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Dudh pitha
Rice dumplings in milk
दूध पीठा: rice-flour dumplings stuffed with coconut and jaggery, simmered in sweet milk
Dudh pitha is made in Jharkhand and Bihar for Makar Sankranti, Sohrai and winter evenings, when the new rice is milled: small rice-flour dumplings are stuffed with coconut and jaggery (some families use spiced chana dal instead) and simmered in milk until it thickens around them. It is eaten warm from a bowl with a spoon. The common mistake is adding jaggery straight to boiling milk, which can curdle it; sweeten the milk with sugar and keep the jaggery inside the dumplings. Chef's tip: shape the dumplings while the dough is warm and keep your palms greased, so the edges seal without cracking.
- Total time
- 60 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the dough
- 1 cup water
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 tsp ghee
- 7 oz fine rice flour
For the filling
- 3 ½ oz fresh grated coconut
- 2 ⅞ oz jaggerygrated
- ¼ tsp ground cardamom
For the milk
- 4 ¼ cups full-fat milk
- 2 ⅛ oz sugar
- ¼ tsp ground cardamom
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Bring 1 cup water to the boil with 1 pinch salt and 1 tsp ghee. Off the heat, stir in 7 oz fine rice flour until no dry flour remains. Cover 5 minutes, then knead smooth while warm.
10 minStep 2: Cook 3 ½ oz fresh grated coconut and 2 ⅞ oz jaggery in a dry pan over low heat for 5–6 minutes until sticky and it comes together. Stir in ¼ tsp ground cardamom and cool.
8 minStep 3: Make 16 balls of dough. Flatten each into a cup in your palm, fill with a teaspoon of coconut, close and roll smooth or shape into a half-moon.
15 minStep 4: Bring 4 ¼ cups full-fat milk to the boil in a wide heavy pan, stirring, then simmer 8 minutes until slightly reduced.
10 minStep 5: Slip in the dumplings one at a time and simmer 10–12 minutes, stirring gently, until they float, look glossy and the milk coats a spoon.
12 minStep 6: Stir in 2 ⅛ oz sugar and ¼ tsp ground cardamom, cook 2 minutes more and serve warm.
2 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 470 kcal
- Protein
- 12 g
- Carbs
- 72 g
- Fat
- 16 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does dudh pitha take?
- About 60 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of ghee?
- Butter, same amount (keep the heat a little lower, butter burns sooner).
- What can I use instead of jaggery?
- Dark brown or muscovado sugar, same amount.
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