Deliciously sweet Bhapa Pitha (steamed rice cake) from Bengal

Bhapa Pitha

It is my favourite time of the year, the weather is perfect, and there is so much activity all around!

Winter is the time when you get to try out different kinds of delicious, mouth watering sweets in India, especially in West Bengal which is quite popular for its sweets. And sweet pithas are very popular during this time. Bhapa pitha looks like idli but it is not quite an idli….It is made of rice powder, desiccated coconut, milk, and jaggery. The entire mix is steamed and what comes out is delicious…The sweets are best had when steaming hot.

The origin of this sweet is in Bangladesh where they make bhapa pitha (meaning steamed rice cake) to mark the beginning of the harvest festival. Pitha can be sweet or salted depending on the ingredients used. I happened to chance upon the making of bhapa pitha at a mela in Salt lake, Kolkata. Watch this video…it is interesting… the cloth that is being used is a fine muslin fabric and the containers used are earthen pots. Even though it may not look all that exciting, it really is…

And the best part is this sweet is not high on calories since it is made of natural ingredients and steamed!

What more can you ask for…a delicious sweet that you can have without feeling guilty!