Recipe for Pitlaa
What is unique about Pitlaa?
An authentic, staple Maharashtrian dish – Pitlaā is prepared using gram flour as one of its main ingredients. Combined with ground Indian spices and prepared to a semi-thick consistency the main highlight of this dish comes with the addition of the aromatic tadka of cumin seeds,
curry leaves, green chilies, and chopped garlic imparting a delectable taste to this dish.
Pitlaā is best eaten with authentic Maharashtrian roti which is the Jowari ki Roti made of sorghum.
So go ahead and try out this authentic dish from the land of India!

Ingredients For Pitlaa
Gram flour ( Besan ) – 2 cups sifted ( to serve 4 )
Oil – 2 tablespoons
Onions – 1 medium, finely sliced
Turmeric- 1/2 a teaspoon
Salt to taste
Chili powder- 1 tablespoon
Ginger garlic paste- 1/2 a teaspoon
Water – 4 cups
Coriander – 1/2 a bunch, finely chopped
Lemon juice – 4 teaspoons
Ingredients For ‘Tadka’
Clarified butter (ghee) – 3 tablespoons
Cumin seeds – 1 teaspoon
Garlic pods – 5-6, peeled and finely chopped
Curry leaves – 8-10
Green chilies – 4-5, finely chopped
Method To Cook Pitlaa
In a heavy-bottomed pan or Kadai, heat the oil and sauté the sliced onions till they turn a light golden
As the onions get done, add in the turmeric, salt, and chili powder and keep mixing well for 2-3 minutes
Sift the gram flour using a steel sieve and add it to the onion mixture
Mix in the flour well with the rest of the ingredients making sure no lumps are formed
Once the flour gets well roasted and acquires a golden brown color, add one glass of water and mix vigorously using a ladle to prevent lumps from forming
If lumps do form then use a hand blender or spoon to get the lumps
Keep stirring the gravy continuously until it attained a semi-thick consistency. At this point switch off the flame
For the tadka , take a small pan or vessel and start by heating the clarified butter on low flame
Once heated, temper the melted butter with cumin seeds, chopped garlic, curry leaves, and the chopped chilies
As soon as the added ingredients start to crackle letting off a sweet aroma, switch off the flame and empty the contents with the remaining butter on top of the prepared Pitlaā
Garnish the Pitlaā with fresh coriander and lime juice and enjoy this finger-licking dish served with hot Jowari ki roti or Indian phulkas !!
Recipe for Jowari Ki Roti
What is Unique about Jowari Ki Roti?
A popular Maharashtrian unleavened flatbread, Jowari Ki Roti is made out of Jowar or Sorghum.
Being a better complex carb in comparison to whole wheat, Jowar is one of the best-known millet for weight loss and reducing blood sugars levels in individuals.
Try out this unique recipe to enjoy the delectable flavors of this Indian flatbread !!
Ingredients for Jowari Ki Roti
Sorghum flour (Jowari ) – 2 cups
Sorghum flour – 1/2 a cup for dusting
Pinch of salt
Oil – 1 teaspoon
Water – 1 cup, warm or tepid
Method to make JOwari Ki Roti
In a mixing bowl sieve out the sorghum flour with the help of a sieve or colander
Drizzle in the oil and salt and knead the flour well using your fingers, pouring in the tepid water gently to attain a soft pliable dough
The process of kneading the flour is very critical as the consistency of the dough attained should be just right
Once the sorghum dough is ready divide the dough into equal-sized rounded dough balls about 2” in diameter
Flatten out the dough balls immediately to start preparing the Rotis as with sorghum flour the rotis tend to turn brittle exposed to air for long
Start by dusting some sorghum flour into the platform used for rolling the Rotis
Now apply some flour onto the flattened dough balls and start rolling out the dough by applying gentle pressure
Alternatively, you can make use of an electric roti maker to roll your Rotis. Just make sure that the plate does not get too heated while making the Rotis while would otherwise result in the dough cracking off on applying the slightest pressure. Dust the roti in the sorghum glour if necessary
Once the roti has been rolled out, we would cook the roti on a flat pan or Tawa
For this, heat the Tawa well and transfer the roti by briefly wetting the palms of your hands
This ensures that the roti comes out soft once cooked
Using a flat ladle, flip the roti and cook both the sides
Serve the rotis immediately or store them in a tightly lidded container in order to retain their softness
These Rotis are best eaten with the famous Maharashtrian Pitlaā or Baingan Ka Bharta !!