Pithla
Pithla is a traditional Maharashtrian dish made using chickpea flour or besan. Make it using my easy recipe.
Also, try some other traditional Maharashtrian dishes from the blog: Bharli Vangi, Shengdana Amti, and Puran Poli.
Some traditional recipes are very simple but have a unique taste and texture. This Pithla recipe is one of them! When we moved to Pune, we saw many hoardings on the road promoting restaurants selling Pithla Bhakri.
Pithla is made in all Maharashtrian homes, but every household has its own way of making it. In this post, I am sharing the recipe I learned from my househelp during our stay in Pune.
I also learned to make Zunka from her. It is a dry version of Pithla and is also very popular in Maharashtra. It is made slightly different and instead of being creamy like pithla, it is textured. Do try it too.
About Pithla
Pithla is a traditional Maharashtrian dish made with besan (gram flour, chickpea flour).
It is a pasty curry that goes very well with bhakri. Pithla Bhakri Thali is very popular in Maharashtra; It consists of Pithla, Jowar Bhakri, Gavar ki Sabji, and Thecha. You can make it slightly thinner to serve with rice.
This recipe can also be made without onion and garlic. Just skip adding them.
Ingredients
Besan makes the base of pithla recipe.
Onions add a nice crunch to the soft pithla.
Green Chili Ginger and Garlic are used to flavor it.
Spice Powders – To spice it up, use basic spice powders such as Kashmiri red chili powder, turmeric powder, garam masala powder, and salt.
Oil – Pithla is traditionally made in peanut oil. If it’s not available, use any other cooking oil.
Others – You will also need cilantro (fresh coriander leaves), curry leaves, asafetida (hing), brown mustard seeds, and cumin seeds for the tempering.
Skip adding hing for a gluten-free pithla.
You can add some yogurt to the besan mixture to make dahi pithla.
Add chopped greens like fenugreek leaves (methi), spinach (palak), garlic greens, or spring onion greens to the pithla to make a new version. You can also add chopped green bell peppers (capsicum).
How To Make Pithla
Add the following ingredients to a mortar and pestle and crush to make a coarse paste.
- 1 teaspoon chopped ginger
- 1 teaspoon chopped garlic
- 1 teaspoon chopped green chilies
Sieve 1 cup of besan using a large sieve to avoid any lumps.
Add the following ingredients to the bowl and mix well.
- ½ teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ¼ teaspoon garam masala powder
Add 3 cups water slowly and whisk to make a lump-free batter. If the batter still has lumps, you can pass it through a mesh strainer.
Heat 2 tablespoon peanut oil in a pan over medium-high heat.
Add the following ingredients once the oil is hot, and let them crackle for 4-5 seconds.
- ¼ teaspoon asafetida
- ½ teaspoon brown mustard seeds
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
Add garlic green chili paste, and 8-10 curry leaves, and saute for 20-30 seconds.
Now add 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro and ½ cup chopped onions and cook for 1 minute.
Reduce the heat to low.
Add the besan mixture and 1 teaspoon salt to the pan and mix well.
Cook the pithla on low heat for 7-8 minutes, stirring frequently. The consistency of pithla is like a thick paste.
Garnish with fresh coriander and serve hot.
Storage Suggestions
Pithla is best served hot and you must try to make the amount fit to serve for 1 meal. But if you still have some leftover, then it can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two days. It has a tendency to thicken as it starts to cool. Add a few tablespoons of water before reheating it in a microwave or in a pan.
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Pithla Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon chopped ginger
- 1 teaspoon chopped garlic
- 1 teaspoon chopped green chilies
- 1 cup besan (chickpea flour, gram flour)
- ½ teaspoon red chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ¼ teaspoon garam masala powder
- 3 cups water
- 2 tablespoons peanut oil (or any other cooking oil)
- ¼ teaspoon asafetida (hing) (skip for gluten-free)
- ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- 8-10 curry leaves
- 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro (fresh coriander leaves)
- ½ cup chopped onions
- 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
Instructions
- Add ginger, garlic, and green chilies to a mortar and pestle and crush to make a coarse paste.
- Sieve besan using a large sieve to avoid any lumps.
- Add chili powder, turmeric powder, and garam masala powder to the bowl and mix well.
- Add water slowly and whisk to make a lump-free batter. If by any chance there are still lumps in the batter, you can pass the batter through a mesh strainer.
- Heat oil in a pan over medium-high heat.
- Once the oil is hot, add asafetida, mustard seeds, and cumin seeds, and let them crackle for 4-5 seconds.
- Add garlic green chili paste, and curry leaves, and saute for 20-30 seconds.
- Now add cilantro and onions and cook for 1 minute.
- Reduce the heat to low.
- Add the besan mixture and salt to the pan and mix well.
- Cook the pithla on low heat for 7-8 minutes, stirring frequently. The consistency of pithla is like a thick paste.
- Garnish with fresh coriander and serve hot.
On our no vegetable day, we prefer Pithla and Thecha.
Same here 🙂