Dal Pittha in Bihari food

Pittha

Pittha is a healthy dish in Bihari traditional cuisine. Due to the texture similarity with momos, this is known as Bihari momos. It is either in the shape of a semi-circular, ball or boat. It's filling made of the paste of channa dal (soaked overnight and boiled) & dry masala. It's upper crust made of rice flour dough then steamed in the streamer or traditionally dip in the hot boiling water in any deep vessel.

There is a tradition in Bihar to make the Pittha & aalo baigan sabji on the occasion of Bhai duj.

Ingredients For Pittha

For Stuffing:
Chana Dal: 1/2 cup
Green Chilli: 2 pcs
Ginger:  1 inch
Hing: 1/2 tsp
Garlic: 3 cloves
Dried Red Chilli: 1-2(Optional)
Coriander Leaves
Cumin seeds(Roasted Powder): 1 tsp
Black Pepper Powder: 1/2 tsp
Salt: 1&1/2 tsp
Black Salt: 1/2 tsp

For Rice Dough:
Rice Flour: 1 cup
Water: 1.25 cup
Ghee:  1  tsp
Salt: 1/2 tsp

Instruction for making Rice Dough:

1. Boil the water with the ghee & salt in a Kadhai or in a heavy bottom pan.
2. When water starts boiling add rice flour in water and stir continuously otherwise there will be lumps.
3. When water & rice flour mix well, switch off the flame and cover it at least for 5 minutes.
4. After 5 minutes make a smooth dough with rice and water mixture (mixture should be lukewarm).
5. Keep aside this.

How to make dal pittha stuffing:

1. Boil the soaked chana dal with salt, hing, garlic, turmeric and dried red chilli in a pressure cooker (one whistle) or in a heavy bottom pan.
                             
2. Now strain dal and let it be cool.
3. In a mixer grinder add dal, ginger, green chilli and make a crumbled mixture.
4. Now take a large mixing bowl to add chana dal mixture, roasted cumin powder, ground pepper, salt & coriander leaves and mix well.
5. Taste the mixture and add salt or green chilli according to your taste.
   
                                   

How to assemble:

1. Take a heavy bottom vessel or utensil add water at-least above the half and let it be a boil.
2. In the meantime, take one small ball size dough, shape it like Katori and fill the stuffing.
3. When the water boiled put pittha(stuffed dough) one by one in the boiled water. After 2-3 minutes, pittha floats above the water, it means pittha is done.
4. Serve pittha with green chutney(In Bihar, pittha is served with aalo baigan subji).