Three varieties of pithas-
Pakon, Patishapta pitha and Bharandash, decorated to be sent as a gift to the
Bengali Muslim bride's house in
Gaye Holud ceremony
Pithas (piṭhā) are a variety of food similar to pancakes, dumplings or fritters, originating from the
Indian subcontinent, common in
Bangladesh and
India. Pitha can be sweet or savoury, and usually made from a dough or batter, which is then steamed, fried or griddled. Very few varieties are oven-baked or boiled, and most are unleavened and cooked on a stovetop (or equivalent). Some versions may have a filling, garnish, or sauce. Few may be set or shaped after cooking. They are typically eaten as a snack with
chai, or as treats during special occasions (similar to
mithai).
Pithas are primarily made from a
batter of rice flour or wheat flour, which is shaped and optionally filled with sweet or savory ingredients. When filled, the pitha's pouch is called a khol (literally "container") and the fillings are called pur.
For stuffed vegetable pithas, ingredients such as
cauliflower,
cabbage,
radish, or potato are usually fried, baked, or
steamed, and then mashed, cooled, and formed into small balls to stuff into the pithas.
Depending on the type of pitha being prepared, pithas can be
fried in oil or
ghee,
slow-roasted over a fire, steamed, or
baked and rolled over a hot plate.
Pithas are often eaten during breakfast, as a snack with (often with tea), and in dinner or lunch. Although there are many sweet varieties that are reserved for
desserts or holidays.
Different pithas from each region
Pithas vary considerably across the regions of the eastern
Indian subcontinent.
In Odisha, pitha are a group of festive preparations, usually prepared on ritual days as part of an Osa or Brata. Pithas are part of the
Mahaprasada and are prepared every day by the Mahasuaras in the Rosasala of the
Jagannatha Temple, Puri. They have been prepared in the same method for several millennia in the temple kitchen. Several pithas owe their origin to the state. Some common pithas are:[1]
Enduri Pitha (ଏଣ୍ଡୁରି ପିଠା) : Prepared on
Prathamastami with sweetened jaggery and coconut stuffing using turmeric leaves.
Poda Pitha (ପୋଡ଼ପିଠା) : Semi-burnt rice-based Pitha with coconut that is sweet to taste, offered to Jagannatha in
Ratha Jatra.
Kakara Pitha (କାକରା ପିଠା) : Prepared during most festivals, it consists of deep-fried
suji stuffed with rich coconut stuffing.
Arisa Pitha (ଆରିସା ପିଠା) : Rice-based Pitha topped with sesame seeds, ritually prepared in the month of Margasira during
Manabasa Gurubara (Lakhmi Puja). Long ago, two merchants from Odisha named Tapassu and Bhallika devised this dish and offered it to the
Buddha himself as a token of respect from their land. Ever since - for some 2,000 years - this ancient pitha has been a delicacy forming part of Odisha’s cultural heritage.
In Assam,
pitha is a special class of rice preparation generally made only on special occasions like
Bihu. Assamese pithas are often made from
bora saul, a special kind of
glutinous rice, or xaali saul, or sun-dried rice. Some pithas commonly found in Assam include the following:
কাঁচি পিঠা
Kachi pitha (lit. "Sickle pitha"): a pan baked pancake made from
bora saul and filled with
sesame seeds, ground
coconut, dried orange rind, and
jaggery. The
sickle is known as " Kachi" in
Assamese and hence the name.
ঘিলা পিঠা
Ghila pitha (lit. "knee pitha"): a fried pitha made from
bora saul and
jaggery. Salt can also be used instead of jaggery for a savory variant.
চুঙা পিঠা
Sunga pitha: a special pitha made with both xaali saul and
bora saul, which are mixed with water and
jaggery and churned thoroughly before being placed in a young
bamboo tube corked with banana leaf and roasted in fire. The resulting tube-shaped cake is then cut into pieces and served with hot milk.
উহোৱা পিঠা Uhuwa pitha: Rice flour of Xaali Saul and
Bora Saul is mixed with jaggery or salt and water and churned thoroughly. The paste is rolled into small balls and flattened and then boiled in water. It is served with tea and also can be eaten with
milk.
কেটলি পিঠা Ketli pitha: The method of preparation, as well as the substance, is as same as tekeli pitha, but a
kettle is used here instead of the earthenware. That is the reason it is called Ketli pitha (Ketli in
Assamese means
kettle). Here the kettle-cork is kept upside down on the kettle and the substance is put on it. It usually takes less time to be baked than tekeli pitha takes.
তিল পিঠা Til pitha: This is made with sesame and rice. The rice flour is spread in a circle on a pan, basically made of cast iron and heated. The roasted
sesame seeds are placed in the circle along with sugar or
jaggery and rolled. These are cylindrical shaped, more like a cigar.
তেল পিঠা
Tel pitha this is a pitha which is fried in oil.
নাৰিকল দিয়া পিঠা বা নাৰিকলৰ পিঠা Narikol diya pitha
আঙুলি পিঠা Anguli Pitha: In Assamese language, ‘anguli’ means finger while ‘pitha’ is a type of
rice cake. ‘Anguli Pitha’ has got its name from the fact that the pithas are shaped like fingers.[2]
In Bangladesh, West Bengal, Tripura
It is also called pithe (
Bengali: পিঠে; piṭhe). While some pitha can be made at any time of the year in
Bengal (
Bangladesh and the
Indian state of
West Bengal), there are special pitha strongly associated with
harvest festivals such as
Nabanna (
Bengali: নবান্নnôbanno, literally "new rice" or "new food") and the Poush parbon or
Makar Sankranti, celebrated on January 14 every year. During the autumn and winter seasons, festivals dedicated to pitha called pitha mela or pitha utshob are held locally all over
Bangladesh.
