Name: Chaulachuna Poda Pitha or Rice Flour Cake recipe by Sasmita Sahoo Samanta at BetterButter
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 75 min
Yield: 5
Ingredients: Rice flour 3 cup; Jaggery 1 cup; Coconut (grated) ¾ cup; Coconut chunk (small) ¼ cup; Bay leaf 1 number; Cardamom 3-4 number; Fennel seed 1 tablepoon; Black pepper powder ½ teapoon; Ginger (grated) ½ tablepoon; Cashew Few; Raisin Few; Ghee 2-3 tablepoon; Water 3 ½ cup + for soaking; Salt ½ teaspoon

ABOUT Chaulachuna Poda Pitha or Rice Flour Cake RECIPE

Poda pitha is the most authentic and the must-to-be-prepared dish for Raja festival in all Odia households. The odia word 'Poda' means Burnt and 'Pitha' means Cake. But here is a version I have come up with where there is no need of any banana leaves or any micro oven, still the authentic crust will be formed all over the pitha or cake. Also I have not used any lentil in the cake dough. Simply only the rice flour is used. The whole process is cooked over low heat. The outer crust is slightly burnt, while the inside is so soft and delicious. This dish is also offered as prasad to Lord Jagannath in the Jagannath Temple, Puri.

Ingredients Serving: 5

Rice flour 3 cup
Jaggery 1 cup
Coconut (grated) ¾ cup
Coconut chunk (small) ¼ cup
Bay leaf 1 number
Cardamom 3-4 number
Fennel seed 1 tablepoon
Black pepper powder ½ teapoon
Ginger (grated) ½ tablepoon
Cashew Few
Raisin Few
Ghee 2-3 tablepoon
Water 3 ½ cup + for soaking
Salt ½ teaspoon

Instructions

First in a kadhai or broad pan, heat 3 & 1/2 cup water along with jaggery.
When jaggery starts to melt, add rest ingredients to the pan (press the cardamoms slightly) and allow to boil for 3-4 minutes.
Next add 1-2 tablespoon rice flour first and give a quick stir.
Then add rest rice flour slowly while stirring continuously.
A dough will form soon which will be neither thick nor thin consistency but of a smooth texture.
Turn off heat and allow the dough to cool a bit.
Then take a nonstick pan of 3-4 inch depth (like a kadhai / wok) and put the dough into it.
Gently press the dough and make a smooth top surface using a spatula.
Cover the pan with a lid tightly and allow to cook over low heat for 45-50 minutes.
Then flip the pan gently over a nonstick tawa and allow to cook the opposite side (the top side which is now over the nonstick tawa) to cook for 10-15 minutes.
Turn off heat and insert a knife in the center of the pitha or cake, if comes out clean then its done otherwise cook for some more minutes.
Allow to cool down completely.
Slice and serve these deliciously authentic Chaula-chuna Poda Pitha or Riceflour Cake from Odia Cuisine !

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