SIJHA MANDA PITHA: The Oriya ‘modak’ for Ganesh chaturthi!
Ingredients:
2 cups of rice
6 cups water
3 cups milk
1 cup of finely grated coconut
¾ cup sugar
5-6 small cardamom
2 tbsps kishmish
1/4 teaspoon black pepper powder
2 small pinches of salt
Procedure:
Mix finely grated coconut and sugar in a heated frying pan, frying until it takes a pinkish-brown tinge. Add kishmish, cardamom and black pepper powder and mix thoroughly.
Keep aside.
Soak rice in 6 cups water for 2 hours. Drain from water and spread on a plate or kula. Dry under the fan. Powder in a grinder. Keep aside.
Heat milk. Add salt. Add crushed rice to the boiling milk. Stir it continuosly and boil further until you get a soft but thick dough. Moisten your palm and knead the warm dough.
Make 8 to 10 balls by rolling them with moist palms. Flatten each ball and place some stuffing in it. Close the flattened balls after putting the stuffing and carefully give them a rounded shape again. Steam the stuffed balls for 3-4 minutes in a steamer. Cool to room temperature and serve.
