Apatani Pila Pila
A soft, comforting mashed rice dish flavoured with local greens and herbs, a staple of Apatani households in the Ziro valley.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Total
- 35 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 210 kcal
Equipment
- •Heavy pot
- •Wooden ladle
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 210 kcal
- fat
- 3 g
- carbs
- 42 g
- fibre
- 4 g
- protein
- 5 g
- calories
- 210 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Boil the rice with extra water until it is very soft and slightly overcooked.
- 2
In a separate pot, boil the mustard greens with a little water until tender.
- 3
Drain the water from the greens. Chop them finely.
- 4
Mash the hot boiled rice roughly with a wooden ladle.
- 5
Gently mix the chopped greens into the rice.
- 6
Add the crushed ginger, garlic and green chillies.
- 7
Mix in the crushed perilla seeds (aromatic nutty seeds) and salt.
- 8
Stir everything well until it turns into a soft, thick porridge-like mixture.
- 9
Serve warm as a simple main dish or side.
Chef's tips
Use slightly overcooked rice so it mashes easily without extra pounding. You can use any seasonal greens that are available.
Ingredient substitutions
- mustard greens → spinach or any leafy green
Storage
Best eaten fresh; can be refrigerated for a day.
Reheating
Reheat gently with a splash of water, stirring continuously.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Using firm rice, which will not mash into the right soft texture.
Serving suggestions
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