Chocolate Cheese Cake

Wish u all a very happy, prosperous, safe, successful and yummy year-2013...Have a bite of this super delicious chocolate cheese cake.. :-)

Find the full recipe by clicking here :- Chocolate Cheese Cake

Bournvita Cake

Hello Friends, i want to share this Bournvita Cake which is very interesting, yummy, delicious and healthy..:-)

Bournvita Cake

 

Plz go through my website for the details..Try it at ur home and enjoy..:-)

Eggless Date and Walnut Cake

This eggless date and walnut cake is a very tasty sponge cake recipe with the added taste of dates and walnuts.The cake is very easy to bake and simply divine..:-)

Ingredients

3/4 Cup All purpose flour(Maida)
1/2 Cup Chopped Dates
1/4 Cup Chopped Walnuts
1/4 Cup Water for soaking
Sweetened Condensed Milk 7 oz(3/4 Cup + 2 tbsp)
1/2 Stick Unsalted Butter(melted)
1 tsp Baking soda
1/2 tsp Baking powder
1/2 tsp Vanilla extract

Method

Soak chopped dates in 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup lukewarm water for 30mins.
Puree it by adding very little water which has used for soaking.
Preheat oven at 325 F(160 C)
Shift flour, baking powder, baking soda for 2-3 times.
Add melted butter, condensend milk and vanilla extract.
Add the pureed dates and mix.
Fold in chopped walnuts.
Grease baking dish with little butter.
Pour the prepared batter in to it and plain the surface by a spatula.
Bake for at least 45 mins.

After turning off keep the pan for 5 mins more inside the oven.
Remove and let it cool down completely before cutting.
Make pieces and serve...enjoy..:-)

*Sending this to Kalyani's Global Food Festival Event:-

and also sending it to Ayeesha's Any One Can Cook : Series 34

Stuffed Mango Pancakes

Mangoes--ummm my fav fruit ever...:-)
Although i prefer to have mangoes as they r, rather using it in any other thing, i could not stop myself from making these yummy stuffed mango pancakes after seeing them n one site...Sorry to say i forgot that site's name, but after seeing only i could not stop myself from drooling over those tasty bites...finally i made mind to make those yummy crepes...u can have it as desert or even use it for breakfast....choice is urs...i like it as a dessert--a real delicious one...:-)

Ingredients

Batter:-
1 cup All Purpose flour/maida
1/2 cup powdered  sugar
1/4 cup melted butter
2 eggs( u can choose to use only yolks if u want)
1 cup Milk
1 cup mango puree
oil

Stuffing:-
2 mangoes
2 cup thickened cream
1/2 cup powdered sugar

Sauce:-
1 mango
2tbsp thick coconut milk
2tbsp Milk
2 tbsp powder sugar

Method

Whisk eggs, butter and sugar till sugar dissolves.
Mix mango puree and milk to it.
Add flour to it lil by lil andmix properly.
Cover the mixing bowl with a cling film.
Let the batter rest inside fridge for 30mins.
Heat the pan in medium high heat, when the pan is heated reduce heat to low.
Spread 1 tsp oil in the pan.
Pour a ladleful of batter in to the pan and let it spread by its own..
When the top surface of the pancake starts to firm up, remove from heat.
Do not fry otherside of the pancake(i did this mistake..:-(..)
Place the pancake on a sheet of  baking paper on a flat surface to cool.
Repeat these above process for making more pancakes..

Whip cream on high speed incorporating sugar bit by bit until stiff peaks form.
Sliced mangoes in to medium sized chunks.

Place the pancake on a fresh baking paper, fried side facing up.
Wipe excess oil(by this time the pancake must b cool to the touch)
Put 1 tbsp of cream in the center of the pancake, followed by a mango slice and top off with another tbsp of cream.

Fold the pancake to create a rectangular/square puff, starting with the length first then the width.
Turn pancake upside down and wrap in a sheet of baking paper.
Chill it in fridge for at least 3 hours to allow the cream to set before serving.

For making the sauce, just mix all the ingredients listed in a food processor or a blender.

