For the pitla
Ingredients
besan, ½ cup, water, 2 cups, green chillies, finely chopped, 2-3 nos., garlic cloves, 3-4 nos., finely chopped, onion, one, chopped, red chilli powder, 1 tsp, turmeric powder, 1 tsp, mustard seeds, 1 tsp, cumin seeds, 1 tsp, groundnut oil, 1 tbsp, curry leaves, 9-10 nos., asafoetida, a pinch, coriander powder, 1 tsp, salt to taste
Method
• Mix besan, red chili powder, turmeric powder and a little salt in a bowl.
• Add water, a little at a time, and make a smooth paste of it.
• Add all the remaining water to this paste, mix it and keep it aside.
• Heat oil in kadai. When the oil gets hot, add the mustard seeds.
• Then add the cumin seeds and let them sizzle.
• Now, add garlic, curry leaves and green chillies, and saute.
• Add onion and a little salt to it.
• Mix it and let it cook until the onions soften up.
• Now add the besan paste and mix nicely until it thickens.
• Stir continuously and keep adding a little water for the desired consistency.
• Now cover it with a lid and let it cook for 5-6 minutes on low heat; stir occasionally.
• Garnish with coriander and serve the pitla with bhakri, roti or rice and spicy thecha.
(If you want to make pitla-bhath, add more water in the pitla while cooking to make it thinner.)
For the Bhakri
Ingredients
jowari flour, 500 g, water, 250 g, salt, a pinch
Method
• Take jowari flour in a mixing bowl, add salt and water and knead into a medium-hard dough.
• Divide the dough into 10 equal balls and roll it out in a flat bhakri, one by one.
• Cook the rolled bhakri individually. Spread pure ghee on top and serve hot along with pitla and thecha.
