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Steamed Tekeli Pitha with sweet grated coconut and jaggery – an aromatic, energy-giving treat for your soul!
A traditional Assamese steamed rice cake, this pitha is incredibly soft and fluffy. Made with rice flour and a sweet coconut filling, it's a beloved breakfast or snack, especially during the Bihu festival.
Serving size: 1 serving
Prepare the Rice Flour Mixture
A fundamental ingredient in South Indian and many tropical cuisines, freshly grated coconut imparts a subtly sweet, nutty flavor and moist texture. This guide provides simple, step-by-step methods to crack, extract, and grate a whole coconut at home, unlocking authentic flavors for your curries, chutneys, and desserts.
Serving size: 1 serving
A warm, comforting Indian tea sweetened with earthy jaggery instead of sugar. Spiced with ginger and cardamom, it's the perfect cozy beverage for a chilly day, but be careful not to curdle the milk!
Serving size: 1 serving
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Steamed Tekeli Pitha with sweet grated coconut and jaggery – an aromatic, energy-giving treat for your soul!
This assamese dish is perfect for lunch. With 950.87 calories and 14.29g of protein per serving, it's a nutritious choice for your meal plan.
Create the Sweet Filling
Set Up the Steamer
Assemble and Steam the Pitha
Serve Immediately
Prepare and Crack the Coconut (5 minutes). First, locate the three 'eyes' at the top of the coconut. Pierce the softest eye with a screwdriver or a sharp knife and drain all the coconut water into a glass. This water is delicious and hydrating. To crack it, hold the coconut firmly in one hand over a bowl and tap it sharply around its 'equator' with the back of a heavy cleaver or a small hammer. Rotate the coconut as you tap until a crack forms and it splits into two halves.
Loosen the Coconut Meat (5 minutes). To make the meat easier to remove from the shell, use one of these methods. Method A (Heat): Place the coconut halves directly on a low gas flame, shell-side down, for 2-3 minutes. You may hear a crackling sound. Method B (Freeze): Place the coconut halves in the freezer for 30-60 minutes. The cold temperature will cause the meat to contract and pull away from the shell.
Remove the Meat from the Shell (5 minutes). Once cooled enough to handle (if using the heat method), insert a sturdy, blunt knife or a spoon between the white meat and the hard shell. Gently pry the meat out. It should come out in large pieces or as a whole half-cup.
Grate the Coconut Meat (5 minutes). Rinse the coconut pieces to remove any shell debris. If desired, you can peel off the thin brown skin with a vegetable peeler for a pure white result. Choose your grating method. Method A (Food Processor): Cut the meat into 1-inch cubes and pulse in a food processor with the shredding disc until finely grated. Method B (Box Grater): Use the medium-sized holes of a box grater to shred the coconut pieces.
In a medium saucepan, combine 2 cups of water, grated ginger, crushed cardamom pods, cinnamon stick, and cloves. Bring the mixture to a rolling boil over medium-high heat and let it boil for 2-3 minutes to infuse the water with the spices.
Add the black tea leaves to the boiling spice water. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 2 minutes. This step develops the color and flavor of the tea.
Pour in 2 cups of milk and increase the heat to medium. Allow the chai to come to a boil, watching it closely to prevent it from overflowing. As soon as it starts to rise, reduce the heat to low and simmer for another 1-2 minutes to thicken slightly.
Turn off the heat completely. Let the saucepan sit for 60-90 seconds until it stops bubbling. This is the most critical step to prevent the milk from curdling when jaggery is added.
Add the grated or powdered jaggery to the saucepan. Stir gently with a spoon until the jaggery is fully dissolved.
Using a fine-mesh tea strainer, pour the hot chai into serving cups. Serve immediately and enjoy.