Some common ingredients in pitha are
rice flour,
milk,
coconut and
jaggery. It is often served with sweet syrups such as
date tree
molasses (
Bengali: খেজুরের গুড় khejurer guṛ). A few of the most common pitha found in
Bengal include the following:
খোলা চিতই khola chitoi is a
crêpe made with rice flour abd and eggs and originates from
Noakhali
নুনের পিঠা
Nuner pitha (lit. "The pitha of salt") is generally a mixture of water,
onions,
gingers,
turmeric powder, salt,
coriander leaves,
chili pepper and
rice flour; after adding the rice flour the mixture will turn into
dough after which it is smashed down and cut into circles. Nuner pitha originates from
Sylhet.
দুধ চিতই Dudh Chitoi
সিঈারা
Shingara is a Bangladeshi version of a
samosa. Some do consider this as pitha.
মোহনবাঁশি Mohon bashi
পাকন পিঠা Pakan piṭha is a small piece of special dough with the artistic symbols of generally a leaf or a flour fried and soaked with shira (sauger water with cardamom)
পুলি পিঠা Puli piṭha: a
dumpling like dish with brads in the end and stuffed with a coconut mixture or
kheer. Fried or Steamed.
মাছ পিঠা Mach Pitha is fish shape
samosa stuffed with fish mince
মুগের পুলি Muger puli
বিস্কুট পিঠা Biscuit pitha is a deep fried cookies. Generally in different shape and colors.
দুধ পুলি Dudh puli
Nakshi Pitha (lit. “The Pitha of artistic patterns”) is a piece of special
dough sculpted into art via a
bamboo stick or a small metal plate moulded into a v shape, this Pitha is a beautiful piece of art originating from the rural part of
Bangladesh.
পাটিসাপটা পিঠা Paṭi shapta or Patibola পাটিবলা (thin crepes stuffed with
jaggery and coconut or
kheer)
তালের পিঠা Taler pitha (lit. “palm pitha”) is a Pitha that can be made in many ways, it can be fried, steamed, made with batter and more but it always has to be made with
Asian palmyra palmfruits. Taler Pitha has many varieties and each originating from a different place in
Bengal such as the batter version of Taler Pitha and Taler Bibi khan Pitha which originates from
Bangladesh and some other versions which originates from other
West Bengal and neighbouring regions such as
Tripura,
Assam,
Mizoram,
Nagaland,
Meghalaya,
Manipur,
Orissa,
Jharkhand and
Bihar.
তালের বিবি খান পিঠা Taler Bibi khan Pitha is a type of Bibi khan Pitha and a type of Taler pitha.
তালের ভাপা পিঠা Taler Vapa Pitha (lit. “steamed palm Pitha”) is a type of Taler Pitha and
Bhapa piṭha.
গোলাপ পিঠা Golap Pitha is a rose shaped deep fried crispy pitha
মুগ পাকন Mug pakon is a Pitha that has artistic symbols moulded on top and bottom of it and it is soft since it is soaked with shira (
sugar water with
cardamom mixed with it).
গোকুল পিঠা Gokul Pitha Is a special dough fried and then soaked with a special type of shira.
Chui Pitha or Chutki Pitha (Traditional
Old Dhaka Pitha)
চিতই পিঠা/আস্কে পিঠা Aske Pitha/ Chitoi Pitha is a
pancake like dish made with batter, to make a Chitoi Pitha you need to have a special Chitoi Pitha pan where the batter is generally dropped for he mould to form. Chitoi Pitha Is generally eaten with kacha morich
bhorta and other spicy
bhortas.
পাতা পিঠা Pata pitha (lit. “leaf Pitha”) is a type of
leaf shaped Nokshi pitha.
শামুক পিঠা Shamuk pitha is a snail shaped Nokshi Pitha
মেরা পিঠা/দইল্যা পিঠা Mera pitha/doila Pitha are steamed dumpling made with rice flour, ginger and spice such
turmeric,
Jaggery
বিবি খান পিঠা Bibi khan Pitha is a steamed Pitha That looks like a cake. Bibi khan Pitha originates in the
Bikrampur district,
Dhaka,
Bangladesh
ক্ষীর মুড়ালি Kheer murali
জামাই পিঠা/চিপস পিঠা Jamai pitha/Chips pitha (lit. “husband Pitha”) is a batter which is moulded into a shape of a flour, sundried and fried. Tastes like
papad or
chips. Often different in colors. This Pitha originates in
Bangladesh.
ফুলঝুড়ি পিঠা /ফুলকুচি পিঠা Fuljhuri pitha or Fulkuchi pitha is a
rosette like fried dough. Always made with rice flour.
There are thousands of different pithas in every region of
Bengal, these are just a few examples.
In Bhojpuri Region
There is a tradition of preparing Pitha on the occasion of Godhan in
Bhojpuri region. It is prepared with soaked and then ground rice and pulses.[3]
Some Pithas commonly found in Bhojpuri region include: