Pithala Bhakri

Pithla Bhakri is called as Farmer's meal in Maharashtra. But because of it's awesome test it got popular among all Maharashtrian people. Pithla is made up of Besan - chickpea flour . It's damn easy to make. If you have no veggies in your fridge this is the perfect option. Pithla tastes good with plane rice also. After a hectic day we just prepare Pithla bhat (Rice) for dinner. If you are eating Pithla with rice then the consistency of pithla should be semi fluid. If with bhakri then either semi fluid or complete dry, it is also called as zunka or korda (dry) Pithla. Farmers used to carry this Zunka Bhakri to the farm for a lunch. There are so many methods of making Pithla that I will post later on, but my friend Ritika asked me again for this recipe so Ritika, this is specially for you……..

For Pithla

Ingredients

Besan - 1/2 cup

Water - 2-3 cups

Green chilies - 3-4

Garlic cloves -3-4

Ginger - 1 inch

Cumin seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

Chopped Onion - 1

Oil- 1 tablespoon

Mustard seeds - 1/4 teaspoons

Asafetida - 1/4 teaspoon

Turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon

Salt to taste.

Procedure

First thing is to coarsely grind chilies, garlic, ginger and cumin seeds and make a chutney of it. Heat oil in a kadai and make tempering of mustard seeds, turmeric powder, asafetida. Now add chopped onion and saute it till it becomes slightly brown. Now add ground chutney and saute it. Flame should be on sim to avoid burnt aroma to Pithla. Add 2-3 cups of water and salt. When water starts boiling add besan slowly with one hand and continuously stir it in kadai with other hand. I like little lumps in Pithla so I keep some lumps in between. Boil it for 2-3 minutes. According to your choice of consistency adjust the proportion of water and besan. Some people likes extra hot tadka (tempering) on it while eating and some likes to take just a oil on it. Serve very very hot with rice or bhakri lasni chutney and onion .

For Bhakri

Ingredient

Jowar flour (Sorghum Flour) - 1 cup

Warm water

Salt - 1 tsp

Procedure

Take Jowar flour in a vessel and make a well in the middle. Add salt and warm water.

Knead nicely to make a soft dough. Make round balls out of this dough. On a flat surface, sprinkle little flour. Pat the ball with your palm ( you can roll it like roti also). Use flour as required. Keep flattening the ball in circular motion to make round shape like roti. Heat a griddle (tawa) . Lower the flame. Now place Bhakri on griddle in such a way that the lower portion of bhakri should be on griddle. Now spread little of water on upper side of bhakri. When water on bhakri dries completely turn it to cook from other side. Now remove from griddle and keep it on the direct flame. It will get puffed. It will need practice for puffed bhakri.

So Pithla Bhakri is ready. This is a favorite dish of Gajanan Maharaj from Shegaon.

Note: There are varieties of Pithla like, Takatla pithla, Tikhtacha pithla, Tomato pithla, Ravan Pithla……. I will post all this afterwards as I prepare this at home and get a chance to click it.