Mithila Pittha
Veg
Vegan
Steamed rice-flour dumplings stuffed with either a sweet coconut-jaggery filling or a spiced split lentil filling — the definitive Maithili festival food, made during Makar Sankranti and Chhath Puja.
Cuisines
Maithili
Best for
Breakfast
Snacks
Recipe
Prep: 20 min
Cook: 40 min
Total: 60 min
2-3 servings
Ingredients
| 1 cup | basmati rice |
| 1 cup | jaggery |
| 1 cup | grated coconut |
| 1/2 teaspoon | cardamom powder |
| 1 pinch | salt |
| 2 tablespoons | ghee |
| 1 cup | water |
Instructions
- 1 Wash and soak the basmati rice for 30 minutes.
- 2 Drain the rice and spread it on a clean cloth to dry for a few hours.
- 3 Grind the dried rice into a fine powder to make rice flour.
- 4 In a pan, heat ghee and add grated coconut, stirring for 2-3 minutes.
- 5 Add jaggery to the pan and cook until it melts and combines with the coconut.
- 6 Mix in cardamom powder and remove the pan from heat. Let it cool.
- 7 In a separate bowl, mix the rice flour with a pinch of salt and enough water to form a smooth dough.
- 8 Divide the dough into small portions and flatten each into a disc.
- 9 Place a spoonful of the coconut-jaggery mixture in the center of each disc and fold it into a semi-circle, sealing the edges.
- 10 Steam the pitthas in a steamer for about 15-20 minutes until cooked through.
- 11 Serve warm.
Tips
Ensure the rice flour is finely ground for a smooth dough texture.