Pattice

© Abhishek Avtans

Pattice पैटिस / पॅटीस is a an assimilated spelling of Patties (it is a plural form of patty i.e. a piece of food made into a disc shape that is then cooked) which evolved in Bombay (now known as Mumbai) in Maharashtra, India. In Maharashtra, Gujarat and surrounding areas, the word pattice can refer to a singular (patty) as well as plural (patties). Farali Pattice and Ragda Pattice are two of the popular street foods from western India.

Here are their etymologies:

🍲 Farali Pattice फराली पैटिस / पॅटीस – a Gujarati dish made with potatoes, nuts, spices and raisins. Pharālī ફરાળી is connected to Sanskrit फलाहारी phalāhārī is from phalāhāra (fasting food, which is usually without grains, cereals etc, and primarily consists of fruits). The word phalāhār फलाहार is made up of phala फल (fruit) + āhār आहार (diet, food). As the name suggests, it is mainly consumed on fasting (religious) days.

🍲 Ragda pattice रगडा पैटीस / पॅटीस – a Bombay street food made with potatoes and white peas which boiled with some spices and mashed at the end. The word रगडा ragḍā (i.e mashed) is from Marathi verb रगडणे (to crush, mash). Ragda is also spelled as रगड़ा in some areas.

References

Merriam-Webster. (n.d.). Patty. In Merriam-Webster.com dictionary. Retrieved December 17, 2023, from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/patty

Bhagvatsinh B. (1948 – 1986). Bhagavadgomandal. Pravin Prakashan, Rajkot (Gujarat)

Tulpule, Shankar Gopal and Anne Feldhaus (1999). A dictionary of old Marathi. Mumbai: Popular Prakashan.

Indian Review of Books, Volume 3 (1993), Acme Books Pvt. Limited