Pithas are a variety of food similar to pancakes, dumplings or fritters, originating from the Indian subcontinent, common in Bangladesh and India. Pitha can be sweet or savoury, and usually made from a dough or batter, which is then steamed, fried or griddled. Very few varieties are oven-baked or boiled, and most are unleavened and cooked on a stovetop (or equivalent). Some versions may have a filling, garnish, or sauce. Few may be set or shaped after cooking. They are typically eaten as a snack with chai, or as treats during special occasions (similar to mithai). Pitha is especially popular in Bangladesh and the eastern Indian states of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh (eastern parts), West Bengal, Odisha, Jharkhand, the South Indian state of Kerala, and the Northeast Indian states, especially Assam. Pithas are typically made of rice flour, although there are some types of pitha made of wheat flour. Less common types of pitha are made of palm or ''ol'' (a local

root vegetable Root vegetables are underground plant parts eaten by humans as food. Although botany distinguishes true roots (such as taproots and tuberous roots) from non-roots (such as bulbs, corms, rhizomes, and tubers, although some contain both hypocotyl a ...

Preparation

Pithas are primarily made from a

batter Batter or batters may refer to: Common meanings * Batter (cooking), thin dough that can be easily poured into a pan * Batter (baseball), person whose turn it is to face the pitcher * Batter (cricket), a player who is currently batting * Batter ...

of rice flour or wheat flour, which is shaped and optionally filled with sweet or savory ingredients. When filled, the pitha's pouch is called a ''khol'' (literally "container") and the fillings are called ''pur''. For stuffed vegetable pithas, ingredients such as

cauliflower Cauliflower is one of several vegetables in the species ''Brassica oleracea'' in the genus ''Brassica'', which is in the Brassicaceae (or mustard) family. It is an annual plant that reproduces by seed. Typically, only the head is eaten – the ...

cabbage Cabbage, comprising several cultivars of ''Brassica oleracea'', is a leafy green, red (purple), or white (pale green) biennial plant grown as an annual vegetable crop for its dense-leaved heads. It is descended from the wild cabbage ( ''B.&nb ...

, radish, or potato are usually fried, baked, or steamed, and then mashed, cooled, and formed into small balls to stuff into the pithas. Sweet pithas typically contain sugar,

jaggery Jaggery is a traditional non-centrifugal cane sugar consumed in the Indian Subcontinent, Southeast Asia, and Africa. It is a concentrated product of cane juice and often date or palm sap without separation of the molasses and crystals, and can ...

, date juice, or

palm syrup Miel de palma (lit. palm honey, also palm syrup) is an edible sweet syrup produced from the sap of a number of palms. It is produced in the Canary Islands and coastal regions of South America. Species In the Canary Islands, palm syrup (''miel de ...

, and can be filled with grated

coconut The coconut tree (''Cocos nucifera'') is a member of the palm tree family ( Arecaceae) and the only living species of the genus ''Cocos''. The term "coconut" (or the archaic "cocoanut") can refer to the whole coconut palm, the seed, or the ...

, fried or roasted

sesame Sesame ( or ; ''Sesamum indicum'') is a flowering plant in the genus ''Sesamum'', also called benne. Numerous wild relatives occur in Africa and a smaller number in India. It is widely naturalized in tropical regions around the world and is cu ...

seeds,

cashew The cashew tree (''Anacardium occidentale'') is a tropical evergreen tree native to South America in the genus ''Anacardium'' that produces the cashew seed and the cashew apple accessory fruit. The tree can grow as tall as , but the dwarf cult ...

pistachio The pistachio (, ''Pistacia vera''), a member of the cashew family, is a small tree originating from Central Asia and the Middle East. The tree produces seeds that are widely consumed as food. ''Pistacia vera'' is often confused with other sp ...

s, sweetened vegetables, or fruits. Sweet pithas are also often flavored using cardamom or

camphor Camphor () is a waxy, colorless solid with a strong aroma. It is classified as a terpenoid and a cyclic ketone. It is found in the wood of the camphor laurel ('' Cinnamomum camphora''), a large evergreen tree found in East Asia; and in the k ...

. Depending on the type of pitha being prepared, pithas can be fried in oil or

ghee Ghee is a type of clarified butter, originating from India. It is commonly used in India for cooking, as a traditional medicine, and for religious rituals. Description Ghee is typically prepared by simmering butter, which is churned from c ...

