Malabar Irachi Pola- Chicken Egg 3 Layer Savoury Cake- Easy Recipe

Yet another Malabar delicacy made with bread, chicken, and eggs…

Whoa! I am on a roll or what? I’ve been posting recipes almost every day this month, I am definitely on a blogging spree. Well, since it’s Ramadan I try different recipes every day and as soon as something turns out great I get the intense urge to post the recipe on my website. Now, that explains my active presence here.

I’ve already mentioned that I am a die-hard fan of Malabar cuisine. Malabar is the northernmost district of Kerala. Their dishes are totally unique and rich, most of the recipes call for chicken/mutton/beef and eggs. I have tried a few of their popular dishes like Adukkupathiri or Chicken Pie and Kaipola or steamed plantain cake (a dish made with fried plantain and eggs). It’s such an irresistible dish enjoyed by both kids and adults. Quite similar to kaipola there is another dish called Erachi-pola. In Erachi-pola, chicken is used instead of plantain and it has three layers. It resembles a cake but no baking is involved. It’s made by slow cooking in a pan.

I adopted this recipe from a cooking show called Taste of Kerala. I’ve made a few changes to the original recipe and made it quite healthy. While cooking it, the whole house was filled with the enchanting aroma of this dish. After the final cooking, I couldn’t wait any longer and just indulged in this dish.

Irachipola or Chicken-Egg Cake

Ingredients:

For making the first layer:

• White bread, cut off the sides- 4 slices
• Egg- 2
• Ground black pepper- 1/4 tsp
• Salt- 1/4 tsp
• Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp
• Water- 3/4 cup

Second layer-Chicken Filling:

For cooking chicken

• Chicken breast, boneless- 2 breast, diced small
• Chili powder- 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder- 1/8 tsp
• Fennel powder- 1 tsp (optional)
• Coriander powder- 1 1/2 tsp
• Garam Masala- 1 tsp
• Salt- 1/2 tsp

For making masala:

• Oil- 2 tbsp
• Onion, chopped small- 2
• Ginger-garlic paste- 1/2 tbsp
• Green chili, chopped- 1 or 2
• Curry leaves- 1 sprig
• Cooked Chicken
• Garam masala- 1/2 tsp
• Cilantro, chopped- 2 tbsp
• Salt- 1/2 tsp

For making the third layer:

• Egg- 2
• Ground black pepper- 1/8 tsp
• Salt- 1/8 tsp

Instruction

For making the first layer:

• In a blender, grind the bread, eggs, ground pepper, salt, and turmeric powder along with water to a smooth batter.
• If it’s too thick you could add little water but don’t add too much water, it should have a thick constituency.

For making the second layer: How to cook chicken and make chicken masala:

1. In a saucepan, cook the chicken along with the above-mentioned ingredients ‘for cooking chicken’.
2. Cover the pan, let the chicken cook well and stir fry when it starts to turn light brown.
3. Using a wooden spoon or fork, shred the cooked chicken.
4. Place a pan over medium heat, add oil, chopped onion, and1/2 tsp salt.
5. Saute, let onions turn translucent.
6. Add ginger-garlic paste, green chilies, garam masala, and curry leaves, and cook till the onions start to turn golden brown.
7. Add the cooked shredded chicken and chopped cilantro, combine well and let cook for 2 minutes.
8. Remove the pan from the heat and keep it aside.

  For making the third layer:

• In a blender, beat the eggs along with ground pepper and salt, keep aside.

How to cook Erachipola:

1. Use a small or medium-sized non-stick saucepan for cooking this.
2. Place the saucepan over low heat.
3. Grease the bottom and sides of the pan with 1 tbsp ghee or butter.
4. Pour the pureed bread-egg batter on the pan as the first layer and cover the pan with its lid.
5. In low heat, let the batter cook till the center has cooked well, it shouldn’t be watery on the top.
6. This would take around 15 minutes.
7. After the first layer has cooked, evenly spread half of the prepared chicken masala over it.
8. Cover the pan with its lid and let cook over low heat for 5 minutes.
9. Since the chicken is already cooked you don’t have to cook it for too long.
10. Pour the beaten egg mixture evenly as the third layer.
11. Garnish cashews and raisins over the egg mixture.
12. Cover the pan with its lid and cook over low heat till the top egg layer has cooked well.
13. It will take about 20 to 25 minutes, make sure the top egg layer is not watery, it should resemble an omelette.
14. Remove the pan from the heat.
15. Have a large plate ready.
16. Using a knife, gently run through the sides of the pan, as the pan has been greased the cake wouldn’t stick to the pan.
17. Cover the pan with a plate and turn the pan upside down and gently tap on the bottom of the pan.
18. The chicken cake or erachipola would fall nicely on the plate.
19. Grease the pan again with 1 tbsp ghee.
20. Gently slide the chicken cake into the pan, the top layer should go into the pan.
21. Over low heat, cook the chicken cake for 3 minutes so that the egg layer will turn golden in color.
22. Remove the pan from the heat, cover the pan with the plate and flip it over.
23. The chicken pola will be cooked well and set like a cake with three layers.
24. Using a sharp knife cut into desired shapes and enjoy.
25. You could make one more using the rest of the chicken masala.

