Dal pittha- Bihari delicacy


#Poushmonth#biharkapittha#

Pithas are made by stuffing sweet or savory ingredients in a rice flour dough and shaping it in a ball. Then the stuffed dough balls are cooked by either steaming or boiling.

 Pitha is a part of Bihari cuisine particularly in Mithila region of Bihar and is served as a snack or in dinner. It is considered healthy and have high protein.
Pithas are not only popular in Bihar but also in the rest of the state and made by different names and slightly different ways. In  many households pithas are made traditionally in the indian calendar month of Poush. 
I have always wondered and heard stories about why pithas are made in the month of Poush.
There can be several reasons for this. For example, the month of Poush starts at the end of the kharif season, and pithas could be made to celebrate the rainy season crop, which includes rice. If the pithas are made with sweet ingredients then it will last longer in the cold month of Poush.
Rice is the most important kharif crop of India.
So, it's like celebration for the the farmers as the kharif season ends and they enjoy it  by eating and preparing delicious pithas with different stuffings.

 There are many other recipes of rice flour that is popular in winters.

 I will be sharing one of the Dal pitthas recipe.
Recipe: makes 8 pithas.
Ingredients for making rice dough:
-1 cup rice flour
-3/4 cup water
Ingredients for making fillings:
-1 cup chana Dal (soaked for 3-4 hours)
-1 tsp ginger garlic paste
-1 green chilli
-a pinch of cumin seed
-pinch of asfoetida
-turmeric powder and salt
-1/2 tbsp mustard oil
-coriander leaves for garnishing
Method to make rice dough-
- boil water in a kadahi
-add rice flour gradually, keep stiring
-stir on low flame for 3-4 minutes, let it cool
-knead it well adding warm water gradually to make a very soft dough
-your dough is ready
-dived it into 8 equal round shape balls


Method to make Dal fillings:
-blend chana Dal removing excess water coarsely, keep it aside
-heat oil in a kadahi
-add cumin seeds, let it crackle, add asfoetida, ginger-garlic paste, turmeric powder, saute for 20 seconds
-Add blended Dal, mix well and saute for 3-4 minutes
-add salt (would suggest adding more than usual as rice dough is plane)
-garnish with green chilli and coriander leaves.


Method to make Dal pitthas:

-fill the dals into rice dough one by one by making the dough into bowl shape and pack it tightly making in ball shape.
-boil water in a kadahi and add the filled balls into it
-keep an eye over it, as soon as you see the balls start coming up and grows in size (usually take 3-4 minutes) take it out with the help of strainer.
Pithas are ready.

Let it become warm and serve with chutney or pickle of your choice.




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