I am always on the lookout for a good snack recipe. Though I have quite a few on the blog, I get bored with them. A new recipe is always welcome. So, I was fascinated with this rice crepe recipe from the very talented, late Tarla Dalal. This is a Gujarati recipe. Gujarat is a state from Western India.
I have a banana tree growing in my back garden. There was a fresh new leaf that had sprouted just a couple of weeks ago. Since the Met Department had predicted rain. I wanted to pluck the leaf before the rains. Otherwise, the leaf would have torn. Having plucked the leaf, I was wondering what dish could I make using banana leaves. Therefore, two birds in one stone – a new (and delicious) snack while putting the banana leaf to good use.

Ingredients
2 cups rice flour (I used brown rice flour)
1/2 cup beaten vegan yogurt
Salt to taste
A pinch of asafoetida (hing, perunkayam)
1 tsp cumin seeds (sabut jeera, jeeragam), roughly ground
1 tsp ginger-green chili paste
2 tsp garlic paste
A pinch of turmeric powder (haldi, manjal podi)
4-6 pieces of banana leaves, cut into 6″ x 6″
Method
Combine the rice flour, yogurt, salt and 3 cups of warm water in a bowl
Mix well to make a thick batter
Cover and set aside for about 4 hours, to ferment
Once fermented, add 3/4 to 1 cup of water, asafoetida, cumin powder, ginger-green chili paste, garlic paste and turmeric powder
Mix well
Take a piece of banana leaf and grease it with a little nut butter
Put 2 tbsp of the batter on one half of the banana leaf and spread evenly (only on half the banana leaf) to make a thin layer
Fold the other side over the batter
Roast on a griddle till light brown spots appear on the banana leaf
Remove from the griddle and peel off the panki
Transfer to a casserole
Repeat for the rest of the batter
Serve hot with green chutney
Enjoy!
Note: My panki was a little thick. It must be made much thinner