Luni Poda Pitha ( Savoury Rice Cake from Odisha )

Raja Parba has come and gone. And has left behind a legacy of Poda pithas never witnessed before in Odisha. Every Odia lady with a presence on social media has as gone out of her way to reaffirm her pitha making skills and even hone them further. In the last three days, my Facebook, twitter and instagram feed looked more like a beautiful kaleidoscope with Pithas of various shapes and hues. And as an Odia, it makes me feel proud indeed to witness the ethnic food from my region getting it's fair share of appreciation.

The Luni Poda Pitha is a savoury version of the more popular Poda Pitha. 'Poda Pitha' literally translates into burnt cake as the batter/dough is wrapped up in leaves before being tossed over the dying embers of a dying wood fire. But that was in the days of yore. Nowadays pithas are being prepared in ovens or even microwaves by the tons. Yes, they do lack the smokey flavor but everything else is just amazing.

My version is loaded with veggies like cauliflower, carrot, tomato, capsicum and onions. The seasoning is fairly frugal with some crushed green chili, ginger, a few curry leaves and freshly chopped cilantro.

Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time - 1 hour

Ingredients -

• 1 cup skinless black lentil ( chopa chada biri )
• 2 cups rice  ( arua chaula )
• 1 1/2 cup chopped cauliflower (small florets)
• 1/2 cup chopped carrot (small pieces)
• 1 small capsicum (finely sliced)
• 2 finely chopped tomatoes
• 1 large onion ( thinly sliced )
• 2 green chillis ( coarsely crushed )
• 1 1/2 inch ginger ( finely crushed )
• 3-4 tsp chopped cilantro
• 1 sprig of curry leaves
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• salt to taste
• 2 tsp oil

Preparation: Soak the rice and lentil overnight. Wash and grind into a fine paste the next morning. Allow to ferment for 10-20 hours depending on the climate.

Cooking - Heat 1 tbsp oil in a wok.  Toss in the cauliflower and carrot. Saute for 5-6 mins on a medium flame.

Next add the capsicum and saute till it starts getting a bit limp.

Switch off the flame and let the veggies come down to room temperature.

Preheat an oven to 180 degrees centigrade for 10 mins.

Take a good quality ovenproof dish which is about 2 inches deep. Grease the container with 1 /2 tsp oil.

Add the sauteed vegetables and the remaining ingredients to the batter and mix thoroughly.

Pour the batter into the baking dish.

Put in the oven and cook at 180 degrees for 30 mins. Then lower the temperature to about 150 degrees and bake for another 30 mins. Insert a toothpick to check if it comes out clean.

Remove from oven and let it cool down completely . Cut into pieces and serve with by itself or any curry of your choice.

Have a great Raja with the Poda pitha !!

Sugarfree Lau Poda Pitha

Pithas are the mainstay of Odia festive food. And Raja is just another occasion to reinforce the fact that we Odia's love our pitha . From the sweet to the savory, and from the frugal to the opulent, there is a pitha for every budget and every occasion.

Though I personally prefer the savory ones over the sweetened variety, the Lau Poda pitha is one of my favorite Pithas. And according to a story that dates back to my childhood days, I ended up burning my forearm trying to get it out of the hot oven, In fact I still have a burn mark (though it has lightened considerably over time) to vouch for the authenticity of this tale.

In those days, it was my grandmother who prepared the pitha and she used to make this one in a round electric oven with a glass window on top. The whole contraption used to glow red during the time it was being operated. And it was a real magnet for a curious kid like me. You can very well decipher the rest of the tale.

Quite easy to prepare and with the additional health benefits of bottle gourd puree, I opted for a Sugarfree version this Raja as my MIL is diabetic. But one can use sugar or jaggery as one pleases.

[ IMPORTANT - For more Pitha recipes, click HERE ]

Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time - 1 hour

Ingredients -

• 1 3/4 cup Chaula chuna (rice flour)
• 3 cups Bottle gourd chunks
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup coconut slices
• 1/4 tsp cardamom powder
• 1 tsp freshly pepper powder
• 1/5 tsp salt
• 6-7 tsp sugar
• 2 tbsp ghee

Preparation - Peel and cook the bottle gourd pieces for 1 whistle. Once steam escapes, drain off the water and puree the boiled bottle gourd.

Cooking - Take the bottle gourd puree in a wok and cook it on a low flame for 4-5 minutes before adding the milk.

Once the mixture gets bubbling, add the rice flour, salt and sugar. Cook till it gets to a dough like consistency.

Remove from the flame before adding the cardamom powder, pepper powder, ghee and coconut slices. Mix in and keep aside till it reaches a bearable temperature.

