Maharashtrian Pithla - Bhakari

My comfort food - hot and spicy pithla and rice - love to eat this when I am very tired at night. My mom and mother in law both make awesome pithla. Going back to college days in pune, when you go out for trekking to sinhagad, on rainy days this is the all time favorite dish of all the visitors! This is served with hot rice, bhakri, cut onions and pickle!

I am making pitala with jowar bhakari (flatbread) for lunch.

Ingredients:

6 tbsp besan (chick pea flour)

1.5 cup hot water

1/4 cup buttermilk

3 cups water

5 tbsp vegetable oil

6 garlic cloves

6 green chillies cut

4 dried and stuffed peppers

bunch cilantro cut

6-8 curry leaves

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp mustard seeds

pinch asafoetida

1 tsp turmeric powder

Method

1. Heat il in pot and add cumin, mustard seeds, asafoetida, curry leaves and turmeric powder. Add chillies.

2. Add the finely cut onion and garlic. Saute till golden brown. Then add 3 cups water and let boil.

3. Mix the besan with warm water 1 cup and make smooth paste, Add salt and red chilly powder.

4. Add the paste to the pot and cook for 5 minutes.

5. Add buttermilk if you like the sour taste. Otherwise you water to get the desired consistency.

6. Let cook for 10 minutes on medium flame. Cover for 10-12 minutes on low flame till besan cooks ok. Turn off the heat and let stand for 15 minutes.

7. Add cilantro leaves.

Serve hot with rice, rotis, pickle and salad. Enjoy!