Sooji Poda Pitha
a must-to-be-prepared pitha for Raja festival of Odisha using semolina (sooji) andsweetend by jaggery
Ingredients
- 2 cup Semolina (sooji) (fine variety)
- 1 cup Jaggery (grated)
- ¾ cup Coconut (grated)
- ½ cup Coconut chunk (small)
- Coconut slice (2 inch) few
- 2 tsp Ginger (crushed)
- ½ tsp Black pepper powder
- ½ tsp Salt
- 4-5 no. Cardamom
- 2 no. Bay leaf
- 2 tbsp Cashew
- 2 tbsp Raisin
- 4 cup Water
- Ghee as needed
Instructions
- In a broad pan or kadhai, start boiling 4 cup water along with jaggery over medium heat.
- When jaggery starts to melt then add crushed ginger, grated coconut, small coconut chunks, cashews, raisins, green cardamoms (press the cardamoms slightly), salt, 2 tbsp ghee and give a nice stir.
- Allow everything to boil for 4-5 minutes.
- Now lower the heat and add sooji slowly at a time, stirring continuously to avoid any lumps formation.
- Keep stirring till the mixture starts leaving the sides and thickens a bit.
- The sooji jantani (semolina mixture) for the podapitha is ready now.
- Turn off heat and cover the pan, keep aside to cool down for 5-10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, take a baking pan and layer with some small banana leaves (optional) and then grease with ghee. Keep aside.
- Now transfer all the sooji jantani (semolina mixture) onto it.
- Grease the palm with ghee and start pressing the mixture to get an evenly layer.
- Decorate the top with some coconut slices and cover the cast iron pan either with aluminium foil or some more banana leaves.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes first.
- Then take out the aluminium foil / banana leaves from the top and again bake at 200 deg C for 10 minutes more.
- Take out from the oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes at room temperature.
- Then invert the pan onto a plate and allow the pitha to cool down completely.
- Once done, slice and serve as it is or with some curry of choice !
Notes
- Always maintain the ratio of Sooji to water as 1:2 to get perfect texture in the podapitha.
- Coconut in both forms adds a nice flavor and texture to the podapitha here. One can vary this as per taste, but don't skip this addition.
- Putting coconut slices on top of the podapitha is totally optional.
- Fine variety sooji is perfect for making a sooji podapitha. If medium or large variety is available, then just grind to make a powder texture and then use.
- While adding the sooji and after that, stir continuously to avoid any lumps and also no burning from the bottom.
- I have used a cast iron pan to bake the podapitha. Any other baking dish is perfectly fine here.
- Layering the pan with banana leaves is optional though, but helps to take out the podapitha more easily after baking.
- Always check a toothpick test. If the toothpick comes out clean by inserting it in the center of the baked podapitha, then it is done, else bake for few more minutes.