CHITAU PITHA

Chitau pitha is a special variety of rice pancake which is being offered to Lord Jagannath on the Chitalagi Amavasya day also known as Chitau Amavasya. Chitau pitha is made with soaked rice and coconut which are ground together to make this soft and fluffy pancake. This receipe needs very little amount of oil and it is delicious and healthy. Previously the chitau pitha was being prepared in a Palam (Clay pot) but now a days palam is not easily available so we are making in a kadai.

INGREDIENTS:

• Basmati Rice - 1.5 cup
• Grated coconut - 2 cup/1 medium size
• Salt to taste
• Sugar - 1 tbsp ( if you want a sweet version you can add more sugar)
• Baking soda - 1~2 pinch (optional)
• Oil/Ghee as required

PROCEDURE:

1. Soak rice for 4 ~5 hour.
2. Make a fine batter of soaked rice and grated coconut along with little Water.
3. Keep it at room tempreture for 3 ~4 hour for fermentation. Do not keep it for a longer time period, otherwise the taste will be change.
4. After fermentation add salt, sugar, baking soda (optional) & water. Make a thin batter with nice pouring consistancy.
5. Pre-heat the kadai with 1/2tsp ghee. After the kadai is heated, scoop a ladle full of the mixture & pour in the centre.
6. Cover the kadai with a lid. Make sure the cover should not be covering the entire kadai.
7. After few second remove the cover and check, once you see small holes in the pitha/pancake, cover it again and sprinkle some water to the sides of the lid & cook for 2 more minute in the medium flame. In the steam the pitha will cook. For that reason the cover should be slight smaller otherwise we can not able to sprinkle water and the pitha will not able to cook in the steam.
8. Now remove the lid and gently remove the pitha from the kadai. No need to flip the upper portion of the pitha.
9. Prepare all chitau pitha and serve it with some warm milk or rabdi or kheer or dalma.