This Makar Sankranti, make the classic Bengali Bhaja Pitha recipe with a crunchy outer layer of sweet potato, moong dal, and rice flour. The inside is filled with coconut and jaggery, giving a sweet and crispy taste in every bite. It’s a simple and delightful festive treat.
Unlike steamed or milk-based pithes, Moong Dal Bhaja Pithe is fried, giving it a crisp golden shell with a soft, sweet filling of coconut and jaggery. The ingredients—freshly harvested rice, date palm jaggery (nolen gur), and grated coconut—symbolize abundance and gratitude for the harvest season.
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About Bhaja Pithe
Ranga alur bhaja pithe is more than just a festive sweet—it is a living memory of Bengal’s culinary heritage. Although Bhaja Pithe Recipe takes time and effort, preserving these old recipes is important.
These dishes carry the essence of tradition, the rhythm of seasonal harvests, and the love poured into every step. The crispy outer shell and sweet coconut-jaggery filling instantly bring back memories of childhood winters, when families gathered around the kitchen, watching elders patiently craft each piece.
The aroma of coconut and jaggery filling the air, the sizzling sound of pithes frying, and the joy of sharing them together created moments that linger for a lifetime.
Ingredients
Sweet Potato: It adds natural sweetness and moisture to the dough while giving the bhaja pithe a soft yet slightly firm texture.
Moong Dal: It provides a smooth, creamy texture when cooked and mashed. It helps bind the dough while adding a subtle nutty flavor that balances the sweetness.
Rice Flour: It makes the bhaja pithe crispy on the outside while keeping the inside soft. It also helps hold the shape during frying.
All-purpose flour: Maida is used in small amounts to strengthen the dough and make it easier to roll and shape without breaking.
Coconut: Fresh coconut makes the filling moist and aromatic.
Jaggery: It provides natural warmth, energy, and sweetness during winter, while also symbolizing prosperity and togetherness in harvest celebrations.
Oil: I have used vegetable oil for deep frying. Always use oil with higher smoking points for deep frying.
Instructions
Here I am sharing the easy‑to‑follow, step‑by‑step Bhaja Pithe Recipe, a festive Bengali delicacy. Crispy outside with coconut‑jaggery filling, it’s perfect for Makar Sankranti.
This bhaja pitha recipe involves four main steps: making the stuffing, preparing the outer shell, shaping the pithes, and frying them until golden.
Making of Stuffing
Break the coconut in half and scrape out the flesh. Transfer the scraped coconut to a blender jar and pulse briefly to make it slightly smoother.
Place a heavy‑bottomed kadai or pan on low flame and add the coconut. Stir for a couple of minutes, then add the grated jaggery.
Mix well and continue cooking the coconut‑jaggery mixture over low to medium heat for 6–7 minutes, stirring constantly to prevent sticking.
Gradually, the jaggery will melt and blend with the coconut, and the mixture will begin to thicken. Cook until all moisture evaporates and the mixture starts to leave the sides of the pan smoothly.
Turn off the heat and allow it to cool completely before using as the filling. This ensures the stuffing is firm, aromatic, and easy to handle while shaping the Bhaja Pithe Recipe.
Dough for Outer Shell
Wash and peel the sweet potatoes, then cut them into small pieces and set aside.
Rinse the moong dal thoroughly to remove any impurities.
Place both the moong dal and sweet potato pieces in a pressure cooker, adding just enough water to cover the dal—avoid excess water to maintain the right consistency.
Cook for 2–3 whistles, or until the dal and sweet potatoes are soft and fully cooked. Once the pressure releases, open the lid and transfer the mixture to a plate, ensuring no extra water remains.
While still hot, mash the dal and sweet potatoes together into a smooth blend using a ladle or masher.
Next, add rice flour, all‑purpose flour, and jaggery powder, mixing well. Knead into a soft, pliable dough that holds shape without sticking.
Cover the dough with a damp cloth to retain moisture and prevent cracks, allowing it to rest for a few minutes before shaping the pithes.
Shaping of Pitha & Frying
For the bhaja pitha recipe, take a marble-sized portion of dough and press the center to form a small pocket.
Fill it with coconut stuffing, then fold and seal into a half-moon shape. Repeat with the remaining dough, keeping both unused dough and shaped pithes covered with a damp cloth to prevent drying and cracks.
Heat oil over medium heat, gently slide the stuffed pithes into the hot oil, and fry until golden brown and crisp on both sides. Remove, drain on absorbent paper, and serve hot.
Storage
Bhaja Pithe is best enjoyed fresh, but if you need to store it, keep it in an airtight container at room temperature for 1–2 days or refrigerate for up to 3–4 days. Reheat lightly before serving to restore crispness.
Variations
Usually, bhaja pithe is stuffed with a coconut and jaggery filling, but sondesh can also be used as an alternative stuffing.
In this recipe, the outer shell of the bhaja pithe is made with sweet potato, moong dal, and rice flour, though many people prepare it using only moong dal and rice flour or a combination of sweet potato and rice flour.
Top tips
- Boil or steam the sweet potato until fully cooked. Mash it well while still hot to get a smooth dough. There should not be any lump.
- Keep the dough covered with a wet cloth to preserve moisture and prevent surface cracks during preparation.
- Heat oil moderately—too hot will burn the outside while leaving the inside raw; too cold will make them greasy. Fry until golden brown.
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Bengali Bhaja Pitha Recipe | Sweet Potato and Moong Dal Pitha
Materials
For Stuffing
- 2½ cup Freshly Scraped Coconut
- 1 cup Jaggery grated
For Outer Shell
- 1 cup Moong Dal
- 250 gms Sweet Potato
- ½ cup Rice Flour
- ¼ cup All purpose flour (Maida)
- 2-3 tablespoon Jaggery Powder
For Frying Pithas
- 2 cups Vegetable Oil
Instructions
Making of Stuffing
- Break the coconut in half and scrape it.
- After scraping the coconut, put it to a blender jar and pulse for a few seconds to smooth it.
- Place a heavy bottom kadai or pan on low flame and add coconut into it.
- After stirring for couple of minutes, add grated jaggery into it. Combine well.
- Cook the coconut and jaggery mixture over low to medium heat for about 6–7 minutes, stirring continuously.
- Slowly the jaggery will melt and mixture will thicken.
- Cook until the moisture evaporates, and the mixture smoothly leaves the pan.
- Turn off the heat and allow to cool the mixture.
Dough for Outer Shell
- Wash and peel the sweet potatoes, then cut them into small pieces and set aside.
- Thoroughly wash the moong dal.
- Place the moong dal and sweet potato pieces in a pressure cooker and add just enough water to submerge the dal—do not add excess water.
- Cook for 2–3 whistles, or until both the dal and sweet potatoes are fully cooked.
- Once the pressure releases, open the lid and transfer the boiled dal and sweet potatoes onto a plate, ensuring there is no excess water.
- While still hot, mash the mixture thoroughly using a ladle or masher.
- Then add rice flour, all-purpose flour, and jaggery powder, and knead into a smooth dough.
Shaping of Pitha & Frying
- Now take marble size dough, press the middle of it and make a pocket using your fingers.
- Stuff it with coconut filling. Fold it like a half-moon.
- Repeat the same steps with the remaining dough. As you work, keep both the unused dough and the shaped dumplings covered with a damp cloth to prevent the outer shell from drying out and cracking.
- Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. Slide the stuffed pithe gently into the hot oil and fry until golden brown and crisp on both sides.
- Remove and drain on absorbent paper. Serve hot.
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