In my Aloo Pitha recipe which is my first post about Pitha, I have mentioned how Pitha is something which not only addresses the sweet craving inside us, but also represents the long and hopefully not lost tradition of celebrating winter harvest in Eastern parts of India. The tradition of the entire family and extended family coming together in the morning after taking bath and savouring plateful of Pithas as breakfast, also makes the dish a much suitable synonym for the prevailing emotion of togetherness and belongingness.
I also mentioned that Pitha or Pithe is not a single dish, but an umbrella name given to a category of variety of sweets or savoury dumplings. Thus, it is evident that the traditional Makar Sankranti morning Pitha plate will look empty without varieties. Looks like this is the reason, the household ladies took the charge and became innovative with introducing different ingredients to make Pitha, and different looks to be imparted to Pitha. Thus, gradually and literally with their passion and perseverance, the status of Pitha Making eventually upgraded to a form of Art.
It is said that, all put together there will be more than 300 kinds of Pithas that are made during Makar Sankranti, across Bangladesh and eastern part of India. Not sure when I will get my hands on these 300 varieties, and trust me, my devilish taste buds are eagerly waiting for them 😜. But for the time being, I will make do with Chanar Daler Pitha or Split Chickpeas Dumplings With Sweetened Coconut, which also happens to be the recipe post for today.
Probably, because of the time and the effort required to make Chanar Daler Pitha or Split Chickpeas Dumplings With Sweetened Coconut, the variety was not a regular feature at our home during Makar Sankrantis. But, none the less, my encounter with this variety of Pitha was sufficient enough for me to carry it on in my memories, and time to time execute it when the emotions reached its zenith.
As I have told you before, seldom Pitha Making is quick. However, when the process is carried out with friends and family, each moment of Pitha Making becomes a memory.
So, with this Chanar Daler Pitha or Split Chickpeas Dumplings With Sweetened Coconut Recipe post, I am raising a toast to more bonding, sharing food and keeping the traditions alive.
Recipe: Chana Daler Pitha
Pressure Cooking Time: 5 minutes Grating Coconut (manually): Around half an hour Cooking Sugar Syrup: Around 40 minutes on low flame Time for cooking coconut: Around 8 minutes Grinding Chana (with Sil Batta): Around 30 minutes Preparation Time for Pitha (per Pitha): Around 4 minutes Deep Frying Pitha: Approximately 2 minutes per pitha in hot oil Equipment Used: 2-3 bowls, sil batta, coconut grater, strainer, 2 pans, deep fry strainer and a turner Yield: 7-8 Pithas
Ingredients:
- 1 cup chana dal
- 1 coconut
- 3 cups sugar
- 4 cups water
- 7-8 green cardamom
- 1 cup maida (all-purpose flour)
- 4 cups water
- 2 cups refined oil
Method:
- Soak the chana dal overnight
- Pressure Cook the soaked dal next morning with 1 cup water till 1 whistle
- Simultaneously grate the coconut while the dal is getting pressure cooked
- Once the dal is cooked, strain the excess water from the dal by leaving the pressure-cooked dal spread on a strainer for a while
- Heat a pan and cook the grated coconut with 1 and ½ cup sugar on low flame till the granules of coconut are sticky and can be compressed easily
- Prepare the sugar syrup by boiling 3 cups water with 1 and ½ cup sugar. Boil the water till the sugar dissolves, the water changes colour and bubbles form in the liquid
- Crush 7-8 green cardamoms and sprinkle on the syrup. Leave the syrup covered
- Now grind the cooked chana dal so that no lumps remain
- Add 1 cup maida little by little to the ground chana dal and knead them little to make dough
- Make small balls of dough about the size if a lemon and flatten each dough balls with your hand by pressing the edges of the dough balls
- Fill the flattened dough with the cooked coconut & sugar mix as much as the size of your little finger
- Fold the dough carefully to form a semicircle and seal the edges
- Repeat the process for the rest of the dough
- Heat a pan and heat 2 cups refined oil
- Deep fry the dumplings till they turn golden brown. Immediately transfer the dumplings to sugar syrup pan
Soak the dal overnight.
Pressure Cook the soaked dal.
Grate the coconut.
Strain the excess water from the pressure-cooked dal.
Cook the grated coconut with sugar on low flame till the granules of coconut are sticky and can be compressed easily.
Prepare the sugar syrup by boiling 3 cups water with 1 and ½ cup sugar.
Crush 7-8 green cardamoms and sprinkle on the syrup. Leave the syrup covered.
Grind the boiled chana dal.
Add 1 cup maida little by little to the ground chana dal and knead them little to make dough.
Make small balls of dough about the size if a lemon.
Flatten the dough balls and fill them with cooked coconut. Fold the dough and seal the edges
Heat 2 cups refined oil.
Deep fry the dumplings.
Immediately transfer the dumplings to sugar syrup pan.
Tips:
- Except pressure cooking and deep frying, the entire cooking has been done on low flame
- Pulses have the tendency to dry up fast. If the dough turns dry, dip your finger in water while pressing the dough
- Add more maida, if the dough turns wet
- Store the leftover oil when the oil cools down. You can use the leftover oil again
- You can make laddoos with the leftover cooked coconut (Recipe link)
- While flattening the dough balls, press the edges and don’t press the dough balls from centre. As the dumpling won’t be able to hold the filling if the centre of the dough is thin
- Don’t fry all the dumplings together. Adjust the number of dumplings to be fried together as per the size of the pan. Don’t overcrowd the pan
