Irani Pola / Malabar Pola

Irani Pola is a savoury cake made with all purpose flour , egg and spicy chicken filling. It is a classic MALABAR dish ,even though the name gives a foreign origin impression. Traditionally, it is an  ‘Ifthar special’ dish . Nevertheless, it can be relished with evening tea/ coffee too.

Ingredients:

For Chicken Marination :

1. Chicken (boneless) – 150 gm
2. Kashmiri red chilly powder – 1/2 teaspoon
3. Turmeric powder – 1/4 teaspoon
4. salt – to taste
5. ginger-garlic paste – 1/2 teaspoon
6. Soy sauce – 1 tablespoon
7. oregano – 1/4 teaspoon
8. pepper powder – 1/2 teaspoon

For the Batter :

1. All purpose flour / maida – 1 cup
2. eggs – 2
3. milk – 1 cup &1/8 cup
4. oil – 3/4 cup
5. pepper powder – 1/2 teaspoon
6. salt – 1/4 teaspoon

For the chicken filling :

1. Onion – 2 medium
2. ginger-garlic paste – 1/2 teaspoon
3. green chilly – 1
4. curry leaves – 1tablespoon (chopped)
5. Kashmiri red chilly powder – 3/4 teaspoon
6. Turmeric powder – 1/4 teaspoon
7. garam masala powder – 1/4 teaspoon
8. coriander powder – 1/4 teaspoon
9. salt
10. oil
11. coriander leaves – 1-2 tablespoon

Method :

To Prepare the Chicken filling :-

• Marinate the chicken with all the ingredients mentioned under ” for chicken marination”. Let it rest for at least half an hour. Then heat oil in a pan and shallow fry it.Remove from pan. Once it is slightly cooled, shred it and keep it ready.

• In the same oil, saute onions until it turns translucent. then add ginger-garlic paste , green chilly and curry leaves. saute until raw smell disappears.

• Then add kashmiri red chilly powder , turmeric powder, garam masala powder and coriander powder. Combine well. Add salt.

• finally add shredded chicken (reserve little shredded chicken for garnishing later). Mix well. Garnish with coriander leaves. remove from heat

To Prepare the batter :-

• Transfer all the ingredients mentioned under “for the batter ” to a blender . Blend well until well combined.

To prepare the Irani Pola :-

• Make sure the flame is medium – low throughout the cooking process. Take a thick bottomed non-stick sauce pan . Grease it with 1 tablespoon oil. Pour half of the prepared batter mixture. Cover and let it cook for 4-5 minutes.
• Then spread the entire chicken masala filling. Again let it cook for 2-3 minutes .
• Pour the remaining batter mixture such that it covers the chicken masala well.

 

• Garnish with shredded chicken , Capsicum (or whatever you may like).
• Cover and cook for 25-30 minutes or until it is well cooked. (insert a tooth pick to check if it is done. the toothpick should come out smooth).

• Flip and cook for 2-3  minutes. (tip for flipping – gently tap from the sides, keep a plate on top and flip ; then transfer it to a pan to slightly brown the top part)

 

A delicious Irani Pola /Malabar Pola is ready ! Enjoy !

Note :

1. The cooking time may vary depending upon the pan and type of flame.
2. if you do not have a thick bottomed non-stick sauce pan , keep an old frying pan beneath the sauce pan throughout the cooking process.

Check out the video of Irani Pola / Malabar Pola

You may also like these ifthar / snack recipes –

• Banana Pola
• Potato Pola
• Mutabbaq or Martabak

Check out these malabar recipes too –

• Erachi choru |kerala meat rice
• Nadan Kozhi Curry / traditional Chicken Curry
• Prawn puttu/ Chemmeen puttu