DISH: Mara Rasi (Chicken Soup)
TRIBE: Kora (West Bengal)
INGREDIENTS:
Chicken (cubes) 1 Kilograms
Spices
Red chili powder 50 grams
Turmeric powder 50 grams
Ginger 150 grams
Garlic 150 grams
Onion 200 grams
Cumin powder 25 grams
Garam Masala powder 10 grams
Salt To taste
Coriander leaves 1 bunch
Mustard oil 300 ml
METHOD: 1. Saute chopped ginger, garlic and onions in mustard oil till translucent.
2. Add in all the spices and saute till cooked.
3. Add the chicken pieces, and sufficient water to make a thin stock.
4. Adjust the seasoning as required, and garnish with chopped coriander leaves.
DISH: Laat Jilu (Chicken cooked in fresh sal leaves)
TRIBE: Santhal (Jharkhand/Orissa)
INGREDIENTS:
Chicken (boneless cubes) 1 Kilograms
Spices
Red chili powder 25 grams
Turmeric powder 25 grams
Ginger paste 50 grams
Garlic paste 50 grams
Cumin powder 25 grams
Salt To taste
Mustard oil 100 ml
Fresh sal leaf plates 6-8 nos
METHOD: 1. Marinate the chicken with the spices, and ginger, garlic pastes.
2. Using one sal leaf plate as the base, and the other as the cover, make packets of the chicken.
3. Cook these packets over slow flame/embers for 35-40 minutes.
4. Once cooked, carefully open the packet and discard the sal leaf.
DISH: Enduri Pitha
TRIBE: Sabar (Orissa)
INGREDIENTS:
Rice 500 grams
Urad Dal 500 grams
Raisins 100 grams
Peanuts 50 grams
Sesame seeds 50 grams
Shredded Coconut 100 grams
Jaggery 250 grams
Turmeric Leaf 25-30 nos
METHOD: 1. Soak the Rice and Urad dal together and leave overnight.
2. Make a batter by grinding the soaked rice and dal.
3. Allow the batter to ferment for 2-3 hours.
4. Meanwhile, mix together the shredded coconut, raisins, peanuts, sesame and jaggery for the
filling.
5. On a turmeric leaf, apply some of the batter, place a spoonful of the filling mixture and fold the
leaf over to enclose the filling. Prepare similarly with all of the batter.
6. Steam the pithas for 20-25 mins. Remove from steamer, unfold the leaf and serve.
DISH: Manso Pitha
TRIBE: Lodha (West Bengal)
INGREDIENTS:
Chicken (boneless cubes) 1 kilogram
Rice Powder 1.5 kilograms
Mustered Oil 250 ml
Spices
Onion 300 grams
Ginger 50 grams
Garlic 50 grams
Cumin powder 20 grams
Turmeric powder 40 grams
Red chili powder 30 grams
Green chili 20 grams
Garam Masala 25 grams
Coriander leaves 1 bunch
Salt To taste
METHOD: 1. Marinate the chicken cubes with salt, spice powders.
2. Saute chopped onion, chilli, ginger & garlic with mustard oil till cooked through.
3. Add the chicken to the pan with just enough water for it to cook. Sprinkle in chopped coriander
once cooked.
4. Once cooked, take the pan off the flame, and mix in the rice powder in parts, using only enough to
make a sticky dough.
5. Portion out this dough and flatten into thick pancakes.
6. Fry the pitha on a tawa, using mustard oil.
7. Once cooked, cut and serve with chutney or pickle of choice.
DISH: Simjil Leto (Sticky Biryani)
TRIBE: Santhal (Jharkhand/Orissa)
INGREDIENTS:
Chicken (boneless cubes) 1 kilogram
Rice (local, short-grain
1.5 kilograms
rice)
Mustered Oil 250 ml
Spices
Onion 300 grams
Ginger 50 grams
Garlic 50 grams
Cumin powder 20 grams
Turmeric powder 40 grams
Red chili powder 30 grams
Green chili 20 grams
Garam Masala 25 grams
Coriander leaves 1 bunch
Salt To taste
METHOD: 1. Soak the rice for 1-2 hours, then pound into a coarse meal in a mortar & pestle.
2. Marinate the chicken cubes with salt, spice powders.
3. Saute chopped onion, chilli, ginger & garlic with mustard oil till cooked through.
4. Add the chicken to the pan with just enough water for it to cook.
5. Into this chicken gravy, add the pounded rice, and more water. Continue cooking till the rice is
cooked.
6. When complete, the dish will have the texture and appearance of a khichdi or porridge. Garnish
with chopped coriander and serve.
DISH: Gud Pitha
TRIBE: Kora (West Bengal)
INGREDIENTS:
Rice Powder 1 kilogram
Jaggery 700 grams
20 grams
Salt
Refined oil (for frying) 2 litres
METHOD: 1. Make a thick syrup using the jaggery and water.
2. Using this syrup, make a dough with the rice powder and salt.
3. Portion out the dough into small balls, and flatten into disc shapes, the size of a cookie.
4. Deep fry these pithas in hot oil and serve warm.
