When I started compiling the list of dosais, I knew it would have a Southern region bias because dosais are such a staple in these parts. I knew I would get some similar dishes from Western parts like Maharashtra or Gujarat but I honestly did not expect to travel east in my dosai exploration. Today’s dish is from the land of Lord Jagannatha – Orissa. It always amazes me how the same dish is interpreted in different ways in different parts of the world and clearly the dosai has travelled all over the country, if not the world.
The Chakuli Pitha is quite similar to dosai but it differs mainly in the proportion of its ingredients. While most dosais are made with a higher ratio of rice to lentils, the chakuli pitha is made with a near equal amount of both ingredients. That makes the dish healthier thanks to the presence of skinless black lentil / urad dal which is apparently very essential for the health of women and girls. And if it is served in such a delicious format, what can possibly be an excuse to avoid it? Also the pitha is usually thicker than dosai preferring softness against crispiness.
Recipe from here
Makes 5-6 pithas
WHAT WE NEED
1/2 cup Raw rice
1/2 cup Urad dal / Skinless black lentil
Salt
Water
Oil
WHAT TO DO
- Soak the rice and lentils in water for 5-6 hours or overnight
- Transfer them to a blender jar and add salt
- Grind them to a smooth paste
- Transfer the batter to a large vessel and let the batter ferment for 7-8 hours
- Once the batter is fermented, it can be used to make pithas or refrigerated for 2-3 days
- To make the pitha, heat a tava
- Spread 2-3 drops of oil on the tava
- Add a ladle full of batter and spread it in a circular shape
- Ensure the batter does not spread too thick
- Add few drops of oil to the edges of the pitha
- Let it cook on a medium flame for 1-2 minutes
- Use a steel spatula to disengage the pitha from the tava and turn it over
- Reduce the flame to low and let it cook for upto a minute
- Take it off the tava and repeat the procedure for the rest of the batter
- Serve warm with aloo bhaja, guguni or sweet accompaniments like sugar or jaggery
- Enjoy!
Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 92
There is a benefit of doing this A to Z series, we are able to explore all parts of India. Dosa looks good.
These look so much like our regular dosas, but softer because of the equal amount of urad dal. Would make a wonderful breakfast..
The pitha sounds awesome , and I like the way you have presented , the set up looks very catchy . Super Dosa marathon !
Interesting find, now if i make mistake with dosa batter ratio i can still make them as this chakuli pitha and serve my family easily i guess. Well done Sowmya.
Interesting dosa. I have a Odiya friend and she shared some recipes from her family and i=this was one of them. Yet to try though.
This is so interesting and quite similar to our South Indian dosai. Love how soft these pithas look.
Wow chakuli pitha looking like normal dosa but feeling very inviting. Such a mouthwatering dish. I am sure without BM we would not have done any research on this theme.
You have discovered a gem of a recipe Sowmya. Higher proportion of lentils makes it more healthy na.
Chakuli with ghughni…that sounds sooo delicious. What an interesting find from the state of Odisha.
Great find for the alphabet n lovely to read the history too 🙂
Yes apart from these, I found some more similar dishes and I was surprised. Your pithas have turned out so well sowmya.
Love your seies of dosa, always looking to see what is new. Looks delicious
Very interesting and tasty dish.. love it.