Serve the pancakes topped with the mango sauce....enjoy..:-)

Peanut Dosa

My love for dosa increased during my stay in SouthIndia...I stayed almost 4 yrs thr  and during my stay i visited Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad and i also went 2 my dearest friend's hometown Shimoga and stayed for 1 week at her home(Its really an unforgettable tour during new year time of 2005)....I ate various types of dosas and always find the ways to experiment with the variations of it...Recently i tried this Peanut Dosa which is made of peanuts, rice powder and maida...and u cant believe the taste is just awesome...feeding my son is a big issue always, but he also liked it a lot and enjoyed eating this dosa, which makes me really happy...:)

So im now sharing this with u all:-

Ingredients

1 1/2 Cup Peanuts
1 Cup Raw rice powder
1/2 Cup Maida(all purpose flour)
2 tbsp Curd
1 Onion(chopped)
1 Tomato(chopped)
1 tsp Roasted Cumin powder
1 tsp Red chilli powder
Salt to taste
Water
Oil

Method

Dry roast the peanuts, remove skin and grind them with lil water to make a fine paste.
Add curd, raw rice powder, all purpose flour and salt to taste.
Mix properly and keep aside for 15-20 min.
Add cumin and chilli powder to it .
Adjust the consistency of the batter by adding as much water needed to make slightly thin batter..
Heat tawa/skillet.
Put lil oil on it and wipe with a clean wet cloth.
Pour a laddle full of batter on to the hot tawa and let it spread by its own.
Sprinkle some chopped onions and tomatoes on it and pour 1 tsp oil/ghee on top and the sides of the dosa.
Cook for 4-5 min.
Turn and cook the other side for 2-3 min.

Serve hot like this or any chutney of ur choice...enjoy..:)

Amba Poda Pitha

Poda pitha, and Pura Poda Pitha are always super duper hit at my house...my hubby wanna it always, but this time having lotss of mangoes in hand, i just wanna make one of my fav from Grandma's kitchen; i.e Amba Poda Pitha...Its little different from the original recipe, as here mango milkshake and chopped mango pieces are added to the batter..and u cant believe the taste is as always awesome...even my son(1.6 yrs) had some with more interest...So as they say, grandma's recipes and mom's recipes r always gr8, its really taste soo good...and here it goes:-

Ingredients


1/2 cup rice
1 cup black gram - without outer skin (chopa-chhada biri)
1/2 cup Mango milkshake or as needed
1 cup finely chopped mangoes
1 1/2 cup sugar (chini)/jaggery(guda)
3-4 green cardamom(crushed)
Few chopped Dry fruits
2 tsp of black pepper powder
ghee or refined oil
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp Baking soda

Method


Soak the rice and black gram in water in separate bowls for about 4-6 hours.
Wash them thoroughly and grind the rice to a coarse paste and grind the grams to a fine paste...
Do not use much water for grinding..
Mix together both the batters by adding mango milkshake as needed to make a smooth and thick batter..
Add mango pieces, dryfruits, salt, sugar/jaggery,black pepper powder, crushed cardamom and baking soda to the batter and mix well.
Keep it covered for about 1 hour for self-fermentation.

Pre-heat the microwave/pressure cooker.
Form a thin layer of oil/ghee in the surface of the cooker/baking disk.
Add a layer of the batter about 1-2 cm thick.
Spread ghee over it.
For cooking in microwave, just bake it for 30-40 mins.

For cooking in the pressure cooker, cook it by closing the lid (without mounting the whistle-weight).
Place the pressure cooker in simmer flame for 40-50 mins.
Now poda pitha is ready.

When the pitha comes to normal temperature take it out carefully, and cut it into desired shapes.
Serve like this or with milk and ripe mango pieces, dalma, kheer or any other curry of ur choice.... enjoy..:-)

Sending this to Ayeesha's Any One Can Cook

and Vatsala's Friday Potluck

Malpua

Malpua is an Indian pancake served as a dessert or a snack..and this is my posting for celebrating the last day of the Raja Festival...will post one more recipe(janta podapitha) later for this festival...but now i am posting this sweet and very famous recipe for malpua..This delicious dish made of maida (refined flour) and milk melts in the mouth  for satisfying your sweet cravings...hope everyone will like it...:)
and here it goes:-

Ingredients:

1 litre milk or 250 ml evaporated milk

4 table spoon maida (all purpose flour)
2 cup sugar
1 tsp cardamom powder
2 tsp fennel Seeds
Ghee for frying
(U can also use refined oil but deshi ghee increases the taste)

Method:

Boil milk in heavy bottomed broad pan on medium flame,stir continuously till it reduced to 1/4 quantity.
Add maida once the milk gets cool.
Mix well and make a batter of pouring consistency like the thick ice cream shake.
Keep it aside for 2-3 hours by adding fennel seeds with it.
In a pan add sugar and take enough water to soak sugar,boil it and make the sugar syrup of one string.
To achieve this, keep boiling the syrup until a drop of syrup leaves one string between your thumb and finger.
Add cardamom powder to the sugar syrup.

Heat ghee in the shallow small frying pan.
Now pour some batter with the ladle to form a malpua.
(approximately of the size of small pancake or poori)
When you pore the batter in the center of pan, automatically it will take the shape of circle.
Fry both the sides till it becomes light golden brown in color.

Soak the malpua in sugar syrup for 1 min,drain and serve hot.
U can serve malpua with some rabri and dry fruits on the top.

Tips:

Do not confuse evaporated milk with condensed milk its different.
If you are using evaporated milk add refined flour directly to the milk,no need of boiling.
If u reheat the malpua in microwave,do it for only 10 seconds.

*Sending this to Ayeesha's Any One Can Cook: series 21

Pura Podapitha

Today is the first day of Raja(Pahili Raja) as i described in my previous post...and i am celebrating it with a dish of my fav from my Grandma's kitchen i.e; known as Pura Podapitha(Pura means stuffing )...U can  also see my earlier post for Podapitha..

Ingredients

1 cup rice
1 1/2 cup black gram - without outer skin (chopa-chhada biri)
1/2 cup milk or as needed
1 cup finely grated coconut (nadia kora)
1 cup crumbled paneer/chhena
(if u can get dahi chhena, the taste will b more good)
10-15 small pieces coconut (nadia khanda)
1 1/2 cup sugar (chini)/jaggery(guda)
3-4 green cardamom(crushed)
2 tsp of black pepper powder
ghee or refined oil
1/2 tsp  salt
1 tsp Baking soda
 

Method
 
Soak the rice and black gram in water in separate bowls for about 4-6 hours.

Wash them thoroughly and grind together by adding milk as needed to make a smooth  and thick batter..
Mix coconut pieces, salt 1/2 cup sugar/jaggery, crushed cardamom and baking soda to the batter and mix well.
Keep it covered for about 3-4 hours for self-fermentation.
Take grated coconut, crumbled paneer and 1 cup sugar/jaggery in a bowl and mix well.
Heat a kadai/pan and fry the above mixture by adding the black pepper powder  for 5-10 mins.
This will b used as the stuffing.

Pre-heat the microwave/pressure cooker.
Form a thin layer of oil/ghee in the surface of the cooker/baking disk.
Add a layer of the batter about 1-2 cm thick.
Spread a layer of the pura or stuffing over it.
Cover it with another layer of the batter about 1 cm thick.
Spread ghee over it.


For cooking in microwave, just bake it for 30-40 mins.

For cooking in the pressure cooker, cook it by closing the lid (without mounting the whistle-weight).
Place the pressure cooker in simmer flame for 40-50 mins.

Now poda pitha is ready.
When the pitha comes to normal temperature take it out  carefully, and cut it into desired shapes.
Serve  like this or with milk and ripe mango pieces, dalma, kheer or any other curry of ur choice.... enjoy..

Sending this perfect pitha to priya and aipi's bookmarked event.

Karanji/Gujiya

On the festival occasions, people all over India prepare best dishes at their home. There are so many varieties of these. Karanji, also known as Gujiya and pirikiya is a dish that is famous all over the country. Though preparation of Karanji requires little time and effort, the taste is worth all the patience. One major advantage of Karanji is that it can be stored for weeks and used as dessert as well as snacks. Incase, you have still not tasted Karanji, give it a try. Here is the recipe:-

Ingredients


For Stuffing:


1 cup grated dry coconut
1 cup powdered sugar
4 elaichi
2 tbsp mixed dry fruit pieces

For Dough:

1 cup maida
1 tsp ghee (butter)
salt (pinch)

warm milk (for doughing)

Method

In order to prepare Karanji, you will have to first prepare dough and then prepare the stuffing. Once you are done with both of them, you simply need to fill the stuffing and deep fry the Karanji.


