Indian cuisine · Soups & Stews

Pitla

Maharashtrian chickpea flour porridge with plenty of garlic, green chilies and curry leaves, ready in minutes.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 150 g chickpea flour
• 1 onion
• 6 garlic cloves
• 3 green chilies
• 12 curry leaves
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp asafoetida (hing)
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 4 tbsp oil
• 1/2 bunch fresh cilantro
• Salt

Instructions

1. Whisk the chickpea flour with 700 ml cold water until lump-free and set aside so it doesn't settle.
2. Finely dice the onion, coarsely chop the garlic and slice the green chilies into rings.
3. Heat the oil in a wide pan, let the mustard seeds pop, add the cumin, asafoetida and curry leaves and toast for 30 sec.
4. Fry the garlic and chilies for 1 min. until the garlic is light golden, then add the onion and sauté for 4–5 min. until soft.
5. Stir in the turmeric and salt, whisk the flour mixture once more and pour it in while stirring constantly; simmer over medium heat for 6–8 min. until the mixture is as thick as porridge and no longer tastes of raw flour.
6. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro and serve immediately with flatbread or millet flatbread while the porridge still flows soft.