Pithala
Veg
Vegan
A thick, porridge-like curry made from besan (chickpea flour) whisked into water with garlic, green chillies, and turmeric, then tempered with mustard seeds, cumin, and curry leaves. Comforting and deeply garlicky, pithala is the everyday dal substitute of Maharashtra — eaten hot with bhakri and a raw onion.
Cuisines
Vidarbha
Saraswat
Kolhapuri
North Karnataka
Maharashtrian
Best for
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Recipe
Prep: 10 min
Cook: 20 min
Total: 30 min
2-3 servings
Ingredients
| 1 cup | besan (gram flour) |
| 2 tablespoons | oil |
| 1 teaspoon | mustard seeds |
| 1 teaspoon | cumin seeds |
| 1 pinch | asafoetida |
| 1 cup | finely chopped onions |
| 1 teaspoon | turmeric powder |
| 1 teaspoon | red chili powder |
| 2 cups | water |
| 1 teaspoon | salt |
| 1 tablespoon | finely chopped coriander leaves |
Instructions
- 1 In a bowl, mix besan with 2 cups of water to form a smooth batter without lumps.
- 2 Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. Add mustard seeds and let them splutter.
- 3 Add cumin seeds and asafoetida, sauté for a few seconds.
- 4 Add chopped onions and sauté until they turn translucent.
- 5 Stir in turmeric powder and red chili powder.
- 6 Pour the besan batter into the pan, stirring continuously to avoid lumps.
- 7 Add salt and continue to cook, stirring, until the mixture thickens and starts leaving the sides of the pan.
- 8 Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve hot.
Tips
Serve Pithala with hot bhakri or rice for a traditional Maharashtrian meal.