingredients

Directions

Cut the meat into large cubes.
Grind chilli, coriander, turmeric, pepper powder, aniseed, garlic, clove and cinnamon into a fine paste.
Marinate the meat with the ground paste.
To this add, chopped ginger, vinegar and salt and keep aside for 1 hour.
Cook the marinated meat in 2 cups of hot water. Pressure cook for 2 to 3 whistles, or until the vegetables are just tender.
When the meat is half cooked add the potatoes and garlic.
When the potatoes are done and the gravy is thick, remove from the flame.
Heat the wok with oil and splutter mustard seeds. Add shallots and stir until light brown.
Add the cooked meat and potatoes and stir gently. Make sure that the potatoes do no break.
When the gravy does not stick to the side of the pan, remove from flame and serve hot.

Cooking Tips

Stir in the potatoes only when the meat is more or less done. They should be soft but not so mushy that they break entirely apart.
While cooking, use a lid with a small hole. The water that gets collected on top while cooking will then create steam and prevent charring while ensuring even cooking.
The meat should be slowly roasted over time so that at the end, the meat you get is slightly broken apart.

Marination Tips

Dry roast all the spice ingredients for about 3 to 4 minutes on medium heat for more flavor. Stir continuously; otherwise, you will end up burning the spices.
When grinding the spices, use minimal water to get a thick paste. Too much water can make the final dish watery and also dilute the spiciness.
If time permits, marinate the meat for at least one hour.

How to Serve

Meat pattichu varathathu goes well with Kerala matta rice, parotta, and appams.

The Story Behind Meat Pattichu Varathathu

Once the Christmas midnight mass is over, the joy and happiness that I feel are so wholesome. With my spiritual senses at their peak, the next big thing I enjoy is the Christmas festival dishes, especially beef pattichu varathathu along with duck roast and a whole slew of other dishes.

The long, slow cooking process, followed by final roasting, creates layers of flavor in this 'pattichathu' fare that have made it a beloved dish across Malayali households. I feel this is the kind of recipe that gets passed down through generations, with each family adding its own touch with a unique spice blend.

"Pattichu Varathathu" literally means "mashed and roasted," capturing the traditional method of slowly cooking meat until it becomes wonderfully tender, allowing it to fall apart, and then roasting it with delicious spices."