Thanks Binny for sharing this healthy recipe!
Pithas are primarily made from batter of rice or wheat flour,filled with sweet or savory ingredients.
It is a type of dimsum common in eastern states of India.
It can be fried ,steamed or boiled.
It can be round or crescent shape.
You can use your own filling.
Ingredients:
Soaked Chana Daal-1 cup ( overnight soaked ),
Suji ( fine) or semolina- 2 cups,
Green chilli- 1( finely chopped),
Garlic ( small)- 5 to 6,
Ginger- 1 inch- finely chopped,
Green coriander leaves- few springs- finely chopped,
Turmeric pwd-1/4 tsp,
Ajwain- 1/4 tsp,
Salt to taste,
Hot water to make suji dough- 3/4 cup ( microwave water for a minute).
Method:
Sieve the suji and add 1/4 tsp of salt and mix.
Gradually add hot water to the dough and make a soft dough( roti dough).
Cover and leave for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile sieve the daal through a wire strainer to drain the water.
There should not be water in the daal.
Grind the daal in the grinder and midway through add 1 tsp of water to make the daal grind smoothly.
Transfer the daal out in a bowl and add chopped ginger,chopped garlic,greenchilli,turmeric pwd,ajwain,green coriander leaves and salt.
Mix and keep aside.
After the suji dough has rested for 20 minutes,divide the dough into 12 equal parts.
Cover with a cloth,so the dough does not dry.
Sprinkle some flour on the counter and roll each ball into a small circle.
With a rolling pin press from the center to the edge.
Fill 1 tbsp of the daal mixture in the center.
Wet the edges with water.
Take the top edge of the circle and cover the daal mixture,pressing both the edges properly
so that they do not open while boiling.
You can make sweet filling the same way ,but make it round or give some mark to differentiate between the savory and sweet.I have used jaggery and chopped almonds for the sweet pithas.
Take a big pot and fill half with water.
Raise the heat to high.
As the water starts to boil,add the stuffed pithas one by one.
When all the pithas are in water,stir the bottom with a spoon,so that the pithas do not stick at the bottom.
The heat has to be high until the water starts to boil again.
Gradually all the pithas will come to the surface.
As water starts to boil again, lower the heat and leave it to simmer for 5 minutes.
This gives time for the filling to cook.
Close the gas after 5 minutes.
Take out the pithas with a slotted spoon.
Pithas are eaten with green chutni.
Rest can be kept in the fridge for a week.
Left overs and cold pithas can be enjoyed too.
Note: There might be some leakage in the sweet pithas if using jaggery as it melts in high heat. Take them out from the pan a few minutes before the stated time.
Ideal for snack.
Makes 12 pithas.
Light fried pithas:
Heat 1 tsp of oil in a pan.
Slice the pithas into 1 inch slices.
As oil heats up add the sliced pithas.
Lower the heat and let the pithas fry till brown spots appear on top.
Keep tossing and turning in between.
Close the gas and sprinkle chaat masala.
You can temper the pithas with mustard seeds and curry patha too.
White butter cake is a celebration cake made for birthdays and weddings.
I made this cake for my neighbour`s birthday.
Ingredients:
Eggs- 2 - separated,
Sifted cake flour- 1 and 3/4 cup or 175 gms ,
( To make one cup of cake flour- fill 2 tbsp of cornflour in your measuring cup and fill the rest with plain all purpose flour or maida.Sieve 3 or 4 times)
Butter- 1/2 cup or 113 gms- room temperature,
White sugar- 1 to 3/4 cup- divided- (take out 1/4 cup or little less from 1 or 3/4 cup of sugar for egg white),
Vanilla essence- 1 tsp,
Milk- 1 cup or 120 ml.
Filling- strawberry Jam- 1/4 cup.
Mascarpone cheese frosting:
Butter - 1/2 cup or 113 gms- room temperature,
Mascarpone cheese-200 gms,
Icing sugar- 2 and 1/4 cup,
Zest of 1 lemon,
Vanilla essence-1 tsp.
Fresh fruits- Strawberry,kiwi,orange and grapes.
Strawberry glaze-
Strawberry jam- 1/4 cup.
Water - 2tsp.
Method:
Pre heat oven to 350 F or 180 C
Butter and flour 2 ,8 inch round cake pans.
Line the bottom with butter paper and grease and flour the butter paper too.
While the eggs are still cold separate the yolks with the white.
Keep in separate bowls and cover ( 30 minutes).
In a bowl whisk together flour and baking powder.
In bowl of your mixer ,beat the butter until soft ( 1 -2 minute).
Add 3/4 cup of sugar( less 1/4 cup of sugar for egg white).
Beat until light and fluffy ( 2 to 3 minutes).
Add egg yolks one at a time,beating after each addition.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Add the vanilla and beat until combined.
With the mixer on low speed ,alternately add the flour mixture and milk in three additions,beginning and ending with the flour.
In a clean bowl,beat the egg whites until foamy( the blade should be clean with no trace of oil or butter,as it will prevent the egg white to make stiff peaks).
Add a pinch of salt and continue beating until soft peaks form.
Gradually add the remaining 1/4 sugar and continue to beat until stiff peaks form.
With the rubber spatulla gently fold a little of the white into the batter to lighten it and then fold in the remaining white until combined.
Do not over mix the batter or it will deflate.
Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared pans and smooth the top with back of a spoon.
Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes (since my oven is small,had to bake one cake pan at a time)
Bake until tooth pick inserted in the center comes out clean.
As the name suggests,the cake is white when fully baked,no browning on top.
Cool the cake in their pans on wire rack for 10 minutes.
Place a greased wire rack or plate on top of the cake and invert lifting off the pan.
Remove the butter paper and place it on the wire rack.
Place the inverted cake on the butter paper or buttered wire rack.
Leave it to cool completely.
Wrap the cake layers in plastic and keep in the freezer for at least one hour.
( this is done to make filling and frosting easier)
Mascarpone Cheese frosting:
Butter- 1/2 cup or 113 gms at room temperature,
Mascarpone cheese- 200 gms at room temperature,
Icing sugar- 2 and 1/4 cup,
Zest of one lemon,
Vanilla essence-1 tsp.
Cream the butter and cheese together until smooth with no lumps.
Add the icing sugar one cup at a time ,beating well after each addition.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Add the zest and vanilla and beat on high speed until the frosting is light and fluffy ( 4 to 5 minutes)
You can add milk to make the batter light if piping consistency has not reached ( few tsps).
Assemble:
Place one of the cake layers,top of the cake facing down on to your serving plate.
Spread the cake layer with 1/4 cup of strawberry jam ( beat the jam before spreading or if too stiff,keep in the microwave for few seconds to soften it)
( you can use any jam of your liking)
Place the next layer top of the cake facing down,onto the filling.
Spread the frosting on top and sides of the cake ( reserve some for piping)
Cover and refrigerate until serving time.
Just before serving garnish the top of the cake with fresh fruits.
Glaze the fruits with strawberry glaze.
Strawberry Glaze - Take 4 to 5 tbsp of strawberry jam and 1 tsp of water.Put in the microwave for few seconds to make the jam soft.
Mix with spoon and then sieve the contents in a small bowl to remove any lumps.
Brush the fruits with the glaze( it prevents the fruits from drying).
