Snacks & baking
Chunga Pitha (fried rice cakes)
Small fried rice cakes, golden and crisp on the outside, soft inside, often sweetened with palm sugar or cane sugar. These pitha, traditional Bengali cakes, are eaten at festivals and on winter mornings.
Ingredients
Ingredients
Garniture
Spices & seasoning
Optional extras
On the side
Instructions
- Mix the rice flour, semolina, salt and sugar in a bowl.
- Gradually pour in the warm water while stirring until you have a soft, smooth dough that no longer sticks to your fingers. Let it rest for 10 minutes.
- Prepare the filling: melt the jaggery or cane sugar with a little water over low heat, add the grated coconut and cardamom, and stir until the mixture is moist and fragrant.
- Shape small balls of dough, flatten them in the palm of your hand and place a spoonful of filling in the centre. Close the dough by pinching the edges to form a small round cake.
- Heat the oil to 170 °C in a deep saucepan. Fry the cakes in small batches for 3 to 4 minutes, turning them, until golden brown.
- Drain on kitchen paper and serve warm or at room temperature.
Variations and tips
Savoury version. Replace the sugar and filling with chopped onion, chili and coriander for an appetizer version.
Easy to find. Rice flour is sold in Asian grocery stores; otherwise, grind dry white rice very finely.
More ideas
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Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Original Ecomely recipe.