Ever heard of pithla bhakari? It’s a delicious comfort food from the state of Maharashtra.
Pithla is an authentic Maharashtrian dish from the west coast region of India.
It is a very simple, quick and easy recipe with unique flavour and texture.
This is a vegan, beginner-friendly recipe served with millet bread.
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About Kandyacha Paticha Pithla (Spring Onion Curry)
Pithla is a traditional Maharashtrian Curry made up of Besan (gram flour) and onions.
It is a vegan, protein-rich and gluten-free dish popularly served with Bhakri along with chilli thecha and raw onions.
Making pithla is super easy and it gets ready in under 20 minutes.
It is a staple food of Maharashtra and every household has its own unique way of making this recipe. It is mostly served with plain rice, chapati, roti, or bhakri.
Pithla has a thick creamy paste / stew-like consistency and hence can be eaten with flatbreads and rice.
The dry version of this pithla is called zunka. Zunka is also very much popular in Maharashtra and is made by adding different kinds of vegetables such as cabbage zunka, spring onions zunka , and green leafy zunka like methi to name a few.
The traditional pithla is made using lots of finely chopped onions that are sauteed in oil and then the paste of besan (gram flour) is added and cooked on high flame.
Using only two basic ingredients this pithla is regarded as one of the most loved comfort food all across Maharashtra.
This is such a versatile recipe, that you can tweak it according to your taste buds. There are numerous ways of making pithla.
This spring onion pithla which we are making today is infused with garlic, onions, coriander leaves and spices. It tastes delicious and goes well with jowar bhakri and rice.
This is a no-fail recipe if you are a beginner and want to make something quick and easy for meals.
Apart from being quick and easy, it is also a very healthy & budget-friendly recipe, especially for students who stay away from home.
Pithla is not only popular in Maharashtra but all over India and is sometimes it is served as street food along with rice bharki (tandlachi bhakri).
Pithla is best served immediately as the cold pithla does not taste good and the texture changes a lot.
Making pihtla of any kind is very simple as most of the ingredients that go into making this dish are already available in our kitchen.
This is a typical Maharashtrian dish that is tempered with mustard seeds, hing (asafoetida), jeera, garlic, green chillies and then sautéed finely chopped spring onions.
Growing up this was my favourite dish with hot pipping rice and lemon pickle by the side.
Traditionally it is served with bhakri but there is no hard and fast rule. You can serve it with chapati, paratha, or even bread as a side dish for meals.
Do try out this authentic spring onion pithla recipe from Maharashtra and you are going to fall in love with it.
It’s a great dish to make when you run out of vegetables and want to enjoy a nice comfy meal.
This garma garam spring onion pithla along with jowar bhakri, raw onion, and green chilli makes a perfect lunch menu at home! Simple & best!
ingredients
Spring Onions / Kandyachi Paat – We will need 1/2 cup of finely chopped spring onion whites and 1 cup of finely chopped spring onion greens.
Besan (Gram Flour) – To make pithal, we need to make besan paste using water. This paste should be free of lumps.
Herbs – We will need 6-7 garlic pods and 2 green chillies which give a nice depth of flavour to this pithla.
Spices – Basic powdered spices like red chilli powder, turmeric and hing (asafoetida) are used to give a nice flavour to this pithla.
Seasoning – We will need salt for seasoning. You can also add rock salt if available.
Oil – We will need 2 tablespoons of oil. I have used sunflower oil.
Water -We will require water to adjust the consistency of the pithla.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Pithla be made in advance?
It’s best to serve pithla immediately but in case you want to make it in advance, store it in the refrigerator after it’s completely cooled down. Reheat before serving, adding a little water to adjust the consistency.
What are some variations of Pithla?
Adding vegetables like spinach (palak leaves), fenugreek leaves (methi), and tomatoes, are some of the variations you can make while preparing pithla.
Is Pithla a healthy dish?
