Kakara Pitha, Sooji Kakara Pitha
by Tarla Dalal
A classic treat from Odia cuisine, the Kakara Pitha is a scrumptious sweet that everyone will enjoy, right from kids to elders.
Deep-fried semolina balls with a sweet coconut stuffing, the Kakara Pitha has a fascinating mix of textures with an exciting crispness leading to succulent sweetness. Since coconut is available in plenty in Odisha, it is used in a lot of traditional desserts such as this one.
While black pepper and cardamom powder lend a flavourful touch to the coconut filling, a dash of fennel gives a unique taste to the cover. While the outer covering is usually made with semolina, you can make it with whole wheat flour also.
The Kakara Pitha can be served as a snack or dessert, and is often made on special occasions like poojas, birthdays and kids’ parties festivals.
Enjoy how to make Kakara Pitha recipe with detailed step by step photos below.
Kakara Pitha, Sooji Kakara Pitha recipe - How to make Kakara Pitha, Sooji Kakara Pitha
Preparation Time: Cooking Time: Total Time:
Makes 8 dumplings
For The Outer Covering Of Kakara Pitha
1 cup semolina (rava / sooji)
2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp ghee
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp fennel seeds (saunf)
For The Kakara Pitha Stuffing
1/2 cup freshly grated coconut
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper (kalimirch)
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp cardamom (elaichi) powder
Other Ingredients For Kakara Pitha
oil for deep frying
To make the dough for kakara pitha
- To make the dough for kakara pitha
- In a kadhai boil about 3 cup of water with the salt, sugar,fennel seeds and 1 tsp ghee.
- Add the semolina and stir continuously for 4 minutes over a slow to medium flame. Cook till all the semolina is swollen and the mixture starts coming together like a ball.
- Remove the mixture on a plate and allow it to cool down for about 15 minutes.
- Grease your palms with a little ghee and knead the mixture to form a smooth dough.
For the kakara pitha stuffing
- For the kakara pitha stuffing
- Heat a non stick pan.
- Add grated coconut and sugar ,black pepper powder and the cardamom powder.
- Cook for 3-4 minutes till the sugar melts.
For making the kakara pitha
- For making the kakara pitha
- Divide the semolina dough into 8 equal portions
- Take one portion and make a ball. Flatten it to make a disc.
- Put the stuffing in the center and cover it by bringing the edges to the center.
- Roll it again to make a ball and flatten to make a disc-like shape.
- Repeat this process to make 7 more kakara pitha.
- Heat oil in a kadhai over a medium flame.
- Put 1-2 kakara pitha at a time into the hot oil.
- Flip when one side is golden brown.
- Remove from the flame when the other side also becomes golden brown. It will take about 2-3 minutes to fry 1 pitha.
- Place all the kakara pitha on an absorbent paper. Serve warm.
To make the dough for Kakara Pitha
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In a kadhai, boil about 1 cup of water.
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Add the salt to it. Salt is added to enhance the taste of the dough and so that it doesnt taste bland.
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Add the sugar to sweeten the dough.
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Add the fennel seeds for the flavour.
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Now, add 1 tsp ghee.
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Add the semolina and stir continuously over a medium flame.
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Cook for 4 minutes till all the semolina is swollen and the mixture starts coming together like a ball.
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Transfer the mixture on a clean and dry plate and allow it to cool down.
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Knead the semolina mixture to form a smooth dough. Apply a little ghee on your palms to prevent the dough from sticking to your hands.
For the stuffing of Kakara Pitha
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Take a heavy bottomed kadhai or a non stick pan and heat it up. Add the grated coconut.
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Now, add the the sugar. You can also add the same amount of jaggery if you wish to.
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Add the black pepper powder to zing up the stuffing.
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Now, add the cardamom powder for its tangy flavour. You can add about 1/4 cup of chopped dry fruits at this stage for crunchiness.
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Cook for 3-4 minutes till the sugar melts. Switch the flame off and keep the stuffing aside.
How to proceed for the Kakara Pitha
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Divide the semolina dough into 8 equal portions.
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Take one portion in your hand and make a ball by rolling it between your plams.
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Flatten it between your palms to make a disc.
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Put the stuffing in the center of the disc.
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Cover the stuffing by bringing the edges to the center.
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Roll it again to make a ball.
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Flatten it again between your palms to make a disc-like shape.
- Repeat the steps to make 7 more Kakara Pithas.
- Take a kadhai and put the oil into it. Heat it over a medium flame.
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Put 1-2 pithas at a time into the hot oil. You can put more if you have a big kadhai. Also, put the Kakara Pithas into the oil directly with your greased hands. Do not use a spoon to put the pithas into the oil as they might break and make the oil cloudy.
- Flip the Kakara Pithas, when one side is golden brown.
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Remove from the flame when the other side also becomes golden brown. Each pitha will take about 2-3 minutes to get cooked.
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Transfer to a plate lined with absorbent paper.
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Serve the Kakara Pithas warm.
Other Odia recipes
- If you like this Kakara Pitha recipe, you can also try out other Odia recipes from our collection like:
| Energy | 178 cal |
| Protein | 2.1 g |
| Carbohydrates | 23.6 g |
| Fiber | 0.9 g |
| Fat | 8.4 g |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg |
| Vitamin A | 50.6 mcg |
| Vitamin B1 | 0 mg |
| Vitamin B2 | 0 mg |
| Vitamin B3 | 0.3 mg |
| Vitamin C | 0.2 mg |
| Folic Acid | 13.4 mcg |
| Calcium | 3.5 mg |
| Iron | 0.4 mg |
| Magnesium | 10.2 mg |
| Phosphorus | 32.8 mg |
| Sodium | 198.7 mg |
| Potassium | 36.8 mg |
| Zinc | 0.3 mg |
tried ur recipe..my hubby really liked this..thanks for yum recipe
I have a question, please answer it. Instead of deep frying, can we just shallow fry it in a pan, since the sooji/ semolina is already cooked in warm water.