, slow-roasted over a fire, steamed, or

baked Baking is a method of preparing food that uses dry heat, typically in an oven, but can also be done in hot ashes, or on hot stones. The most common baked item is bread but many other types of foods can be baked. Heat is gradually transferre ...

and rolled over a hot plate. Pithas are often eaten during breakfast, as a snack with (often with tea), and in dinner or lunch. Although there are many sweet varieties that are reserved for

dessert Dessert is a course (food), course that concludes a meal. The course consists of sweet foods, such as confections, and possibly a beverage such as dessert wine and liqueur. In some parts of the world, such as much of Greece and West Africa, and ...

s or holidays.

Different pithas from each region

Pithas vary considerably across the regions of the eastern Indian subcontinent.

In Odisha

In Odisha, pitha are a group of festive preparations, usually prepared on ritual days as part of an Osa or Brata. Pithas are part of the Mahaprasada and are prepared every day by the Mahasuaras in the Rosasala of the Jagannatha Temple, Puri. They have been prepared in the same method for several millennia in the temple kitchen. Several pithas owe their origin to the state. Some common pithas are: * Enduri Pitha (ଏଣ୍ଡୁରି ପିଠା) : Prepared on

Prathamastami Prathamastami is a rite held in Odisha praying for the life and prosperity of the eldest child of a family. The first child after completion of its one year is made to wear new clothes and offered a lighted lamp ovation by the senior female rela ...

with sweetened jaggery and coconut stuffing using turmeric leaves. * Poda Pitha (ପୋଡ଼ପିଠା) : Semi-burnt rice-based Pitha with coconut that is sweet to taste, offered to Jagannatha in

Ratha Jatra Ratha Yatra (), or Chariot festival, is any public procession in a chariot. The term particularly refers to the annual Ratha Yatra in Odisha, Jharkhand, West Bengal and other East Indian states, particularly the Odia festival that involve a ...

. *

Kakara Pitha Kakara pitha ()is a sweet deep-fried cake from Odisha offered to temple deities and served hot or cold on many festivals. Ingredients * Atta (Wheat Flour) – 300 g * Chinni (Sugar) -250 g * Nadia (Coconut) – ½ a Coconut(shredde ...

(କାକରା ପିଠା) : Prepared during most festivals, it consists of deep-fried Suji stuffed with rich coconut stuffing. * Arisa Pitha (ଆରିସା ପିଠା) : Rice-based Pitha topped with sesame seeds, ritually prepared in the month of Margasira during Manabasa Gurubara (Lakhmi Puja). Merchants Tapassu and Bhallika from Odisha offered this to the Buddha himself as a token of respect from their land. This leads to the fact that this ancient pitha was prepared in Odisha from at least 2000 years ago. * Manda Pitha (ମଣ୍ଡା ପିଠା) : Steamed pitha stuffed with coconut and jaggery mix, prepared in most festivals including Manabasa Gurubara, Kumara Purnima, etc. * Sarsatia Pitha (ସରସତିଆ ପିଠା‌) : Crispy sweet Pitha made using Arua and resin from twigs of the Ganjer tree. Popular in Western Odisha. * Chakuli Pitha (ଚକୁଳି ପିଠା) : Flat rice pitha resembling pancake, one of the few non-sweet Pithas of Odisha * Chitau Pitha (ଚିତଉ ପିଠା) : Resembling Chakuli, but with different texture and thickness. Prepared on Chitalagi Amabasya. * Chandrakanti Pitha (ଚନ୍ଦ୍ରକାନ୍ତି ପିଠା‌‌) : Deep-fried Pitha made of green gram and rice flour. Prepared on Dipabali. * Gaintha Pitha (ଗଇଁଠା ବା ଗଇଣ୍ଠା ପିଠା) : Rice flour dough balls soaked in thickened cardamom flavoured milk. Prepared on Bakula Amabasya. File:Turmeric leaf wrapped cake.jpg, Enduri Pitha, made on Prathamastami. File:Khira gaintha Odia Pitha.jpg, Gaintha Pitha, made on Bakula Amabasya. File:Kakara Peetha-Puri-Odisha-IMG 0689.jpg, Kakara Pitha. File:Arisa Pitha.jpg, Arisa Pitha. File:Chuda poda pitha.jpg, Poda Pitha, offered to Lord Jagannatha during Ratha Jatra. File:Mugakanti,Chandrakanti.jpg, Chandrakanti or Mugakanti Pitha. File:Chuda chakuli pitha.jpg, Chakuli Pitha. File:Chitau pitha.jpg, Chitau Pitha, made on Chitalagi Amabasya.

