D15 · Dinner · Maharashtra (incl. Parsi Mumbai)
Pithla with Jowar Bhakri
Maharashtra's fast, comforting besan curry, cooked with garlic, green chilli and onion to a soft, spoonable consistency, with bhakri and curd — a farmhouse supper.
- Region
- Maharashtra
- Diet
- Strictly vegetarian, egg-free
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Time, as written
- Prep 10 min · Cook 15 min (plus bhakri)
- Serves
- 3
- Difficulty
- Easy (pithla); moderate (bhakri)
- Status
- Traditional
- Good for
- Quick dinner from pantry staples
Nutrition
Good source| Per serving | kcal | Protein | Carbs | Fat | Sat fat | Fibre | Sugars | Protein per 100 kcal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pithla only (about 220 g) | 190 | 10 g | 23 g | 6 g | 1 g | 7 g | 3 g | 5.0 g |
| Dinner plate: pithla, 1 jowar bhakri, 150 g curd | 485 | 21 g | 71 g | 12 g | 4 g | 14 g | 10 g | 4.5 g |
Headline figures are for the full plate as served, with its stated roti, rice or bhakri; the dish alone is shown in the table.
Tier: Good source. Values checked against IFCT 2017 on 14 Oct 2026.
Values are estimates calculated from the listed ingredients and quantities (IFCT 2017 and product labels), not laboratory measurements. How the numbers were calculated.
Ingredients
Plate
Method
Whisk besan with 450 ml water, turmeric and salt until completely smooth.
Heat oil; add mustard, cumin, hing, garlic, chillies and curry leaves until the garlic turns golden. Add onion; cook 3 minutes.
Lower the heat. Pour in the besan mixture, stirring constantly to prevent lumps.
Cook 6–8 minutes, stirring, adding up to 100 ml more water, until it thickens to a soft, spoonable consistency and no longer tastes raw. Cover and steam on low for 2 minutes.
Garnish with coriander. Serve hot with bhakri and curd.
Protein optimisation
- Where the protein comes from
- Besan supplies 8.5 g per serving; bhakri 6 g and curd 5 g on the plate.
- Boost
- Crumble 50 g paneer into the pithla at the end (+9 g protein, +130 kcal per serving), or serve with 150 g hung curd instead of curd (+4 g protein, +50 kcal).
Variations, serving and storage
- Regional
- Zunka — a dry version with less water, cooked until crumbly; serve with thecha (green-chilli garlic chutney).
- Substitution
- Whole-wheat chapati or rice bhakri.
- Storage
- Best fresh; it sets as it cools. Loosen with hot water.
- Food safety
- Refrigerate within 2 hours.
- Meal prep
- Chop onion and garlic ahead.
Allergens
Milk (curd)
Labels: Good source · Quick · Soy-free · Whey-free · Gluten-free* · No added sugar
Gluten-free* means gluten-free only when certified gluten-free hing is used; most hing contains wheat flour.