Soru Chakli Pithe

The winter season is all about having loads of hot food and warming comfort under the blanket. However, when coming to cooking part, the season makes us quite lethargy to even touch freezy cold water from the kitchen tap.. isn’t that?? This modern age has many ways to deal with the cold temperature, but in olden days as well as in today’s rural areas just sit back near the fire to soak in the warmth or they would sit near the chulha (earthen oven made in villages) cook food and eat at the same time to resist the cool weather. This is how traditionally those recipes are taken forward even today and are prepared in a similar fashion or giving a modern twist. That’s how the wintery mornings are spent with a dose of hot warm ‘Pitha’ a traditional recipe from the Bengal cuisine.

There are many varieties of Pitha prepared from the very old days, out of which I’m very familiar with Doodh pooli, Sedho pithe, Pur pithe, gur pitha, poda pitha, etc. and today I’m sharing a very simple and common ‘Pithe’ recipe from Bengal and Odisha cuisine, known as ‘Soru Chakli Pitha’ or commonly called ‘Soru Pitha’ in local Bengali language. Soru Chakli Pithe is neither too thin nor too thick crepe made up of rice mainly, the recipe is quite similar to that of making pancakes. We normally use Bengali style Gobindobhog rice (a type of rice found only in West Bengal, better known as ‘Bengali Rice’) and Kolai Daal/ urad dal (black gram). There are two methods to make Soru Pithe, one by the fermentation of rice night long, then finely grinding into a slightly thick paste; another method is an instant preparation by soaking rice flour into a semi thick batter.

Soru Chakli Pitha is mostly prepared during the winter season, it is speciality of Sankranti, a harvesting festival celebrated all over India. The harvesting festival in Bengal is called the ‘Poush Parbon’ which is a 2-3 days festival celebrated with food, fun, frolic and lot of warmth by spreading happiness, love and smile. Soru Chakli Pithe are healthy crepes usually served with warm melted gur (jaggery). It is healthy because here is no addition of oil, or any other chemical foods or preservatives. Soru Pithe can also be savoured with any Indian curries. It is absolutely vegan and gluten free. Pitha in general what is called as a cake, as I mentioned before, Soru pitha is quite similar to pancake or dosai differing in the amount and proportion of the ingrediants used in the recipe.

Find all ingredients and method of preparation with all the steps given below:

Soru Chakli Pithe | Soru Pitha Recipe

[Veg]                 

Author: Paromita.P

Prep Time: 5-10 minutes                                                           

Cooking Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes (approx)

Course: Pancake

Cuisine: Indian/ Bengali

Yields: 15 middle sized crepes

Ingredients:

1. Rice flour- 2 cups
2. Coconut- 1 whole
3. Salt to taste
4. Jaggery (Nolen Gur/ palm date jaggery)

Tips: Keeping my recipe too basic without using too many ingredients, I’ve shared the instant Soru Pitha recipe with smooth rice flour batter. You can add jiggery/sugar to the batter. I've made both plain and coconut flavoured Soru Pitha.

Method:

How to prepare ‘Soru Chakli Pithe’ with step by step pictures and instructions-

1. Sieve rice flour and put it in a large mixing bowl.
   
2. Pour in a little amount of water and stir slowly. Make a thick paste and keep it aside for 10-15 minutes.
   
3. Now add 1 tsp salt and mix it well by adding water in less portion.
   
4. Make a smooth flowy paste. The batter should be neither thick nor thin.
   
5. Heat a pan, slightly rub it with a wet cloth (low flame), put the batter.
   
6. Fry the Pitha just like dosa. Cover the pan and cook.
   
7. Now flip and fry on the other side.
   

Soru Chakli Pithe | Soru Pitha Recipe without Coconut

How to prepare ‘Soru Pitha’ with coconut-

1. Make a thick paste of rice flour and finely grated coconut.
2. Add the paste to make the batter by adding salt and water in less amount.
3. Heat a heavy cast iron tawa or non-stick tawa on medium flame.
4. Put the batter and fry like dosa.

 

Soru Chakli Pithe are ready to be enjoyed hot with the warmth of sweet date palm jaggery to accompany with. It is best served when taken off hot immediately from the pan, hence, we usually sit back near the kitchen on chair to wait for the Pithas to be done and come on our plate. Love it hot and warm in the cold season. Do try these Soru Pitha recipes at your home, and tell me how you liked it. Till then enjoy cooking, serving and eating!!

Paromita Pramanick ©2020. All Rights Reserved.