Bhapa Pitha

Ingredients

• 400 g fine rice flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 200 ml warm water
• 150 g date palm jaggery (khejur gur), finely grated
• 120 g freshly grated coconut
• 4 squares of muslin or thin cotton cloth, about 20 cm each

Before you cook

• Grate the jaggery finely so it melts quickly inside the cake.
• Grate the coconut, or defrost frozen grated coconut and squeeze out any water.
• Wet the muslin squares and wring them almost dry.
• Find two small bowls or ramekins about 8 cm across to use as moulds.

Steps

1. Put the rice flour and salt in a wide bowl.
2. Sprinkle the warm water over the flour a little at a time, rubbing it through your fingers as you go.
3. Keep adding water until the flour holds its shape when squeezed but crumbles again at a touch.
4. Push the damp flour through a coarse sieve so it falls light and free of lumps.
5. Bring a wide pan of water to a rolling boil and cover it with a tight lid or a perforated steamer plate.
6. Spoon a shallow layer of the sieved flour into a small bowl.
7. Add a spoonful of jaggery and a spoonful of grated coconut into the middle.
8. Cover with more flour to fill the bowl and level the top without pressing it down.
9. Lay a damp muslin square over the bowl and invert it onto your palm.
10. Set the wrapped mound on the steamer, gather the cloth over the top and steam it for 6 minutes.
11. Lift the cloth away and slide the cake onto a plate.
12. Shape and steam the remaining cakes in the same way.
13. Serve them hot, while the jaggery inside is still molten.