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A warm, comforting one-pot meal from Bihar featuring tender whole wheat dumplings simmered in a flavorful lentil stew. It's a rustic and wholesome dish perfect for a hearty lunch or dinner.
For 4 servings
Prepare the Pithi Dough
Cook the Dal
Shape the Pithi (Dumplings)
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A warm, comforting one-pot meal from Bihar featuring tender whole wheat dumplings simmered in a flavorful lentil stew. It's a rustic and wholesome dish perfect for a hearty lunch or dinner.
This bihari recipe takes 65 minutes to prepare and yields 4 servings. At 366.46 calories per serving with 15g of protein, it's a moderately challenging recipe perfect for lunch or dinner.
Prepare the Tempering (Tadka)
Combine and Cook the Pithi
Garnish and Serve
Use a mix of dals like masoor dal and chana dal along with arhar dal for a more complex flavor and texture.
Incorporate finely chopped vegetables like carrots, beans, or spinach into the tadka to make the dish more nutritious.
Add 1-2 finely chopped green chillies along with the onions in the tempering for extra heat.
For a festive version, stuff the pithi with a small amount of spiced paneer or a lentil mixture before sealing.
The combination of lentils (dal) and whole wheat (atta) provides a good amount of plant-based protein, which is essential for muscle repair, growth, and overall body function.
Both key ingredients are high in dietary fiber, which aids in digestion, prevents constipation, promotes a feeling of fullness, and helps in regulating blood sugar levels.
The complex carbohydrates from the whole wheat dumplings provide a slow and steady release of energy, keeping you feeling energetic and satiated for a longer period.
Yes, Dal Pithi is a very healthy and balanced one-pot meal. It provides an excellent combination of complex carbohydrates from whole wheat, plant-based protein from lentils, and essential nutrients from the spices and vegetables. Using ghee in moderation makes it a wholesome dish.
One serving of Dal Pithi (approximately 2 cups or 425g) contains around 390-420 calories. The calorie count can vary based on the amount of ghee used.
The traditional recipe is not gluten-free due to the whole wheat flour (atta) dumplings. You could experiment with gluten-free flours like rice flour or chickpea flour (besan), but this will significantly alter the taste and texture of the pithi.
You can cook the dal in a regular heavy-bottomed pot. It will take longer, about 45-60 minutes, for the dal to become completely soft. Ensure you add enough water and stir occasionally to prevent it from sticking.
Dal Pithi is a complete meal in itself and doesn't require any side dishes. However, it pairs wonderfully with a side of plain yogurt (dahi), a simple salad, or a piece of lime pickle (nimbu ka achaar).