In Assam

In Assam,

pitha Pithas are a variety of food similar to pancakes, dumplings or fritters, originating from the Indian subcontinent, common in Bangladesh and India. Pitha can be sweet or savoury, and usually made from a dough or batter, which is then steamed, fri ...

is a special class of rice preparation generally made only on special occasions like

Bihu Bihu is a set of three important Assamese festivals in the Indian state of Assam – 'Rongali' or 'Bohag Bihu' observed in April, 'Kongali' or 'Kati Bihu' observed in October, and 'Bhogali' or 'Magh Bihu' observed in January. The Rongali Bihu i ...

. Assamese pithas are often made from bora saul, a special kind of

glutinous rice Glutinous rice (''Oryza sativa var. glutinosa''; also called sticky rice, sweet rice or waxy rice) is a type of rice grown mainly in Southeast and East Asia, and the northeastern regions of South Asia, which has opaque grains, very low amylose ...

, or xaali saul, or sun-dried rice. Some pithas commonly found in Assam include the following: *কাঁচি পিঠা Kachi pitha (lit. "Sickle pitha"): a pan baked pancake made from bora saul and filled with

seeds, ground

, dried orange rind, and

. The sickle is known as " Kachi" in

Assamese Assamese may refer to: * Assamese people, a socio-ethnolinguistic identity of north-eastern India * People of Assam, multi-ethnic, multi-linguistic and multi-religious people of Assam * Assamese language, one of the easternmost Indo-Aryan language ...

and hence the name. * ঘিলা পিঠা

Ghila pitha Jolpan ( as, জলপান), or snacks, are often served at breakfast in the cuisine of Assam, although they may also be served at Bihu festivals or weddings. The word ''jolpan'' includes all the preparations namely ''jolpan'', ''pitha'', '' ...

(lit. "knee pitha"): a fried pitha made from bora saul and

. Salt can also be used instead of jaggery for a savory variant. * চুঙা পিঠা

Sunga pitha Chunga pitha ( bn, চুঙ্গা পিঠা), also known as ''chungapura pitha'' ( bn, চুঙ্গাপুড়া পিঠা), is a traditional rice cake (''pitha'') originating in the Sylhet region of Bangladesh. Though its main in ...

: a special pitha made with both xaali saul and bora saul, which are mixed with water and

and churned thoroughly before being placed in a young bamboo tube corked with banana leaf and roasted in fire. The resulting tube-shaped cake is then cut into pieces and served with hot milk. * টেকেলি পিঠা Tekeli pitha (lit. "earthenware pitha"): a special pitha made with both xaali saul and bora saul, mixed with

, sugar, and powdered milk. Ground cardamom and dried orange rind can also be added. The pitha is steamed in an

earthenware Earthenware is glazed or unglazed nonvitreous pottery that has normally been fired below . Basic earthenware, often called terracotta, absorbs liquids such as water. However, earthenware can be made impervious to liquids by coating it with a ce ...

pot or a kettle set on a

hearth A hearth () is the place in a home where a fire is or was traditionally kept for home heating and for cooking, usually constituted by at least a horizontal hearthstone and often enclosed to varying degrees by any combination of reredos (a lo ...

