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Bagiya
बगिया (bagiya): Mithila's steamed rice-flour dumplings filled with toasted sesame and jaggery
When the new rice is harvested in late autumn, Maithil households in Janakpur, Siraha and Saptari steam bagiya, plump spindle-shaped dumplings of rice-flour dough that are offered to the gods, given to married daughters visiting home and eaten warm on cold winter mornings. The smooth, chewy shell hides a sweet centre, here toasted sesame bound with melted jaggery and a pinch of cardamom, though some families use molasses toffee (chaku), grated coconut or sweetened milk solids instead. Plain bagiya are also made and eaten with chutney. A common slip is using cold water for the dough, which makes it crumble and split; it must be made with boiling water. Chef's tip: knead the dough while it is still as hot as your hands can bear, with a little oil on your palms, until it is as smooth as play dough.
- Total time
- 60 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the filling
- 2 ⅞ oz white sesame seeds
- 3 ½ oz jaggerygrated
- 1 /2 tsp ground cardamom
- 2 tbsp water
For the dough
- 9 oz fine rice flour
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 ¼ cups boiling waterapproximately
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Toast 2 ⅞ oz white sesame seeds in a dry pan over a medium-low heat for 3–4 minutes, stirring, until golden and popping. Tip into a bowl.
4 minStep 2: Melt 3 ½ oz jaggery with 2 tbsp water in the same pan over a low heat for 2–3 minutes until bubbling, then stir in the sesame and 1 /2 tsp ground cardamom. Cool until you can handle it and roll into 12 small logs.
4 minStep 3: Put 9 oz fine rice flour and 1 pinch salt in a bowl, pour in 1 ¼ cups boiling water and stir with a spoon to a shaggy dough. Cover for 5 minutes.
5 minStep 4: Rub 1 tsp vegetable oil, for your hands on your palms and knead the warm dough for 4–5 minutes until completely smooth and pliable.
5 minStep 5: Divide into 12 balls. Flatten each into a cup, put a sesame log inside, close the dough around it and roll between your palms into a fat spindle about 8 cm long.
12 minStep 6: Steam in a lined steamer over boiling water for 12–15 minutes until the dough turns slightly translucent and no longer sticks to a wet finger. Serve warm.
15 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 260 kcal
- Protein
- 5 g
- Carbs
- 46 g
- Fat
- 7 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does bagiya take?
- About 60 minutes in total: 35 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of white sesame seeds?
- Poppy seeds or finely chopped pumpkin seeds, same amount.
- What can I use instead of jaggery?
- Dark brown or muscovado sugar, same amount.
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