Rub ghee on your palms and start kneading it thoroughly for 5 mins.

Grease a baking dish. Press the dough into it and drizzle some ghee on top.

Preheat for 10 mins at 180 degrees.

Place the baking dish in the oven and bake at 180 degrees till a reddish crust forms.

Remove and keep aside till it cools down. Cut into pieces.

Serve cold. Tastes best the next day and can be refrigerated for up to one week.

Welcoming Raja Festival 2015 !!!

Raja or the advent of monsoon is a big festival in Odisha. This year it is being celebrated from 14th to 16th of June. It is time to don the chef's hat and indulge in making some of Odisha's glorious 'Pithas'. Apart from the regulation Poda pitha, karara and chunchipatra pitha, there are lots of delectable pithas that one can sample from. Check below -

Check out the recipes HERE.

Biri Poda Pitha ( Sweetened Rice cake from Odisha )

Ratha jatra or the Car festival is one of the most important and eagerly awaited festivals in the Odiya calendar. It marks the annual trip made by Lord Jagannath to his mausi's abode. It is being celebrated on 10th of July this year.

Among the famous offerings being made to the Lord during his visit the one that stands out most is the 'Poda pitha'. This slowly baked cake made by using firewood and an earthern hearth is an intrinsic part of many odiya folklores.

Not to be confused with the 'Raja poda pitha', this one  has it own unique flavour. While the 'poda' prepared during Raja has 'chaula chuna' or rice flour as its main ingredient, Lord Jagannath's favorite makes use of 'biri chaula pithau' or black lentil and rice batter. Enriched with many aromatic ingredients like desi ghee, crushed ginger, crushed peppercorns, cardamom powder, jaggery, freshly grated coconut and coconut slices, this 'desi' cake can easily give the imported variants a run for their money.

I have given a slight twist to this traditional recipe by substituting the freshly grated coconut with a roasted and slightly caramelized version. Also, adding a tiny bit of baking powder helps with the leavening ( as fermentation takes longer in the cool climate of Bangalore ).

Here's the recipe :

Ingredients:

• 1 cup skinless black lentil ( chopa chada biri )
• 2 cups rice  ( arua chaula )
• 3-4 tbsp sugar/Jaggery ( adjust as per requirement )
• a handful of dry fruits ( raisins and chopped cashews )
• 1/2 cup chenna ( ricotta cheese ) 'Optional'
• 1/2 cup grated coconut
• 1/2 cup thin coconut slices
• 3 tbsp ghee
• 1/3 cardamom powder
• 1 tsp coarsely ground peppercorn
• 1 1/2 inch ginger ( finely crushed )
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• salt to taste

Preparation: Soak the rice and lentil overnight. Wash and grind into a fine paste the next morning. Allow to ferment for 10-20 hours depending on the climate.

Heat 1 tbsp ghee in a frying pan. Add the grated coconut and roast on a low flame till it starts turning brown. Add 2 tsp sugar and cook till the sugar melts and coats the coconut evenly giving it a beautiful brown hue. Allow this mixture to cool down.

Mix the salt, remaining sugar/jaggery , dry fruits, cardamom powder, pepper, ginger, ghee, coconut slices and also the caramelized coconut into the batter. Finally add the baking powder and give it a good whisk. Let it stand for 5 mins before popping into the pre-heated oven.

Cooking: Preheat an oven to 180 degrees centigrade.

Take a good quality ovenproof dish which is about 2 inches deep. Grease the container with a good quantity of ghee.

Pour the batter into the baking dish.

Put in the oven and cook at 180 degrees for 30 mins. Then lower the temperature to about 150 degrees and bake for another 30 mins. Insert a toothpick to check if it comes out clean.

Remove from oven and let it cool down completely . Cut into pieces and serve with ghuguni and kheeri.

Have a great time enjoying the Poda pitha !!

Poda Pitha And Ratha Jatra (The famous Chariot Festival of Puri)

Ratha Jatra also known as the Chariot festival or Car festival, is one of the most important festivals in Orissa and also a major tourist attraction. This festival is celebrated in honour of Lord Jaganaath who is an incarnation of Lord Vishnu.

Every year in the month of Asada, the Chariots of the Lord Jaganath accompained with those of his siblings, Lord Balabhadra & Goddess Subhadra roll from Srimandira to Gundicha temple, the abode of his Mausi maa ( Mother's sister ). The sight of the sea of humanity which follows the Gods during this journey is a truely overwhelming experience.















The majestic sandalwood chariots take more than two months to prepare and are built newly every year. The chariots also have very interesting names :
Nandighosa - Lord Jaganath's chariot
Taladhwaja - Lord Balabharda's chariot
Darpadalan - Lord subhadra's chariot.