. *উহোৱা পিঠা Uhuwa pitha: Rice flour of Xaali Saul and Bora Saul is mixed with jaggery or salt and water and churned thoroughly. The paste is rolled into small balls and flattened and then boiled in water. It is served with tea and also can be eaten with milk. *কেটলি পিঠা Ketli pitha: The method of preparation, as well as the substance, is as same as tekeli pitha, but a kettle is used here instead of the earthenware. That is the reason it is called Ketli pitha (Ketli in

means kettle). Here the kettle-cork is kept upside down on the kettle and the substance is put on it. It usually takes less time to be baked than tekeli pitha takes. *তিল পিঠা Til pitha: This is made with sesame and rice. The rice flour is spread in a circle on a pan, basically made of cast iron and heated. The roasted

seeds are placed in the circle along with sugar or

and rolled. These are cylindrical shaped, more like a cigar. *তেল পিঠা Tel pitha this is a pitha which is fried in oil. *নাৰিকল দিয়া পিঠা বা নাৰিকলৰ পিঠা Narikol diya pitha *সুতুলি পিঠা Xutuli pitha *ধূপ পিঠা Dhup pitha, also known as

Bhapa pitha Bhapa pitha is a type of rice cake mainly from the eastern part of the Indian subcontinent, which includes Bangladesh, East India and Northeast India. Bhapa pitha is considered to be a traditional winter dish in Bangladesh. It is a steamed rice ca ...

*ভাপতদিয়া পিঠা Bhapotdiya pitha *লখিমী পিঠা Lakhimi pitha *তৰা পিঠা Tora pitha *মুঠিয়া পিঠা Muthiya pitha *খোলাচাপৰি পিঠা Kholasapori pitha *লস্কৰা Laskara *আঙুলি পিঠা Anguli Pitha: In Assamese language, ‘anguli’ means finger while ‘pitha’ is a type of rice cake. ‘Anguli Pitha’ has got its name from the fact that the pithas are shaped like fingers.

In Bangladesh, West Bengal, Tripura

Home-made Puli piṭha; popular in winter in Bangladesh

While some pitha can be made at any time of the year in Bengal ( Bangladesh and Indian states of West Bengal, Tripura, Assam, Mizoram, Nagaland, Meghalaya, Manipur, Orissa, Jharkhand and Bihar), there are special pitha strongly associated with harvest festivals such as

Nabanna ''Nobanno'' ( bn, নবান্ন, Nobānno; lit: New Feast) is a Bengali harvest celebration usually celebrated with food and dance and music in Bangladesh and in the Indian states of West Bengal, Tripura and Assam's Barak Valley. It is a ...

( bn, নবান্ন ''nôbanno'', literally "new rice" or "new food") and the ''

Poush parbon Poush ( bn, পৌষ; ne, पौष) is the 9th month of both the Bengali calendar and the Nepali calendar. It overlaps December and January of the Gregorian calendar. It is the first month of the winter season. This month marks the start of Win ...

'' or

Makar Sankranti Makar(a) Sankranti (), also referred to as Uttarayana, Maghi, or simply Sankranti, is a Hindu observance and a festival. Usually falling on the date of January 14 annually, this occasion marks the transition of the Sun from the zodiac of Sag ...

, celebrated on January 14 every year. During the autumn and winter seasons, festivals dedicated to pitha called ''pitha mela'' or ''pitha utshob'' are held locally all over Bangladesh. Some common ingredients in pitha are rice flour, milk,

and

. It is often served with sweet syrups such as date tree

molasses Molasses () is a viscous substance resulting from refining sugarcane or sugar beets into sugar. Molasses varies in the amount of sugar, method of extraction and age of the plant. Sugarcane molasses is primarily used to sweeten and flavour foods ...

( bn, খেজুরের গুড় khejurer guṛ). A few of the most common pitha found in Bengal include the following: *তেলের পিঠা Teler piṭha (lit. "oil pitha"), also known as Guror Handesh or simply as

Handesh Handesh ( Sylheti Nagri: ), also known as ''Guror Handesh'' or as Teler Pitha in Bangladesh is a sweet and puffy deep-fried Pitha which also be eaten as a snack. It is a deep-fried molasses and rice flour cake. In the earlier days, like other Pi ...

is a Pitha which originated in

Sylhet Sylhet ( bn, সিলেট) is a metropolitan city in northeastern Bangladesh. It is the administrative seat of the Sylhet Division. Located on the north bank of the Surma River at the eastern tip of Bengal, Sylhet has a subtropical climate an ...

, Bangladesh. *খোলা চিতই khola chitoi is a crêpe made with rice flour abd and eggs and originate from Noakhali *নুনের পিঠা Nuner pitha (lit. “The pitha of salt.”) is generally a mixture of water,

Onions An onion (''Allium cepa'' L., from Latin ''cepa'' meaning "onion"), also known as the bulb onion or common onion, is a vegetable that is the most widely cultivated species of the genus ''Allium''. The shallot is a botanical variety of the onion ...

