When you have had enough of muffins, pancakes, granola and cereals, surprise yourself with a traditional winter breakfast from Bangladesh and make Gurguria Pitha a.k.a Mera Pitha. Pitha is a very popular kind of delicacy during winter in Bangladesh. If you are new to pitha, learn a little about these extra ordinary Bangladeshi delicacies on my Dudh Puli recipe post.
These Bangladeshi dumplings, typically served with curry or date molasses, have different names in different district in Bangladesh. In the North Bengal, around the area of my home town Dinajpur, these are called gurguria. In many other parts of the country, these steamed dumplings are called Mera pitha or Chua Pitha. Depending on the districts, the serving method also differs. In some areas, the chua pitha is served with meat curry, specially beef rezala and jaggery or gur made of date sap. Others, serve with sugar or some kind of chutney. The rice dumplings are a blank canvas and you can pair them with your favorite flavor.
Mera Pitha is white in color, and come in various shapes, usually in circular, oval or leaf like forms. Traditionally, in my hometown, the girguria is given a shape like a top by gently pressing a small amount of dough and moving it in a circular motion with the palm of the hand. However, they can also take flat disc, oval or a shell like shape.
Enjoy!
- 4 cups water
- 1 teaspoon salt, or per taste
- 1 teaspoon oil
- 2 cups rice flour
- Boil water with salt. Add oil.
- When water is boiling hot, add the rice flour slowly. Lower the heat to medium low and mix with a wooden spoon making sure no lump remains.
- Take the dough off the flame when water dries. After about 2-3 minutes.
- While still hot, but bearable to your hands, knead the dough very well in lightly rice flour dusted surface until smooth.
- Divide dough into 10-12 balls and shape with the palm of your hands.
- To steam, fill up three quarters of a pot with boiling water. Place a net sieve or a perforated plate on top of the water level. You can use a steam cooker as well.
- Place a cotton cloth on top of the sieve and add the pitha on the sieve. Depending on the size of your pan and sieve, you may need to steam the pithas in batches.
- Steam for 15-18 minutes. Serve with spicy beef, chicken curry or molasses.
- ৪ কাপ পানি
- ১ চা চামচ লবন, স্বাদ অনুযায়ী
- ১ চা চামচ তেল
- ২ কাপ চালের আটা
- লবন দিয়ে পানি গরম করুন এবং পানিতে একটু তেল দিন।
- পানি ফুটে বুদবুদ দেখা গেলে, চালের আটা আস্তে আস্তে গরম পানিতে মিশান। তাপ কমিয়ে একটি কাঠের চামচ দিয়ে নাড়তে থাকুন যেন কোন গোটা দানা না থাকে। চুলার আচ কমিয়ে দিন এবং নাড়তে থাকুন।
- ২ থেকে ৩ মিনিট পরে পানি শুকিয়ে গেলে চুলা থেকে খামির নামিয়ে নিন।
- খামির একটু ঠাণ্ডা হলে, ধরতে পারেন এমন গরম থাকা অবস্থায় ভাল করে মথে নিন। দরকারে, একটু করে চালের আটা ছিটেয়ে দিতে পারেন।
- খামির ১০-১২ ভাগে ভাগ করে পছন্দ অনুসারে আকৃতি গড়ে নিন।
- স্টিম করার জন্য একটি পাত্রে তিন কোয়ার্টের মত পানি দিয়ে ফুটাতে দিন। একটি নেট চালনি অথবা ছিদ্র প্লেট পানির উপরে বসান। স্টিম কুকার থাকলে তা ব্যবহার করতে পারেন।
- চালনির উপরে একটি সুতির কাপড় বিছিয়ে তার উপরে পিঠাগুলো দিন। আপনার পাতিলের এবং চালনির সাইজের উপর নির্ভর করবে পিঠা একবারে দেয়া যাবে নাকি দুই ব্যাচে দিতে হবে।
- ১৫ থেকে ১৮ মিনিট ভাপে সিদ্ধ করুন। পিঠা সিদ্ধ হলে গরুর মাংস, মুরগি অথবা গুঁড় দিয়ে পরিবেশন করুন।
I’ve never had this particular pitha. I hope to try this recipe especially with a spicy beef curry!
It’s an easy one Lani, and I hope you like it when you try. I’ll have a stir fried version of this pitha soon on the blog too.
they look like marshmallows 🙂 But I can see how it would be a great breakfast–definitely a break from what I know. Once again, you’ve expanded my culinary horizons!
Thank you, Liz. I am glad Bangladeshi food appeals to you. Hope you get to try some. Take care.
Love these glutinous dumplings. They remind me of Korean Doc; it sticks to the roof of your mouth (in the best way possible!)
Mera pitha is not too glutinous as they are made of rice flour not glutinous rice flour but I know what you mean. Even I am craving some piping hot pitha right now. Thank you, Francesca!
Can you use brown rice flour..?
Hi Dessi – Traditionally Mera pitha is made with white rice flour, but brown rice flour should work too. I have never tried Mera pitha with brown rice flour, so you may need to adjust the water quantity and timing a little. Hope this helps.
This looks so great! And pretty easy, too, which always appeals to me. Thanks — and Happy New Year!
Agree, Mera Pitha is one of the easiest of all the other pithas I hae on the blog. Hope you get to try this sometimes, John. Thank you!
I have never heard of these little beauties before, they sound amazing. You make it sound relatively easy to make, love that the prep time is only 5mins. Gonna have a crack in the next few weeks. 🙂
They are one of the easiest pitha of all kinds. AND..you are right Anna, these mera pitha are fantastic. Every time I make these pitha, I imagine typical Bangladeshi pitha eating scene, everyone is sitting around the stive wrapped around with blankets waiting for the pitha to be cooked. As soon as they are steamed, there’s a competition to get to the pitha and eating them piping hot 🙂 Thanks, my friend.
Oh that sounds wonderful. Thank you for sharing your experiences. I can picture your scene too. Lovely!
Teehee, I’ll be sure to wrap blankets around my family and friends when I make them, and hola ‘Done’ and let em at the pitha. 🙂 LOL! Have a happy weekend. 🙂
Well, about 95% of homes do not have AC/heating in Bangladesh. So during cold winter mornings, sitting in a circle by the stove wrapped in a blanket and waiting for pithas to be made is a very common scenario 🙂 Have a wonderful week ahead.
This is so interesting Lail! I’ve never seen anything like this before!
I Agree. Thank you. This is a unique pitha. The piping hot, soft pitha is an excellent breakfast choice during winter.
Happy New Year. the pitha looks incredibly delicious.
Thanks a lot! Happy New Year to you too!
My relatives have made these dumplings before, they are definitely one of a kind and delicious 😀
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Aren’t they? Thank you, Uru.
Indeed a very interesting recipe. Gorgeous pics.
Thanks a lot! Glad you love the photos.
This is so new to me Lail and so easy to make too… gotta try this. Pinned.
Thank you, Amira. Indeed, mera pitha is very easy to make. Let me know how you enjoy it when you make. Thanks.
How interesting, I’ve never heard of it. Thanks for introducing me to this one. We do have something similar down south where we add onion, chillies and coriander, but your version is so neat and will go with any curry too. Great job.
That’s the best part, Asha. Mera Pitha goes with anything, be sweet or savory. Thank you!
Thank you for sharing your experiences. I can picture your scene too. absolutely fabulous recipe and very beautiful presentation