Dough Preparation:

Mix 1 cup maida, 1 tbsp ghee, a pinch of salt and warm milk to prepare the dough, try to keep the dough a little hard.

Stuffing Preparation:

Mix all the above ingredients and fry them in a pan till dry.

Karanji Preparation:

1. Roll small oval shaped puris from the hard dough.
2. Now place the prepared stuffing in the middle of it.
3. Stick both the corners of the puri by applying some water or milk so that it will seal properly. Remember not to apply too much of water as it will not seal properly.
4. Deep fry it till it becomes brownish color.

5. Serve it hot or cold as you wish.

*Sending this yummy recipe to akil's "CELEBRATE SWEETS~STUFFED SWEETS"  event

Atta Chakuli

This Cake/pitha is a very popular and yummy breakfast ......mainly prepared  during the CHAITRA MAGALABAR as a bhog to Goddess Maa Durga...

Ingredients

• Atta ( Wheat flour ) - 300 gm
• Suji ( Rava ) - 75 gm
• Chini ( Sugar ) - 200 gm
• Pan Mahuri ( Aniseeds) - 2tsp
• Dahi chhena stuffing - 4tbsp(Optional)(in place of this u can use only grated coconut)
• Ripe Banana-2(smashed)
• Ghee/Refind Oil - As per requirement
• Salt  - As per requirement 

Method

• Add Wheat flour, rava, sugar, aniseeds, dahi chhena stuffing or grated coconut, banana,salt as per taste and required water to make a semi liquid batter. Whip well and keep it for 30 mins.
• Heat tawa (non stick will be better) on a medium flame.
• Spread a little ghee/oil (1tps) on the tawa.
• Take the batter in a tablespoon and spread it on the tawa like a dosa.
• Turn the pitha upside down after 1 min.
• When turns golden brown from each side, remove it from tawa.
• Serve hot.

*Sending this yummy recipe to Kirthi And Helen's Breakfast Club Event:-






and Breakfast Mela Hosted by- Cooking 4 all Seasons

Saru Chakuli(Similar to plain Dosa)

The thinner variety (similar to plain dosa) is called saru chakuli in Orissa. You have to use a little more batter and make thicker pithas in the shape of pancakes to prepare what is called just chakuli. Tastes great if served with dalama, chutney,sambar or kheer/khiri.

Ingredients

2 cups rice (arua chaula)

1 cup black gram (biri dali)
oil
salt to taste (luna)

Method

Soak rice and black gram together in water for overnight.
For this purpose you should use only the skinless black gram.
Grind the softned rice and black gram to a fine paste. Add salt.
Then add water to get a semiliquid batter and whip well.
Heat tawa  (non-stick tawa is most suitable) on medium flame.
Spread a litle oil on the tawa. Lower the flame.
Take the batter in a big spoon and spread the same on the tawa as is done while preparing dosa or omelette.
Sprinkle some oil on top and the surrounding of the pitha.Turn the pitha upside down.
Then take the same out carefully.
Remember to grease the surface of tawa with  oil once every two or three pithas.

Enduri Pitha and Prathamashtami

Prathamashtami is one of the most popular festivals of Orissa, peculiar to the region. This is the eighth day in the month of Margasira in which the eldest child of the family is honoured. He or she is given new clothes to wear and which was a big sorrow of mine.When i was small as im the yonger child,i dint get new clothes as my elder brother.But my mom used to bring back smile on my face by giving me enduri pitha soon after the puja...It tastes heavenly awesome,so i used to 4get my sorrows.....

Main Ritual

The elder child is made to sit on a wooden pedestal (Pidha). In fornt of him/her an earthen pitcher, full of water is placed on handfuls of paddy. Above it a branch of mango leaves and a cocoanut is placed. Then, the mother wishes him /her long-life and good health by praying Sasthi Debi, the Goddess that protects children.