Gingers Ginger (''Zingiber officinale'') is a flowering plant whose rhizome, ginger root or ginger, is widely used as a spice and a folk medicine. It is a herbaceous perennial which grows annual pseudostems (false stems made of the rolled bases of lea ...

, Turmeric powder, Salt,

Coriander Coriander (;

leaves, Chilli pepper and rice flour, after adding the rice flour the mixture will turn into dough after which it’s smashed down and cut into circles. Nuner Pitha originated from

. *দুধ চিতই Dudh Chitoi *সিঈারা

Shingara A samosa () or singara is a fried Indian pastry with a savory filling, including ingredients such as spiced potatoes, onions, and peas. It may take different forms, including triangular, cone, or half-moon shapes, depending on the region. Samo ...

is a Bangladeshi version of a samosa. Some do consider this a Pitha. *ভ *মোহনবাঁশি Mohon bashi *পাকন পিঠা Pakan piṭha is a small piece of special dough with the artistic symbols of generally a leaf or a flour fried and soaked with shira (sauger water with cardamom) *পুলি পিঠা Puli piṭha: a

dumpling Dumpling is a broad class of dishes that consist of pieces of dough (made from a variety of starch sources), oftentimes wrapped around a filling. The dough can be based on bread, flour, buckwheat or potatoes, and may be filled with meat, fi ...

like dish with brads in the end and stuffed with a coconut mixture or kheer. Fried or Steamed. *বেনি পিঠা Beni piṭha (lit. "braid pitha") *দুধের পিঠা Dudher piṭha (lit. "milk pitha") or ভিজা পিঠা bhija piṭha (lit. "wet pitha") *চন্দ্র পুলি Chôndropuli *চন্দনপাতা Chondonpata *মাছ পিঠা Mach Pitha is fish shape samosa stuffed with fish mince *মুগের পুলি Muger puli *বিস্কুট পিঠা Biscuit pitha is a deep fried cookies. Generally in different shape and colors. *দুধ পুলি Dudh puli * Nakshi Pitha (lit. “The Pitha of artistic patterns”) is a piece of special dough sculpted into art via a bamboo stick or a small metal plate moulded into a v shape, this Pitha is a beautiful piece of art originating from the rural part of Bangladesh. *পাটিসাপটা পিঠা Paṭi shapta or Patibola পাটিবলা (thin crepes stuffed with

and coconut or kheer) *ভাপা পিঠা/ধুপি পিঠা

Bhapa Pitha Bhapa pitha is a type of rice cake mainly from the eastern part of the Indian subcontinent, which includes Bangladesh, East India and Northeast India. Bhapa pitha is considered to be a traditional winter dish in Bangladesh. It is a steamed rice ca ...

/Dhupi pitha is a steamed ricecake *তালের পিঠা Taler pitha (lit. “palm pitha”) is a Pitha that can be made in many ways, it can be fried, steamed, made with batter and more but it always has to be made with

Asian palmyra palm ''Borassus flabellifer'', commonly known as doub palm, palmyra palm, tala or tal palm, toddy palm, wine palm or ice apple, is native to South Asia (especially in Bangladesh & South India) and Southeast Asia. It is reportedly naturalized in Socot ...

fruits In botany, a fruit is the seed-bearing structure in flowering plants that is formed from the ovary after flowering. Fruits are the means by which flowering plants (also known as angiosperms) disseminate their seeds. Edible fruits in particula ...

. Taler Pitha has many varieties and each originating from a different place in Bengal such as the batter version of Taler Pitha and Taler Bibi khan Pitha which originated from Bangladesh and some other versions which originated from other West Bengal and neighbouring regions such as Tripura, Assam, Mizoram, Nagaland, Meghalaya, Manipur, Orissa, Jharkhand and Bihar. *তালের বিবি খান পিঠা Taler Bibi khan Pitha is a type of Bibi khan Pitha and a type of Taler pitha. *তালের ভাপা পিঠা Taler Vapa Pitha (lit. “steamed palm Pitha”) is a type of Taler Pitha and Bhapa piṭha. *গোলাপ পিঠা Golap Pitha is a rose shaped deep fried crispy pitha *মুগ পাকন Mug pakon is a Pitha that has artistic symbols moulded on top and bottom of it and it’s soft since it‘s soaked with shira (

sugar Sugar is the generic name for sweet-tasting, soluble carbohydrates, many of which are used in food. Simple sugars, also called monosaccharides, include glucose, fructose, and galactose. Compound sugars, also called disaccharides or double ...