Important rituals on this day are :
Pahandi - the Lords are carried from the temple to the chariots in a grand procession; and
Chera pahanra - the chariots of the Lords are swept by the incumbent King of Puri with a broom which has a few gold strands in it.

The chariots are pulled by the eager followers who believe it be aspicious. The journey takes about midday to evening. In case the Lords are not able to complete the journey on the same day, they resume the remaining jouney on the next day.

The Lords stay at Gundicha temple for 7 days and return to Shri mandira in a similar procession which is called the Bahuda or Ulta Ratha Jatra.

During their stay at the Mausi Maa Mandira, various edibles are offered to the Lords as prasad. SOme of them are Khaee, Khira Kadali, Gajja, Pheni, Poda pitha, Manda pitha, Enduri pitha, Arissa pitha and Karaka pitha.

Ratha jatra is also celebrated at the ISKON temples and by the oriya community settled in various parts of India and abroad.

Catch the live action in Hyderabad @ Jaganath Temple, Banjara Hills or @ ISKON temple, Secundrabad.

Jai Jaganath!!!

Celebrating Raja Day 1 : (with) Janta Poda Pitha

Raja Sankranti ( or Swing festival) or "Mithuna Sankranti" is the first day of the month of 'Asadha' from which the season of rains starts. It augurs the start of the rains which brings joy to the farmers.The first day is called "Pahili Raja" , second is "Raja" (Raja Sankranti) and third is "Basi Raja" or "Raja basi" (Basumati Snana). It is more popularly celebrated in the Coastal districts of Orissa.

As per the popular legend, all three days of the festival are considered to be the
menstruating period of Mother Earth. During this festival all agricultural operations remain suspended. It is a festival mainly for the unmarried girls. They observe all the restrictions prescribed for a menstruating woman as in olden times. They take a oil-bath on the first day and wear new clothes. For the rest 2 days bathing or combing the hair is a taboo. Married women also observe the same rules for Raja during the first year of their marriage.

Swing are put up on Mango & Banyan trees at different places in the villages and cities. These days one can see the swings being put up in different clubs or colonies in BBSR or cuttack. 'Poda pitha' is the main delicacy prepared during Raja . Other varieties of pithas are also prepared and distributed among relatives and friends.

This year Raja is being celebrated from 14th to 16th June. Please do visit this space for a new pitha recipe everyday.

Here goes my delicacy for day 1 :

Janta Poda pitha

Cooking Time Required: 1 hour
Cost of Preparation: 60-70 Rupees


Ingredients: Broken Basmati rice ( 1 1/2 cups ), 1/2 cup thinly sliced coconut, milk ( 3 cups ), water ( 1 cup ),
pepper powder ( 1/5 tsp ), cardamon powder ( 1/4 tsp ), sugar ( 4-5 tsp ), salt ( 1/4 tsp ).

For the pura : Coconut ( finely grated, 1 no ), fresh chenna ( 1 cup ), sugar ( 3 tsp ), raisins ( 1/2 cup ), ghee ( 1 tsp ).

Preparation: Soak the rice for 10-15 mins. Wash and drain all the water ( Use a
colander, do not dry under the fan or the sun ). Put in a grinder and grind into a fine powder.

Grate the coconut.

Cooking: Bring the milk and water to boil. Add salt, sugar, cardamon and pepper powder. Add the rice flour in small batches and mix continuously so that no lumps are formed. Finally add the coconut slices.

Stir the mixture on a low flame for about 10 minutes till it takes on a softer
consistency than the dough used for making rotis . Switch off the flame at this stage.
















Allow the dough to cool down a few degrees till it is tolerable. Rub ghee all over your hands and knead the still warm dough for 5 mins to make it smoother.

Heat a pan. Add ghee followed by the raisins and stir fry for 1 minute. Add grated
coconut and sugar at this stage. Fry for 5-6 minutes and remove from the stove.
















Line a baking tray with foil. Spread a little ghee on the foil and add a layer of the dough about 1.5 cm thick. Spread a layer of the pura or coconut stuffing over it ( 0.5 cm thick ). Cover it with another layer of the dough ( 1 cm thick ). Spread about 1/3 tsp of ghee over it.
















Pre-heat the oven to 170 degrees. Put in the baking tray and bake at a temperature of 150 degrees for 40 minutes. Do not overdo it as the pitha should remain soft and should not harden .















Remove from the oven and allow to cool down for 1 hour.

Serve with kheer or alu dum/ghuguni/dalma. ( The poda pitha is not overly sweet and
hence it goes well with the curries.)

Note: The rice flour should be used within 2-3 days.