Recipe for Rice Pittu - Neivedhyam on fridays during Navarathri

It is very auspicious to make Pittu during Navarathri Fridays.

Ingredients:
Processed Rice Flour - from 4 cups of rice (you will get 2 to 3 cups of rice)
Jaggery - 4 cups
Coconut - 1 no. Big
Cashew Nuts - 20 nos
Thoor Dal - 1/2 cup
Ghee - 1/2 cup
Salt - 1 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp
Cardamom - 10 to 12 nos


Method to make Pittu:
In a pan dry roast processed rice flour till it turns slight red in colour. Seive the flour and ensure that there is no lumps formed.  Transfer the bowl to a big shallow basin. Heat 2 cups of water along with salt and turmeirc powder. Let the water be warm.

Grind the thuvar dal to a fine powder. Mix it well with the rice flour. Add the water slowly to the rice flour and mix the entire rice flour slowly. It should be mixed thoroughly by hand ensuring that no lumps are formed. Transfer the entire content to a thin cloth and steam it in cooker. Once done, transfer it to a flat basin. Grate the coconut and mix it well with the steamed rice flour. Grind the cardamom into fine powder and add it to the rice flour. Cut cashew nuts into small pieces. Fry it in a tbsp of ghee till golden brown. Add it to the steamed flour.

In a pan add 1/5th cup of water and jaggery. Make a double string consistency jaggery syrup. Add the syrup little by little to the steamed rice flour. Rub the flour thoroughly with the back of a flat laddle and mix it completely.

Add half cup of liquidified ghee to it. Mix everything thoroughly.

Note:
If the Jaggery is not sweet add 1 or 2 more cups and if it is sweeter reduce 1 cup.