Recipe: Anguli Pitha (Finger-Shaped Rice Cake)

Recipe by Meera Kalita

A traditional Assamese sweet made from rice flour, shaped like little fingers and gently cooked in sweetened, cardamom-scented milk.

Prep time: 15 mins | Cook time: 25 mins | Servings: 2

Ingredients

• 2 cups rice flour
• ½ cup water
• 1 litre milk
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 tsp cardamom powder
• A pinch of salt
• 3 almonds, finely chopped, for garnish

Get the ingredients here

Method

1. Heat the water in a deep pan until it comes to a boil. Gradually add the rice flour and a pinch of salt, stirring continuously to form a soft dough.
2. Once the mixture is cool enough to handle, knead it into a smooth dough.
3. Take small portions of the dough and roll them between your palms into finger-shaped pieces.
4. Bring the milk to a gentle boil in a deep pan.
5. Carefully add the rice flour fingers to the hot milk and cook on medium heat for about 15 minutes, stirring gently from time to time.
6. Add the sugar and cardamom powder and continue cooking until the milk is slightly thickened and the pithas are cooked through.
7. Garnish with chopped almonds and serve warm.

Tip: Make sure the rice flour dough is soft and smooth so the pitha holds its shape while cooking.