Pithla Besan Curry Recipes

MAHARASHTRIAN PITLA RECIPE | KANDA BESAN

Steps:

• Grind ginger, garlic, and green chilli together to a paste.
• Heat oil in a deep kadhai/ wok on medium heat.
• Add cumin seeds and the ginger-garlic-chilli paste. Sauté for a minute.
• Add onions, half of coriander leaves and all the ground spices. Mix well and cook for about 2 minutes till the onions start to soften.
• Add gram flour (or chickpeas flour) and mix well. Cook with continuous stirring for about 2-3 minutes till the gram flour and the onion and spice base is mixed properly.
• Add 2 cups water and continuously mix till there are no lumps. Cook for 5 minutes till the gram flour curry thickens.
• Add the remains 2 cups water, mix well until smooth and cook covered for another 10 minutes on low heat or until the desired consistency is reached.*
• Mix in the remaining fresh coriander and serve hot with jowar roti or bajra roti.

PITHLA (BESAN CURRY)

Steps:

• In a bowl add the 1-1/2 cups of water slowly to besan to make a smooth batter (batter should be consistency of pancake batter or dosa batter).
• Open the heat on medium high, oil should be moderately hot, when you add the cumin seeds to oil seeds should crack right of way.
• Add cumin seeds, mustard seeds, asafetida, turmeric, and chili powder to oil, stir and turn off the heat.
• Add the besan batter and open the heat to medium heat. Keep whipping the batter and batter will start thickening. Add salt and keep adding the water slowly and keep mixing about 2-1/2 cups of water. After Pithla comes to boil besan will start splattering. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan and let it simmer for about 5 to 8 minutes.
• Pithla will become thick, add chopped cilantro and mango powder mix and let it cook for 2 more minutes. Pithla should be quite thick in consistency that's why sometimes I will call Pithla Besa ki Sabji.
• Pithla is served hot before serving, traditionally Pithla is served garnished with hot ghee (clarified butter). And sprinkle of red chili powder. If you are vegan skip ghee, clarified butter.