The social significance of this festival is that the first-borns are brighter and it is ultimately they who take up the burden of the family after the death of the parents. According to psychologists the first-borns are mostly healthy, obedient and tradition-bound. Therefore, the family tradition is maintained through them. For such obvious reasons the eldest child is honoured to occupy the respectable place in the family after the death of the parents.

Enduri Pitha/Haldi Patra Pitha

A special variety of cake is prepared on this occasion which is known as 'Enduri'.In some places it also known as Haldi Patra Pitha. The cake is offered to the Goddess of Sasthi and then taken by all. In the temple of Lingaraj at Bhubaneswar, the festival is observed with great devotion. On this day the repesentative deity of Lingaraj is taken out in a palanquin to a tank called "Papanasini" which is situated just behind the temple.

This has been a part of the traditional Oriya festivities. There is a striking similaity of the pitha with patholi, a popular dish of Kerala. It is surprising how this recipe found common acceptance in two different remote culinary cultures centuries back.

I made enduri pitha with ghughuni(another yummy delicacy of orissa).You can have it with dalma or even with mutton curry .

Ingredients

1 cup rice
1 cup black gram

1 cup grated coconut

100 gm cottage cheese

If u can use Dahi chhena, it'll be better.

150 gm jaggery
3 small cardamoms
6 black peppers
Green turmeric leaves (haladi patra)

Salt to taste

Method

Soak rice and blackgram Overnight.

Use only the skinless blackgram for the purpose.

Wash the same thoroughly and then grind into a thick batter.

It need not be a very fine paste. Grind leaving a little coarseness in the rice. Whip well.

Leave the batter for fermenting for about 2 hours.

Add salt and mix well.

Now to prepare the stuffing, place a frying pan on medium flame.

Put the coconut, cottage chheese and jaggery. Stir and fry the same till it becomes a little dry.

Then add powdered cardamom and blackpepper. Mix well and keep aside.

Now to prepare the pitha take one whole green turmeric leaf (If the leaf is of bigger size you may trim it).

Put a little batter on the leaf and flatten the same.

Then put the required quantity of stuffing on the batter and fold the turmeric leaf lengthwise in such a way that the stuffing gets sandwitched in between two layers of batter.

Now we are going to steam it in the traditional way.

It is similar to the way we steam idli. But the round shaped moulds found inthe idli stands won't do.

Because our pitha is long shaped. So if you are using an idli stand instead of using the round shaped moulds make suitable modifications.

Other wise to follow an age-old Oriya method take a wide mouthed pot. Fill it upto half with water.

Then tie a muslin cloth tightly around its mouth.

Carefully place the folded leaves containing stuffed batter on the cloth. Cover it with a concave shaped lid. Steam it till done and fork comes out clean. This way go on steaming pithas .

The delicate aroma of turmric leaf is a special feature of the pitha.

In case of non-availability of green turmetic leaf, you could also alternatively use banana leaf.

But in that case the aroma of turmeric leaf would be missing.

Chhana Manda Pitha

Ingredients

For dough:
2-cups Semolina (Suji),
1/2-cup sugar,
½ liter refined oil ,
5 Cups of Water



For stuffing:
Grated coconut-1 cup ,
1 Cup Paneer (Dahi Chhena will be better),
1 cup sugar/jaggery ,
1 teaspoon black pepper powder,
2 teaspoon cardamom powder

Method

For Dough



Add ½ cup water to ½ table-spoons Semolina (Suji) to make a paste.
Heat 5 cups of water and 1/2 cup sugar in a frying pan.
Add the paste to the pan when the sugar solution becomes saturated and stir well.
Make sure that no lump is formed while stirring.
Leave the pan on the flame for 2 minutes for the mixture to boil.
Now add rest of the semolina to the mixture and lower the flame.
Stir it properly. Now transfer the mixture from pan to a flat plate.
Knead to make smooth dough by adding 1 tablespoon of refined oil and water if needed.
The refined oil prevents formation of lumps.


For Stuffing


Roast black pepper and cardamom and then powder them.
Fry grated coconut, Paneer and sugar/jaggery in a frying pan. Do not add oil.
Add the powdered ingredients to it and stir. The stuffing is ready.


Make small balls of the dough. Flatten each ball and put the stuffing on it and again form a ball so that the stuffing remains at the center. Heat the oil in the pan and fry the balls till it becomes golden brown. Yummy Chhana Manda is ready .

