Pithla
- 23 min
- medium
- Serves 4
Pithla is a Maharashtrian besan gravy with onion, garlic, green chilli and a mustard-cumin tempering. Medium-spicy, serves 4, about 30 minutes.
Ingredients
Besan Flour120 grams
Water, For Mixing720 ml
Salt1 tsp
Groundnut oil2 tbsp
Mustard Seeds1 tsp
Cumin2 grams
Asafoetida1 grams
Curry leaves1 grams
Onion, Finely Chopped1
Ginger, Minced20 grams
Garlic, Minced6 grams
Green Chilli, Finely Chopped10 grams
Turmeric Powder3 grams
Coriander Leaves, Finely Chopped16 grams
Contains: groundnut, wheat.
Nutrition
Per 1 person, and for all 4 people. Worked out from the ingredients, so treat it as a close guide.
| Nutrient | Per 1 person | All 4 people |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 216kcal | 864kcal |
| Protein | 7.6g | 30g |
| Carbohydrate | 23g | 92g |
| Fat | 10g | 41g |
| Fibre | 4.3g | 17g |
| Sugar | 4.7g | 19g |
Method
Get ready by peeling and finely chopping the onion, ginger, garlic and green chillies. Wash the curry leaves and coriander leaves. Pat the curry leaves dry and finely chop the coriander leaves.
Whisk besan flour, water and salt in a bowl for 2 minutes until the batter is smooth and has no lumps.
Heat groundnut oil in a kadai on medium flame for 1 minute until it shimmers. Add mustard seeds and cumin; let them crackle for 30 seconds. Add asafoetida, dry curry leaves, onion, ginger, garlic and green chilli. Sauté for 2 minutes until the onion is soft and translucent, then mix in turmeric powder.
Pour in the besan batter slowly while stirring continuously. Cook on low flame for 8 minutes, stirring often, until the pithla is thick, smooth and the raw besan smell goes. Cover and cook for 3 more minutes until it looks paste-like and leaves the sides of the kadai slightly.
Switch off the flame and mix in coriander leaves. Serve the pithla hot with bhakri, chapati or rice.
Before you start
- How long does Pithla take?
- 23 minutes from start to finish. That is 8 minutes of preparation and 15 minutes of cooking.
- How many people does Pithla serve?
- 4. The ingredient quantities on this page rescale if you are cooking for a different number.
- Is Pithla vegetarian?
- Yes. No meat, no fish and no egg.
- Is Pithla spicy?
- It is medium: 2 on our scale of 3. Chilli scales gently when you change the servings, so doubling the recipe does not double the heat.
- What do I need to make Pithla?
- 120 grams Besan Flour, 2 grams Cumin, 1 grams Asafoetida, 1 grams Curry leaves, 20 grams Ginger, 6 grams Garlic, and a few more listed on this page.
- Do I need a pressure cooker for Pithla?
- No, it is cooked in an open pot.
- How many calories are in Pithla?
- About 216 a serving. The full nutrition table is on this page, per serving and for the whole batch.
Tips from other cooks
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