Jharkhand Pitha

Jharkhand Pitha

Jharkhand Pitha

Veg Vegan

Steamed rice flour dumplings filled with a spiced paste of black urad dal, garlic, and dried chilli — the savory Jharkhand pitha tradition. The outer rice flour shell is smooth and slightly chewy from steaming; the dal filling is earthy and sharp. Eaten as a morning or evening snack with chilli chutney, the pitha is the Jharkhand equivalent of the South Indian idli.

Cuisines

Jharkhand

Best for

Breakfast Lunch

Recipe

Prep: 20 min Cook: 40 min Total: 60 min 2-3 servings

Ingredients

1 cup rice flour
1/2 cup chana dal
1 cup water
— salt to taste
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon mustard oil
2 tablespoons grated coconut
2 tablespoons finely chopped coriander leaves
1 teaspoon finely chopped green chilies

Instructions

  1. 1 Wash the chana dal thoroughly and soak it in water for 2 hours.
  2. 2 Drain the soaked chana dal and grind it coarsely without adding water.
  3. 3 In a pan, heat mustard oil and add cumin seeds. Let them splutter.
  4. 4 Add the ground chana dal to the pan, along with salt, grated coconut, chopped coriander leaves, and green chilies. Cook for 5-7 minutes until the mixture is dry. Set aside to cool.
  5. 5 In a bowl, mix rice flour with a pinch of salt and water to form a smooth dough.
  6. 6 Divide the dough into small balls and flatten each ball into a small disc.
  7. 7 Place a spoonful of the chana dal filling in the center of each disc and fold it over to form a semi-circle. Seal the edges by pressing them together.
  8. 8 Steam the pithas in a steamer for about 15-20 minutes until they are cooked through.
  9. 9 Serve hot with chutney or pickle.

Tips

Ensure the dough is smooth and pliable to avoid cracks while shaping the pithas.