Enduri pitha is a variety of pitha made in the Indian state of Odisha. A fermented batter made with rice and black gram is spread on turmeric leaves with a sweet filling and steamed. Traditionally these used to be steamed in an earthen pot with a cloth tied on the rim for placing the pithas. Now-a-days we use steaming pots for convenience. Apart from Odisha these are also popular in Bengal, Assam, UP and Bihar. Each region has its unique flavours.
When are the pithas made ?
Pithas are made on festive days as an offering to the Gods. Odisha celebrates 13 festivals in a year. Each time a different pitha is made as an offering depending on the seasonal availability of the raw ingredients.
Variety of Pithas:
We have a large variety of pithas, sweet as well as savoury ones. Apart from the steamed version we also have deep fried and pan roasted pithas.
Ingredients:
Rice ............... 1 cup
Urad dal ........ 1/3 cup
Salt ................ to taste
Turmeric leaves or banana leaves ...6. or as needed.
For the filling:
Grated coconut ........... 1/2 cup
Organic jaggery powder .. 1/2 cup or (add as per your liking)
Paneer chena .................... 1 cup
Cardamom powder .......... 1/4 tsp
Ghee / clarifird butter....... 1 tbsp
Method:
1. Soak the rice and urad dal for 4-5 hours.
2. Rinse and grind them adding little salt and water as required.
3. Allow it to ferment for 7-8 hours or evernight.
4. Add little water if needed to the fermented batter and whisk it well to make it light and fluffy.
5. In a pan dry roast the grated coconut for a minute or so.
6. Add the paneer chena and saute it a bit.
7. Now add the ghee and the jaggery powder and keep stirring until the jaggery melts.
8. Finally flavourthe mixture with cardamom powder and allow it to cool.
To make the Pithas:
1. Wash the turmeric leaves (or banana leaves) well and wipe them.
2. If using banana leaves cut them into a longish shape.
3. Grease the surface and spread some batter on them leaving the edges.
4. Spoon some filling and spread it.
5. Fold the leaves vertically with utmost care .
6. Steam them in steaming pot for 10 minutes. You don't have to flip the side.
7. Removethem from the leaves and serve.
Recipe adapted from - HERE
Information source - Wikipedia.
Yield - 6-8 pithas (depending on the size)
Check out the video
About the group:
Shhhhh Cooking Secretly is a monthly challenge in a facebook group where we are paired with a different partner every month. Two secret ingredients are chosen by each partner for the other one and we prepare any dish with those ingredients based on the selected theme of the month which was Pithas. This was suggested by Sasmita Sahoo Samanta. My favouriterecipe from her blog is Nuchinunde - Steamed lentil dumplings from Karnataka.
My partner of the month was Aruna Saraschandra. She gave me the two secret ingredients - Paneer Chena & Desi Ghee and I came up with this delicious and healthy Enduri Pitha.
I gave her Cumin seeds and Ginger since she chose to make savoury pitha. She made Biri Gaja or Biri Manda Pitha. An interesting pitha variety made in different shapes. Do check itout.