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Kholasapori pitha
Rice pancakes with coconut and jaggery
খোলাচাপৰি পিঠা: thick Assamese rice-flour pancakes folded round coconut and jaggery
Kholasapori means 'pressed in the khola', the shallow clay pan that every Assamese kitchen brings out for Magh Bihu, when guests are offered a plate of pitha before anything else. These are thicker and softer than the crisp til pitha: a loose batter of sticky rice flour is spread on the hot pan, filled with coconut and jaggery and folded over, so the outside is lightly speckled and the inside chewy and sweet. A heavy cast-iron pan stands in well for the khola. Common mistake: a pan that is too hot; the batter should set slowly with no browning in the first minute, and it is ready to fold when the edges lift and the top no longer looks wet. Chef's tip: wipe the pan with a cloth dipped in oil between each pitha rather than pouring oil in, so they stay pale and even.
- Total time
- 50 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the batter
- 7 oz glutinous rice flour (bora saul)or ordinary rice flour
- 1 cup water
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 tbsp vegetable oilfor wiping the pan
For the filling
- 4 oz fresh grated coconut
- 3 ½ oz jaggerygrated
- 1 tbsp black sesame seeds (optional)toasted
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Whisk 7 oz glutinous rice flour (bora saul), 1 pinch salt and 1 cup water into a thick, smooth batter that flows slowly off a spoon, like double cream. Rest it for 10 minutes.
10 minStep 2: Cook 4 oz fresh grated coconut and 3 ½ oz jaggery in a small pan over a low heat for 5–6 minutes, stirring, until the jaggery melts and the mixture looks glossy and holds together. Stir in 1 tbsp black sesame seeds and leave to cool.
6 minStep 3: Heat a heavy pan over a medium-low heat and wipe it with a little 1 tbsp vegetable oil on folded kitchen paper.
2 minStep 4: Pour in a small ladle of batter and spread it gently into a round about 12 cm across and 4 mm thick. Cook for 1–2 minutes until the top turns from glossy to matt.
2 minStep 5: Spoon a line of filling across the middle, fold the pancake in half and press the edges with a spatula. Cook for 1 minute on each side until set and lightly speckled, with no deep browning.
2 minStep 6: Repeat with the rest of the batter and filling, wiping the pan each time and stirring the batter as it settles. Serve warm or at room temperature on the day.
18 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 360 kcal
- Protein
- 4 g
- Carbs
- 62 g
- Fat
- 11 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does kholasapori pitha take?
- About 50 minutes in total: 20 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 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.
- What can I use instead of jaggery?
- Dark brown or muscovado sugar, same amount.
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