Til Pitha / Narikol Pitha

Til Pitha /Narikol Pitha ( Bihu special)

Another very authentic Assamese Bihu snack is Til Pitha / Narikol Pitha. It is prepared with rice powder and sesame seeds/ grated coconut with jaggery/ sugar.  Til  is an Assamese name for sesame seeds and Narikol is  for coconut.

We need

• Glutinous rice / bora soul- 2 cups ( 1 cup for Til  Pitha and other for Narikol Pitha )

  I found a very good glutinous rice in Asian store. The name is Thai glutinous Rice . Here is the picture.

• Black sesame seeds- 1/4 cup
• Jaggery  - 1/4 cup
• Grated coconut  -1/4 cup
• Sugar  -1/4 cup
• Cardamom powder - 1tsp ( optional )

Method:

• Soak the rice over night.
• Drain it well and keep it aside.
• Roast the sesame seeds and mix with jaggery  or  You can grind it in a mixture together with cardamom powder.
• For the Narikol Pitha roast the grated coconut with sugar. Add the cardamom powder if you are using it.
• Keep these aside.
• Now grind the rice carefully and sift with a sieve .
• Heat a griddle on medium heat .
• Take a table spoon full of rice powder and spread it with the back of the spoon or with your finger tips on hot griddle. It should be like Puri. 
• Spread the jaggery mixture for Til pitha or coconut mixture for narikol pitha on it.
• When it is roast fold from both sides or roll the pitha. 
• Enjoy the pithas with Assam Tea or keep it for 2/3 weeks .

Note: If you want to keep it for longer time you have to roast properly or one easy thing you can do is pre heat the oven at 350F and the switch off. Put the pitha on a baking tray inside it til the oven cool down. 



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Ghila Pitha (Assamese snack)

Ghila Pitha - Bhugalir Pitha  Pona

It is a bihu special snack that Assamese people prepare mainly at the time of bhugali bihu. Bhugali bihu is the harvest festival celebrated in Assam , India  in the mid January . The Assamese people prepare a lot of different types of snacks and sweets with the new crop at this time.

Thai Glutinous Rice

To prepare the Ghila Pitha

• Sticky rice ( bora Saul ) - 2 cups   

 ( Bora Saul is available only in Assam . But no worries . You can make Ghila Pitha outside India with the Thai glutinous rice or sticky Japanese rice which is easily available in any Asian store.)

• Jaggery  or sugar -1/2 cup
• Grated coconut - 1/4 cup ( optional )
• Enough oil to deep fry

Method:

• Soak the rice for 2 -4 hour.
• Drain and dry it with kitchen paper.
• Grind it in a grinder taking 2 tbsp at a time and sift with a sieve.( It should be fine powder).
• Take a bowl and mix jaggery and coconut with the rice powder. 
• Make a dough of it with water .
• Take a handful and make a ball.
• Then flatten it with your palm.
• Keep it .
• Put Oil in a deep frying pan on high heat.
• Let the oil be hot. 
• When it is hot reduced the heat to medium to low.
• Now deep fry the pithas till it brown turning once.
• Keep the pithas on a kitchen paper towel to soak extra oil.
• Enjoy the pitha at tea time. 

                                             


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Tin Fish with Mushroom

Tin Sardin and Mushroom

Tin sardin is available in any grocery store . Some are with water and some are in olive oil. Both  are good for this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1tin sardin fish ( aprox: 4-5 boneless sardin fish)
• 1 tomato
• 2-3 green chilies
• 1 medium size onion
• 1 maitake mushroom or 3-4 button mushroom
• 2-3 garlic clove
• 3-4 spring onion
• 1 tbs oil or oil in the tin 
• salt to taste

Preparation:

• Do thin slices of the onion , tomatoes and garlic
• Slit the green chilies
• Chop the spring onion.
• Remove the stem of the Maitake Mushroom. If you are using button mushroom do the thin slices of it.

Method: 

• Put oil in a skilet over medium heat. 
• Add onions into the oil and fry for 2-3 minute.
• Then add the tomatoes and fry it about  4- 5 minute.
• Put the mushroom when the tomatoes are almost cooked. Mix it well adding the galic slices and the chilies.
• Add salt. Please check the level before adding salt as some tin fish come with added salt.
• Add the tin fish with the oil/water. Mix it and cover it now.
• Let it cook for about 5 minute stiring occassionally.
• Season with chopped spring onion.
• The fish is done when it seperate oil from it. 
• Serve hot. 

Note: If you like you can add slices of green bellpepper.



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