Chitoi Pitha

Chitoi pitha is a very popular , traditional Bangladeshi pitha . I must say the most consumed pitha . Typically pithas are mostly consumed in winter but chitoi is a pitha that doesn’t need any special season , we the Bengalis enjoy it all around the year . Some loves it to be a sweet treat with molassess and grated coconut , sometimes soaked in milk and date molassess . Whereas some enjoy it as a savory treat with beef or duck curry or various types of bhortas .

Traditionally , chitoi pitha is cooked on a clay wok . If you on’t find that cast iron griddle is must . I have that special cast iron mold to make this . Without these utensils , chitoi pitha can never be perfect . So try to buy any cast iron wok or the special mold to make them perfect .

Ingredients:

1 cup rice flour of parboiled rice ( shidhdhdo chaaler guri) , I took parboiled Basmati
1/2 cup white rice flour ( Atop chaal er guri) or readymade, store bought rice flour
1 and 1/4 th cup luke warm water ( you may need more or less )
1 fistful of cooked rice
few pinches salt
1 tea spoon baking powder
1/2 tea spoon baking soda

* If you want to make rice flour at home, soak the rice for couple of hours , at least 4/5 hours . Then drain the water . Dry out the rice and grind in the grinder .

Procedure:

1. Blend the rice flour , cooked rice , salt , water , baking powder , baking soda together with water . The batter should not be thick . It should be thin but not too thin . The correct consistency of batter is very important to make perfect chitoi pitha . I made a few seconds video to show you the consistency . Please check the following video to see the consistency of the batter ;

2. Heat the mold or cast iron wok . It should be very hot . grease the wok or mold with little oil . For that you can use kitchen tissue or cheese cloth or any piece of cotton cloth . Now pour some batter and cover the wok or mold . Cook the pitha at low flame for 2- 3 minutes . The temperature is very important too . So always cook chitoi pitha on a very hot wok at low flame .

3. Cook just one side and loosen the edges around the pitha from mold or wok with a knife and take them out . Grease the wok , everytime you pour the batter .

Enjoy !!!