Chunchi Patra Pitha(Needle-Thin cake)

This recipe is one of my most favourite one from my mom's kitchen...whenever she used to make it ,  i  helped her by grating coconuts and making the stuffing  for this recipe..This is a very soft,sweet and yummy dish...



Ingredients

1 Cup Rice
1/2 Cup Black Gram
1 Coconut(grated)
Sugar 1 Cup
2 Cardamoms(crushed)
Oil, Salt
Baking Soda, Muslin cloth


Method

Soak rice and black gram overnight and grind to make a smooth batter.

Add salt with baking soda and whip properly.

Add enough water to make a watery batter.

Fry grated coconut and sugar in a pan.

Add crushed cardamom in to it and fry for 1 min more.

This is used as the stuffing.

Heat & grease the tawa, two-three fold a muslin cloth, dip it in the batter and make a cross like structure in the tawa by using the muslin cloth as a paint brush.

Put little stuffing in the middle of it and fold it like a handkerchief.

Take out the delicious Chhunchi Patra pitha carefully.

*Sending this delicious recipe to :
                                         Breakfast Mela Hosted by Cooking 4 all Seasons

"Cooking with your Little Sous-chef "Event Announcement

Chitau Pitha

This is called as Chitau Pitha...Another popular recipe of my state-usually made for snacks orbreakfast and during Manabasa gurubar and chita lagi amabasya festivals.

Ingredients

500 gm Rice

1 Coconut

1tspoon Baking soda

1 Cup Sugar

Ghee

Salt

Method

Soak the rice in water for 3-4 hrs.

Grate the coconut .Wash the rice and add grated coconut and to it.

Grind this mixture to form a smooth batter.

Add sugar, baking soda & salt to it.

Whip properly & keep aside for 2-3 hrs.

Heat ghee in a pan or tawa.

Add 2 table spoons of the batter &spread to give it a round shape.

Cover the lid and put the pan on low flame for 2mins.Open the lid & take out the yummy Chitau pitha.

Budha Chakuli(A Sweet Variation to Set Dosa of South)

Budha Chakuli is a thick pitha/cake made of black gram dal& rice batter mix with jaggery,cottage cheese/paneer(chhena) and grated coconut.It is a very well known recipe of Orissa.

Ingredients

1 Cup Black Gram Dal(Biri)
1 Cup Rice(Arua Chaula)
2 Cardamoms(Crushed)(Ilaichi/Gujurati)
1 Coconut(Nariyal/Nadia)(Grated)
1 Cup Cottage Cheese/Paneer(Chhena)
If u could use Dahi chhena(Paneer made from Curd),it will be more good for taste.
1 Cup Sugar(Chini)/Jaggery(Guda)
1'' Ginger(Minced)(Adrakh/Ada)
Salt to Taste
Ghee/Oil

Method

Soak the dal & rice in water for 4-5 hours.
Grind to make a smooth batter.
Keep it 1hr for self formentation by adding salt & baking soda.
Mash the Cottage cheese/Paneer/Dahi Chhena properly.
Mix grated coconut,Sugar/jaggery & crushed cardamoms to it
Heat a pan and fry the above mixture for 5-10mins.
Mix it with minced ginger to the batter.
Heat ghee  in a Tawa.
Pour the batter to make a thick round shape.
Add some ghee over it and turn upside down.
Budha Chakuli is ready to serve.
Serve it with Milk or any curry of your choice.

Kanti Pitha

A well known and very tasty recipe of Lord Baladev of Baladev jiu Temple at Kendrapada,Orissa .

Ingredients:

4 cups rice soaked over night in water
4 cups finely grated coconut
4 cups milk
3 cups jaggery(guda)
1 cup dryfruit(kismis,kaju)
3-4 cardamoms (crushed)
3 tbspoon ghee
1/2 tspoon salt
Water as required

Method:

Grind rice & coconut with milk to make a smooth and fine batter(Add water if necessary)
Mix the batter with salt,jaggery,crushed cardamoms and dryfruits.
Keep it covered for 1 hr.
Heat Pan.
Pour the mixture and stir it continuosly until you get a thick dough.
Pre heat the microwave/pressure cooker.
Form a layer of ghee in the surface of the cooker or baking disk.
For cooking in microwave cook it for 40 mins.
For cooking in cooker por the dough and close the lid without mounting the whistle weight.
Now place the cooker in simmer for about 1hr.

