Chitoi pitha is a popular Bengali food and It is generally prepared during winter season because fresh mouthwatering jaggery is available during thise season. Different people call it in different names in this region. But actually all these (chitoi pitha or aske pitha or sara pithe) are same food. This rice flour made pitha is often serve with jaggery or milk. But side dishes for this Bengali steamed rice cake may sometimes surprise you because it is such a unique food.
Though it is not a sweet food but still as it is often served with jaggery or milk, so some people consider it as a dessert.
As it is a simple streamed rice cake (without adding any taste making ingredient) so some people love to have this a substitute of plain rice.
Surprised? But it is true. People eat this chitoi pitha or sara pithe or aske pitha with dal or vegetable curry or even with non-vegetarian curry. Yes, many people eat this cake with mutton curry too. It sounds weird but actually it is not.
I used to call this steamed rice cake as sara pithe since my childhood. But later I also came to know that it is also known as chitoi pitha. Recently I knew that some people also call it as aske pitha. Do you know this?
I do not know why people call it as ASKE PITHA or chitoi pitha. In case you have any information regarding this or you actually know it then please share it with us by leaving a few words below in comment section.
Many people make this sara pitha on the day of Poush Sankranti as a substitute of rice.
Do you know some people follows a tradition to cook this chitoi pitha outside their home? They cook this over wood fire or coal fire instead of cooking this on gas oven at home.
This country is really diverse, so many culture & traditions across the region. If you notice people’s activity around you, you can notice so many traditions and practices around you.
Also read:
Special Makar Sankranti dinner menu
Makar sankranti special food items
Chitoi pitha recipe (Sara pithe or Aske pitha)
- 1.25 cup rice flour
- 3 cups water
- Salt to taste
- Oil for greasing molds
- Take rice flour in a large pot and sat salt, now pour water gradually and stir
- Pour all water gradually and check its consistency, batter should not be too think or too thick, so adjust quantity of water according to your need
- Now rest the batter for minimum 10 mins
- Then heat molds and grease molds with oil and pour batter and cover molds with the lid
- Wait for approx 2-3 minutes and check whether all chitoi pithe are cooked or not
- If pitha is cooked then take all pitha from the molds and grease those again for next batch
- Repeat those steps till your batter is finished
- Serve it with jaggery/milk/any curry of your choice
Also try this dishes: Gajar ka halwa, Patishapta pithas etc
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