RAJA PITHA ( RICE CAKE )

This is a traditional cake made in Odisha, India of rice and coconut. It tastes best after cooling completely.You can have it  with or without curry.This cake is made during in Odia houses at the time of Raja  festival during the starting of monsoon season.

Ingredients-
Rice flour -3cups
Jaggery -2cups
Salt-1tspn
Grated coconut -1//2cup
Sliced coconut -1/2cup
Water-6cups

Whole pepper -8 ( Ground to coarse powder )

Ginger sliced into small pieces -1/2tspn
Saunf -1/4tspn
Elaichi (cardamom) powder -1tspn
Ghee-1tspn
Banana leaves-4medium



Method-

Boil water in a heavy bottomed vessel. Add jaggery , let it mix well.Add grated coconut, sliced coconut,  pepper powder , ginger, salt, saunf and elaichi powder then mix well .Add the rice flour slowly and continuously mix so that no lumps are formed in low flame. Place a pan vessel on low flame , place on it a layer of banana leaf .Apply ghee all over the leaf with your hand. Put the rice mixture over in and cover it with another layer of banana leaf and cover it with a tight lid .Let the cake cook on slow flame  for 20 minutes. Then turn the cake and let it cook on slow flame for 20 minutes or till done.To check whether the cake is done ,prick a knife in the center ; when removed it should come out clean. Let the  cake cool down completely .Serve it with any curry of your choice or eat it like that....Enjoy !!!!