Now Kanti Pitha is ready but dont it when hot.
When it comes to room temperature, take out the pitha carefully and cut it in your desired shape.

Poda Pitha-Orissa Special(recipe for raja festival)

Happy Raja festival to everyone...:-)

Ingredients:

4 cup rice
2 cup black gram - without outer skin (chopa-chhada biri)
1 cup finely grated coconut (nadia kora)
10-15 small pieces of thin coconut slices (nadia khanda)
3 cup sugar (chini)/jaggery(guda)(I used guda)
50gm chopped ginger (kata ada)
1 table spoon ghee or refined oil(I used ghee for a better flavor)
½ teaspoon salt (luna)
1 teaspoon baking powder/baking soda
Few Cashew nut and raisins

Method:

Soak the rice and black gram in water in separate bowls for about 4 hours. If u can soak it overnight, then it'll be more good..
Wash them thoroughly. Put the black gram with water in the grinder and form a fine batter.
Do the same with rice but keep in mind that the batter should be coarse and not as fine as the batter of black gram.
Keep both the batters for 4 hours for self-fermentation.
Mix both the batters and add coconut slices, grated coconut, chopped ginger, salt, jaggery,Cashew, raisns and baking powder.
Mix all the ingredients well .
Pre-heat the microwave/pressure cooker.
Form a thin layer of oil in the surface of the cooker/baking disk.
For microwave, u can use butter paper or foil for baking...
For cooking in microwave, just bake it for 30-40 minutes.
For cooking in the cooker, pour the mixed batter into the cooker and close the lid (without mounting the whistle-weight).
Place the pressure cooker in simmer flame for about one hour.

Now poda pitha is ready.
When the cooker comes to normal temperature take out the pitha carefully, and cut it into desired shapes and serve.
Try to have it with milk+sugar, it'll give a very yummy taste...enjoy..:-)

Arisha Pitha-Orissa Special

Ingredients:

2 cups rice
1 cup+2tbsp jaggery (guda)
Ghee/refined cooking oil for frying

Method:

Soak the rice in water for overnight or 6-7hrs.
Wash it thoroughly and drain all the water.
Keep the rice in room temperature to dry by spreading it on tissue paper for about 30 minutes.
Grind it to make fine powder
Heat the handi or kadhai and add jaggery.
As you go on stirring on medium flame, it forms a syrup.
The syrup should be of one string.
Slowly add rice powder to the syrup and stir continuously to form a semi solid batter.
Take the batter in small portions and flatten the same with the help of your palms in the shape of small thick puris. Fry them in ghee/oil till done.
Take them out and serve hot.
The pitha also tastes great when served after cooling.
You may also preserved it in room temperature for about 3-4 weeks.

Pani Manda/Sijha Manda Pitha

Ingredients:

2 cups of crushed rice (chaula chuna)
3 cups of water
1 cup of finely grated coconut (nadia kora)
¾ cup brown sugar/jaggery (guda)
5-6 small cardamom
salt to taste

Method:

Stuffing - Mix finely grated coconut and jaggery in a heated frying pan.
Add cardamom powder and mix thoroughly.
Here we can also use dahi chhena stuffing for a better taste.

Heat water. Add salt and little sugar to the water.
Prepare dough by adding crushed rice to the boiling water.
Stir it continuosly and boil further until you get a thick dough.
Keep the dough in room temperature and knead it by adding one spoon oil to make it more soft. Form 8 to 10 balls by rolling them with the help of your palms.
Flatten each ball and place the stuffing in it.
Close the flattened balls after putting the stuffing and carefully give them a rounded shape again.
Steam the stuffed balls for 3-4 minutes.
Serve hot or cold.

*Variation:

You may also prepare another variety of Manda Pitha where semolina (suji) is used instead of crushed rice. This is known as Suji Manda. Follow the steps mentioned above.
But replace 2 cups crushed rice with 2 cups of semolina.
However in this case use a little more water (say 4 cups).