Biri Manda Pitha || Biri Gaja is Odisha's popular savory version pitha recipe. This is steamed rice flour dumpling stuffed with savory urad dal paste. Pithas are varieties of food similar to pancakes, fritters, dumpling which can be sweet and savory. As I mentioned in my early posts, my hubby posted in Khurda road, Odisha at starting and he worked for 10 years there. I too stayed many years in Odisha, at first I stayed in Talcher, were I had many Odisha friends. Where I got chance to taste & learn many Odisha recipes. Jaganth temple food is our all time favorite, I just like the aroma of food that is served in temples. We have different pitha recipes like arisa pitha, manda pitha, enduri pitha, poda pitha, chakuli pitha and many more. kakra pitha, aloo palanga sabaji, chenna poda is our favorite recipes, kakara pitha is the first Odisha recipe I tasted and I still prepare this for breakfast or as evening snack. Coming to our biri manda pitha it is very tasty recipe prepared for breakfast or as evening snack. This is savory version pitha in which urad dal masala paste is steamed in rice flour dumplings. At first I tasted this Biri manda pitha in my neighbors house @Talcher, Odisha. I learned many recipes from my neighbor friends and they learned many South Indian recipes from me. Though I am not in contact with them I remember them whenever prepare Odisha recipes, wish my recipes are reaching them 😍.
Event : Shhhhh Secretly cooking challenge
Taking this cool cool mango matka kulfi to "Shhhhh Secretly cooking challenge" fb group started by Priya, and taken further till date by Mayuri di, I bookmarked her baked apple to try soon. Do check her space for wonderful recipes. We completed recipes from all states from A to Z, so now admin team and members decided a new interesting way for monthly theme that is - one group member in alphabetical order will suggest theme. Later admin team will pair interested members, then we share 2 secret ingredients among us and prepare recipe using it and all other members will guess it.
This month theme "ODIA Pitha Series" was suggested by Sasmitha who blogs at "firsttimercook", I bookmarked her choco swirl patishapta to try. This month I am paired with Shobha di, she is very talented chef who blogs at "shobhasfoodmazaa". I gave her paneer and ghee as two secret ingredients, she prepared this delicious enduri pitha ,do check out. In turn she shared cumin seeds and ginger as secret ingredients, using these ingredients I prepared this biri manda pitha recipe.
Biri Manda Pitha
Rice flour -1 cup
water - 1 & 1/2 cup
salt - as per taste
oil - 1 tsp
Urad dal masala paste
urad dal - 1/2 cup
green chillies - 2
finely chopped ginger - 1 tsp
cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
finely chopped coriander leaves - 1 tsp
salt - as per taste
Instructions
1) Wash urad dal for twice & soak it in enough water for 2 hours.
2) Heat 1 & 1/2 cup of water in pan to this add 1/2 tsp of salt or as per your taste, 1 tsp of oil and boil it. Then add rice flour mix it well without forming any lumps.
3) Switch off the flames and let it cool for some time.
4) Meanwhile grind soaked urad dal to fine paste by adding very less water and take it into bowl.
5) Add cumin seeds, finely chopped ginger, finely chopped green chillies, required amount of salt in urad dal paste and mix everything well and keep it aside.
6) When rice dough is bit hot mix it well and prepare smooth dough. Now pinch some dough and prepare lemon size equal balls.
7) Now flatten rice ball, press in middle with your thumb and prepare bowl shape by press its with your fingers as shown below. You can press two edges or 4 sides as per your wish.
8) For steaming I electric rice cooker, add some water in rice bowl. Place steamer close the lid & switch it on, let it heat till we do stuffing. If you using idli steamer, add some water and boil it on low flames.
9) Now fill urad dal paste in rice dumpling using spoon and keep it in steamer. Steam these dumpling till for 10 minutes or till urad dal cooks well. Insert tooth pick in urad dal mixture if it comes out clearly then our biri gaja is ready.
10) Switch off power/stove and let it set for few minutes.
That's it our biri manda pitha is ready, serve hot with any chutney's or as it is and enjoy with our friends and family :)
Tips
** Make sure that rice dough is lumps free, if you feel it hard sprinkle some hot water and press well to prepare smooth dough.
** In order to get perfect shape, rice dough should be smooth.
** Urad dal paste should be thick like wada batter.
** You can also add onion in urad dal paste.
Do check out some related recipes and latest video recipes from our
Hyderbadi Kaddu ka dalcha(Youtube link)
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