Pithla is high in protein which comes from gram flour.
Adding vegetables like spring onions, fenugreek leaves, and palak leaves increases the intake of vitamins and minerals.
Can I use regular onions instead of spring onions in pithla?
Yes, you can use regular onions. The flavour will be slightly different.
How do you serve spring onion pithla?
Typically this spring onion pithla is served with hot bhakri, roti or rice. This can also be paired with salads (koshimbir), chutneys and pickles.
Variations
Without Onion & Garlic: You can use tomatoes and curry leaves instead of onion and garlic, they give a distinct taste to pithla.
Without Garlic: Use only finely chopped onion for tempering. This kind of pithla is loved at our home.
Plain Pithla: A very basic, that contains only the tempering of mustard seeds, jeera, hing , turmeric powder and besan (gram flour) paste. Season with salt and garnish with lots of coriander leaves.
Serving Suggestions
With Bhakri (Millet Flatbread) – This spring onion pithla pairs best with jowar bhakri (sorghum millet flour), bajra bhakri (pearl millet flour)
With Rice – You can serve this pithla with simple plain steamed rice or with jeera rice.
Others – This pithla can also be served with roti, phulka and bread.
Storage Options
Pithla is best enjoyed hot. You can store leftovers in an airtight container for up to two days. It tends to thicken as it cools, so add a few tablespoons of water before reheating in the microwave or on the stove.
Related Recipes
More Traditional Maharashtrian Recipes
Matki Chi Usal, Alu Vadi (Patra), Dudhi Halwa (Lauki Halwa), Phodnichi Poli (Tadka Roti),Dadpe Pohe (No Cook Poha Recipe),Sabudana Vada,Policha Ladoo (Roti Ke Laddu)
How to make Kandyacha Paticha Pithla (Spring Onion Curry)
Note:
I used raw besan (gram flour) and cooked it directly in the pan. You may also roast the besan first and then make the paste and add it to the onions, this will lessen the cooking time.
You can serve this pithla with rice bhakri, jowar bhakri or phulka.
Serve pithla immediately, cold pithla does not taste good.
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Recipe Card
Spring Onion Pithla – Kandyacha Paticha Pithla
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons Besan (Gram Flour)
- 1 teaspoon Red Chilli Powder
- 6-7 Garlic Pods (peeled)
- 2 Green Chiliies
- 1 teaspoon Mustard Seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon Turmeric Powder
- 1 teaspoon Cumin Seeds
- 1/4th teaspoon Hing (Asafoetida)
- 1/2 cup Spring Onion Whites
- 1 cup Spring Onion Greens
- Salt to taste
- 2 tablespoons Oil
- Water to make paste & cook
- 2-3 tablespoons Coriander Leaves to garnish
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, add 4 tablespoons of besan (gram flour) along with a teaspoon of red chilli powder and salt.
- Add water and make a paste. The consistency should be thin as besan will thicken when cooked.
- Using mortar pestle roughly crush garlic pods and green chillies.
- Heat oil, add mustard seeds and let them splutter, and cumin seeds and hing (asafoetida).
- Add garlic-chilli paste and sauté till the raw smell of garlic fades away.
- Add finely chopped spring onion whites and sauté for 3-4 minutes.
- Cook till the onions are a little soft. Add spring onion greens & cook for 3-4 minutes.
- Add turmeric powder and mix. Cook till onions are soft.
- Add besan (gram flour) paste and keep on stirring continuously.
- Adjust the consistency by adding water.
- Cook this pithla for 5-6 minutes on medium flame. Keep on stirring occasionally as besan tends to stick to the bottom of the pan.
- Cook the pithla till it becomes glossy, that's the sign that pithla is cooked perfectly. Add coriander leaves (cilantro) and mix.
- Kandyacha Paticha Pithal (Spring Onion Pithla) is ready.
- Serve hot with bhakri or rice along with raw onion and thecha (spicy green chilli paste) .
