Dal Pitha

Drain the soaked chana dal and pressure cook it with 1½ cups of fresh water and a pinch of turmeric for 2 whistles — it should be fully cooked but still hold its shape, not mushy. Drain well and set aside to cool. Once cool, pulse it briefly in a food processor 3–4 times, or mash coarsely with a fork: you want a rough, textured mixture where you can still see individual pieces of dal, not a smooth paste. This texture is what gives pitha their satisfying bite.

About 12 min

Temper the filling: heat the oil in a small pan over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and let them crackle and darken — about 20 seconds. Add the hing, which will puff up immediately, then add the grated ginger and minced green chilli. Stir for 30 seconds until fragrant. Tip in the coarsely ground dal, add the remaining turmeric, and season generously with salt. Mix everything together over low heat for 2–3 minutes until the spices are fully combined and the mixture smells warm and aromatic. Remove from heat, fold in the fresh cilantro, taste and adjust salt — the filling should be assertively seasoned, since the rice outer shell is completely bland. Allow to cool fully before shaping; a warm filling will make the dough sticky and difficult to seal.

About 8 min

Make the rice flour dough: bring 350 ml of water to a rolling boil with ½ teaspoon of salt. Pour it directly into the rice flour in a heat-proof bowl all at once, stirring vigorously with a wooden spoon — the flour will immediately seize and clump. Keep stirring until no dry patches remain, then cover and let it steam for 2 minutes. When cool enough to handle (still warm but not burning), knead the mass into a smooth, soft dough. The hot water gelatinises the starch, which is what makes the dough pliable and allows it to seal without splitting during steaming. If it feels crumbly, add a teaspoon of warm water; if sticky, a small dusting of rice flour.

About 8 min

Divide the dough into 16 equal portions. Working one at a time, flatten each piece between your palms into a small disc about 8 cm across and 3–4 mm thick. The edges should be thinner than the centre. Place a heaped teaspoon of cooled dal filling in the centre — don't overfill, or you won't be able to seal it. Fold the disc over into a half-moon shape and pinch the edges firmly closed, pressing hard along the seam to prevent steam from bursting it open. Some Bihari cooks crimp the edge with a rope-twist pattern for a decorative seal; press the seam flat if crimping isn't comfortable.

About 10 min

Set up a steamer basket over boiling water. Lightly oil the steamer surface or line it with banana leaf or parchment. Arrange the pitha in a single layer with a small gap between each (they expand slightly). Cover tightly and steam over high heat for 12–15 minutes — the outer shell will turn from chalky-white to slightly translucent and firm, and they should peel away from the steamer surface cleanly. Test one: the shell should feel firm and smooth with no raw-starchy taste. Serve immediately with raw mustard oil for dipping, or a sharp fresh coriander-mint chutney. Pitha toughen quickly as they cool; like all steamed dumplings, they're at their best the moment they come off the heat.

About 15 min