Cooking Time Required: 30-40 mins
Cost of preparation: 70-80 rupees
Ingredients: Suji ( 250 gm ), maida ( 1 cup ), coconut ( grated, 2 cups ), chenna ( cottage cheese, 1 cup ), sugar ( 3-4 tsp ), raisins ( optional, 1 cup ), fennel ( saunf, pana mahuri, 1 tsp ), cardamon ( 1-2 nos ), ghee ( 1 tbs ), oil for frying, salt.
Preparation: Boil water in a wok ( Use water twice the volume of suji ). Add the suji, maida, fennel and salt to the boiling water and keep stirring continously to avoid formation of lumps.
Remove from fire once the water is completely absorbed and the mixture forms a solid lump.
Allow to cool down a bit. Add the ghee. Knead the mixture into a smooth dough. The kneading should be done when the dough is still hot ( should have a tolearble temperature ).
Add sugar, raisins, cashews, chenna and cardamon powder to the grated coconut.Mix well.
Break the dough into small balls. Flatten the balls into small rotis. Stuff with the
coconut-chenna mixture. Shape into small balls.
Cooking: Heat a wok. Add sufficient oil for frying. When the oil is sufficiently hot, add the stuffed balls. Fry till the balls are cooked and turn golden brown.
Remove from the wok and serve hot.
Tip to avoid lumps in the dough - Dissolve 1 tsp maida in cold water and add to the boiling water before adding the rest of the maida and suji.
Note - This Pitha can be made entirely with Suji which makes it very crispy. Or with maida with just a hint of suji for that melt in touch texture without the crispy feel.