Gluten-free Version:

Chicken Egg 3 Layer Savoury Cake or Malabar Irachi-Pola

 

Print

Author: Thasneen

Recipe type: Appetiser

Cuisine: Indian

Ingredients

For making first layer

• White bread, cut off the sides- 4 slices
• Egg- 2
• Ground black pepper- ¼ tsp
• Salt- ¼ tsp
• Turmeric powder- ½ tsp
• Water- ¾ cup

Second layer: Chicken Filling

For cooking chicken

• Chicken breast, boneless- 2 breast, diced small
• Chili powder- 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder- ⅛ tsp
• Fennel powder- 1 tsp (optional)
• Coriander powder- 1½ tsp
• Garam Masala- 1 tsp
• Salt- ½ tsp

For making masala

• Oil- 2 tbsp
• Onion, chopped small- 2
• Ginger-garlic paste- 2 tsp
• Green chili, chopped- 1 or 2
• Curry leaves- 1 sprig
• Cooked Chicken
• Garam masala- ½ tsp
• Cilantro, chopped- 2 tbsp
• Salt- ½ tsp

For making third layer

• Egg- 2
• Ground black pepper- ⅛ tsp
• Salt- ⅛ tsp

Other ingredients

• Ghee or Butter- 2 tbsp
• Roasted cashews- ¼ cup
• Roasted Raisins- 2 tbsp

Instructions

For making first layer

1. In a blender, grind the bread, eggs, ground pepper, salt and turmeric powder along with water to make a thick smooth batter.

For making second layer: How to cook chicken and make chicken masala:

1. In a saucepan, cook the chicken along with the above mentioned ingredients 'for cooking chicken'.
2. Cover the pan, let the chicken cook well and stir fry when it starts to turn light brown.
3. Using a wooden spoon or fork, shred the cooked chicken.
4. Place a pan over medium heat, add oil, chopped onion and ½ tsp salt.
5. Saute and let onions turn translucent.
6. Add ginger-garlic paste, green chilies, garam masala and curry leaves; cook till the onions start to turn golden brown.
7. Add the cooked shredded chicken and chopped cilantro, combine well. Let cook for 2 minutes.
8. Remove the pan from the heat and keep aside.

For making third layer

1. In a blender, beat the eggs along with ground pepper and salt, keep aside.

How to cook Erachipola

1. Use a small or medium sized non-stick saucepan for cooking this.
2. Place the saucepan over low heat.
3. Grease the bottom and sides of the pan with 1 tbsp ghee or butter.
4. Pour the pureed bread-egg batter onto the pan as the first layer and cover the pan with its lid.
5. Cook over low heat, let the batter cook till the center has cooked well, it shouldn't be watery on the top.
6. This would take around 15 minutes.
7. After the first layer has cooked, evenly spread half of the prepared chicken masala over it.
8. Cover the pan with its lid and let cook over low heat for 5 minutes.
9. Since the chicken has already cooked don't have to cook for too long.
10. Pour the beaten egg mixture evenly as the third layer.
11. Garnish cashews and raisins over the egg mixture.
12. Cover the pan with its lid and cook over low heat till the top egg layer has cooked well.
13. It will take about 20 to 25 minutes, make sure the top egg layer is not watery, it should resemble an omelette.
14. Remove the pan from the heat.
15. Have a large plate ready.
16. Using a knife, gently run through the sides of the pan, as the pan has been greased the cake wouldn't stick to the pan.
17. Cover the pan with a plate and turn the pan upside down and gently tap on the bottom of the pan.
18. The chicken cake or erachipola would fall nicely on the plate.
19. Grease the pan again with 1 tbsp ghee.
20. Gently slide the chicken cake into the pan, the top layer should go into the pan.
21. Over low heat, cook the chicken cake for 3 minutes so that the egg layer will turn golden in color.
22. Remove the pan from the heat, cover the pan with the plate and let the chicken cake fall on it.
23. It will be well cooked and set like a cake with three layers.
24. Using a sharp knife cut into desired shapes & enjoy.
25. You could make one more using the rest of the chicken masala.

Gluten free Version

1. If you are gluten intolerant, replace bread with 11/4 cups of gluten free flour, blend with egg, ground pepper and salt.
2. Add some water and make a thick batter.
3. Follow the rest of the preparation steps.

Notes

•You could even add all purpose flour instead of bread, be sure to make a thick batter.
•It's very important that you cook on low heat, otherwise the bottom layer will get burnt.
•Make sure to use non-stick cooking pan.
•If you have any leftover chicken masala, make cutlets out of it. Combine the chicken masala with cooked potatoes, make into patties , first coat the patties in beaten egg, then coat with bread crumbs and deep fry in oil.

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