water with cardamom mixed with it). *গোকুল পিঠা Gokul Pitha Is a special dough fried and then soaked with a special type of shira. *Chui Pitha or Chutki Pitha (Traditional Old Dhaka Pitha) *চিতই পিঠা/আস্কে পিঠা Aske Pitha/ Chitoi Pitha is a

pancake A pancake (or hotcake, griddlecake, or flapjack) is a flat cake, often thin and round, prepared from a Starch, starch-based batter (cooking), batter that may contain eggs, milk and butter and cooked on a hot surface such as a griddle or fryi ...

like dish made with batter, to make a Chitoi Pitha you need to have a special Chitoi Pitha pan where the batter is generally dropped for he mould to form. Chitoi Pitha Is generally eaten with kacha morich bhorta and other spicy bhortas. *পাতা পিঠা Pata pitha (lit. “leaf Pitha”) is a type of leaf shaped Nokshi pitha. *শামুক পিঠা Shamuk pitha is a snail shaped Nokshi Pitha *মেরা পিঠা/দইল্যা পিঠা Mera pitha/doila Pitha are steamed dumpling made with rice flour, ginger and spice such turmeric,

Jaggery Jaggery is a traditional non-centrifugal cane sugar consumed in the Indian Subcontinent, Southeast Asia, and Africa. It is a concentrated product of cane juice and often date or palm sap without separation of the molasses and crystals, and can ...

*লবঙ্গ লতিকা Lonbongo Lotika (lit. “clove lotika”) *বিবি খান পিঠা Bibi khan Pitha is a steamed Pitha That looks like a cake. Bibi khan Pitha originated in the

Bikrampur district Munshiganj ( bn, মুন্সীগঞ্জ), also historically known as Bikrampur, is a district in central Bangladesh. It is a part of the Dhaka Division and borders Dhaka District. Geography Total land area is 235974 acres (954 km2), ...

, Dhaka, Bangladesh *ক্ষীর মুড়ালি Kheer murali *জামাই পিঠা/চিপস পিঠা Jamai pitha/Chips pitha (lit. “husband Pitha”) is a batter which is moulded into a shape of a flour, sundried and fried. Taste like

papad A papad is an Indian deep fried dough of black gram bean flour, either fried or cooked with dry heat (flipped over an open flame) until crunchy. Other flours made from lentils, chickpeas, rice, tapioca, millet or potato are also used. ''Papad' ...

or chips. Often different in colors. This Pitha originated in Bangladesh. *ফুলঝুড়ি পিঠা /ফুলকুচি পিঠা Fuljhuri pitha or Fulkuchi pitha is a rosette like fried dough. Always made with rice flour. There are thousands of different pithas in every region of Bengal, these are just a few examples.

In Bhojpuri Region

There is a tradition of preparing Pitha on the occasion of Godhan in Bhojpuri region. It is prepared with soaked and then ground rice and pulses.

Gallery

Image:Bangladeshi taal-pitha.jpg Image:Pitha for Wedding- Pakan, Patishapta, Bharandash.jpg Image:Pitha-1.jpg Image:Pitha-2.jpg Image:Pitha-3.jpg Image:Pitha-4.jpg Image:Pitha-5.jpg Image:Pitha-6.jpg Image:Pitha-7.jpg Image:Pitha-8.jpg Image:Pitha-9.jpg Image:Pitha-10.jpg Image:Pitha-11.jpg Image:Pitha-12.jpg Image:Pitha-13.jpg Image:Pitha-15.jpg File:Choi pitha.jpg, Choi pitha File:Til pitha - Assamese Rice Cake.jpg File:Pithas in Howrah District in West Bengal, January 2022.jpg

References

External links

Traditional Pitha Recipes from OdishaVarieties of Pitha Recipes
{{Bread Assamese cuisine Bengali cuisine Odia cuisine Indian desserts Indian breads Bangladeshi cuisine Bangladeshi desserts