Chaula Podapitha is a traditional poda pitha recipe which is specially done at the time of raja festival. This is nothing but a rice cake made out of rice flour, jaggery, coconuts and other spices.
Raja – the festival of fertility is primarily an agrarian festival . It is the most awaited festival in Odisha among other numerous festivals. Odisha being an agrarian society, Raja is celebrated to acknowledge one’s gratefulness to nature and people get ready for cropping season by welcoming the advent of the monsoon which will enable a good harvest and offer a hope of prosperity for coming years to come.
Rice in Odisha contributes about 94% of total cereal production in the state and has been a staple diet for the people of Odisha. Flattened rice (Chuda), popped rice ( Khai), and puffed rice (Mudhi) are used as breakfast food, Fermented rice (Pakhala- cooked rice mixed with water and eaten either fresh or kept overnight for a little fermentation is believed to have medicinal properties and to make the body cool) as main food for lunch and dinner.
You will be surprised to know that more than 50 traditional aromatic rice varieties are grown in various parts of the state that usually have small and round grains without much elongation on cooking, but have very strong aroma. These indigenous scented rice varieties such as Govindabhog, Thakurabhog, Kalajeera, Badsabhog, Neelabati, Krushnabhog, Padmakeshari, Tulasiphoola, Chinikamini, Saragdhuli are predominant in coastal belts, whereas a few traditional scented varieties such as Pimpudibasa, Karpurakeli, Kalikati, Laxmibilas, Jubraj, Durgabhog, Karpurakranti, and Makarakanda are common in the plateau regions of the state.
Rice has always been an important part of our festivals and other celebrations. A number of sweet delicacies are made from the many varieties of rice grown in Odisha. Recipes that are prepared with traditional cooking technique during festivals always have their own charm. This Chaula Podapitha is one among them. This
Ingredients for Chaula Podapitha :
- 2 cups Rice flour
- 3 and ½ cups water
- 1 cup grated jaggery
- ¾ cup grated coconut
- ¼ cup sliced coconut
- 1 Bay leaf
- 3 to 4 green cardamoms
- 1 tbsp fennel seed
- ½ tsp black peppercorn powder
- ½ tbsp grated ginger
- A handful of cashew nuts and raisins
- 3 tbsp ghee
- ½ tsp salt
- 6 banana leaf
- Wash and soak rice for 4 to 5 hours. Drain and spread on a kitchen towel to dry for 1 to 2 hrs. The rice should not be too dry but soft. Now make a powder of this rice and keep aside. Alternatively, you can use store bought rice powder also. But remember, the rice powder we bought from outside are milled without soaking, so it absorbs more amount of water than this. So the ratio of rice to water is 1:2.
- Heat water in apan and add the jaggery to it, once it melts, add other ingredients and continue to boil for 3 to 4 minutes.
- Now add rice flour and keep stirring continuously so that no lumps are formed. Turn off and keep aside.
- place 3 banana leaves on the kadai and apply ghee on top sheet ,pour the batter on it and make the top surface smoother by applying ghee.
- Cover the pitha with more banana leaf and cook on slow flame for 45 mts and then flip the pitha and cook for further 15 minutes.
- Once cool , slice and serve.
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