Xaal Pitha (Steamed Rice Pitha)
Simple steamed cakes of rice flour and water, soft and mildly sweet, traditionally eaten warm on winter mornings.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Total
- 35 min
- Servings
- 6
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 110 kcal
Equipment
- •Steamer
- •Banana leaf pieces
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 110 kcal
- fat
- 0.5 g
- carbs
- 24 g
- fibre
- 1 g
- protein
- 2 g
- calories
- 110 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Heat the water with a pinch of salt until it comes to a gentle boil.
- 2
Slowly add the rice flour while stirring constantly to avoid lumps. Stir until a thick dough forms.
- 3
Take the pan off the heat and let it cool a little. Knead the warm dough briefly until smooth.
- 4
Shape the dough into small, flat discs or press it into greased moulds.
- 5
Line a steamer basket with pieces of banana leaf. Place the pitha (steamed rice cakes) on top.
- 6
Steam for 12–15 minutes until they look glossy and are cooked through.
- 7
Let them cool slightly. Serve warm with jaggery (unrefined cane sugar) or a drizzle of coconut milk.
Chef's tips
Pour the flour in slowly while stirring so lumps do not form. The dough should feel soft and bendy, not dry.
Ingredient substitutions
- banana leaf lining → a lightly greased steamer plate
Storage
Best eaten fresh on the day of steaming.
Reheating
Re-steam briefly for a few minutes before serving.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Dumping all the flour in at once, which creates stubborn lumps in the dough.
Serving suggestions
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