Dal pitha is a dumpling shaped dish made predominantly in the households of Bihar, Jharkhand,and Chhattisgarh. They may sometimes even be shaped like gujiyas. Whole wheat or fresh rice flour is used to make the pitha with lentil filling. It is traditionally served with chokha (mashed potatoes with fried onions and a few spices) or coriander chutney. This dish may be sweet or savory depending on the filling. For instance, parts of Jharkhand and Bengal prefer the sweet variant and include coconut and jaggery for the stuffing. While it may be easy to source the ingredients for this recipe,there is lot of technique that goes into the making of dal pitha and this recipe teaches you just that! Packing this for your breakfast? Make sure you pack them in an insulated storage container.
Health Benefits
Black gram and mustard oil are the major ingredients in dal pitha. Mustard oil has various health benefits; it helps control cholesterol, improve digestion and contains omega 3 fatty acids, which help in keeping the skin, nails, and hair healthy. Mustard oil also possesses antibacterial properties which help combat bacterial infections in the colon and improve oral hygiene. Lentils provide the body with much needed protein and help maintain healthy blood sugar and cholesterol profiles.
Ingredients
cup skinned black gram—soaked for 4 hours and drained completely: 1
cups rice flour: 2
cups water: 4
tsp mustard oil: 1
salt to taste
tbsp mustard oil: 2
tsp panchphoran: 2
tsp turmeric powder: 1/4
tsp cumin seeds: 1
tsp chili flakes: 1
A pinch of asafetida
salt to taste
tbsp chopped coriander leaves: 1
How To Make Dal Pitha
For the filling
- Coarse grind the soaked black gram and set aside.
- Heat mustard oil in a pan. When the oil begins to fume, add thepanchphoran and cook for 3 minutes on a medium flame.
- Add turmeric powder, cumin seeds, chili flakes, asafoetida, followed by ground black gram and salt. Stir to combine and cook for 7-10 minutes till a crumbly texture is achieved.
For the dough
- Use warm water to knead the flour intoasmooth
- Divide the dough into balls in the size of tennis balls.
- Flatten each ball using a rolling pin to make discs.
- Fill the discs with the dal mixture leaving enough area along the circumference to just seal the filling.fold it into a semicircle and seal the ends. Dab your finger with a little oil to secure the sealing.
- Place sealed dumplings in a greased steamer for 8-10 minutes. In case you do not have a steamer, you can use boiling water to boil the dumplings till they rise to the surface. You dal pithas are ready!
Trivia
- Pitha is a rice cake which is predominant in Bangladesh and India.
- Pitha is generally made from rice flour. The less common variants are made from wheat flour and palm.
- A special type of Pitha called Nabanna, which literally means ‘newborn’ is prepared especially during the harvest festivals in Bengal.