Bibikhana Pitha or Bikrampurer Badshahi Pithe is a prestigious and unique Bengali dessert from Bikrampur, Dhaka, Bangladesh. Bibikhana Pitha is a soft delicate cake with ‘melt in your mouth’ kind of texture. It’s a mildly sweet rice cake with an earthy touch from rice flour, crunch from coconut, enriched with thickened milk, sweetened with date palm jaggery and molasses and flavored with ghee (clarified butter) and freshly crushed cardamom.
But the uniqueness of this pitha is the smoky flavour which comes from the kath koyla (burnt charcoal) on which this cake is traditionally cooked. This is why it is also called as pora pithe or Poda Pitha.
As this recipe calls for quite a preparation from preparing flame to cooking, this bibikhana pitha is cooked and enjoyed when some special guests arrive at home. And to make it special for guests it is mixed with milk instead of water like other pitha. That is why Bibikhana Pitha is also known as Badshahi Pithe. Traditionally this classic Bibikhana Pitha is cooked by the bride.
The newly wedded women begin their cooking journey at in-law’s home with this bibikhana pitha right after the wedding. It is said in old days it was a test of the cooking skill of bride; if she could cook it perfectly the responsibility of kitchen would be her onwards.
If you wondering how do I know so much about this local dessert, all thanks to Rimli, who is an expert in the Bengali cuisine. She is the only person that comes to my mind if I talk about authentic Bengali recipes. Her each recipe is a labour of hard work and would transport you to a Bengali kitchen in every sense.
While I was compiling the list of guest bloggers for this year she was the first one to make it to the list. I regularly find myself getting inspired by many other Indian food bloggers and Instagrammers who are doing an amazing work and she is one of them. Her blog Scratching Canvas is a treat for any Bengali food lover.
So when I was thinking of making a post for her I knew it has to be something special, very close to my heart; a classic Bengali delicacy – Bibikhana Pitha. So here I have a very unique and traditional dessert in my sleeves, Bibikhana Pitha, straight from the soil of Bangladesh where my soul truly belongs.’
Other Regional Indian Desserts You Might Like To Try:
- Paneer Kheer (Chanar Payesh)
- Chikoo Ka Halwa
- Gulgule (Meetha Pua)
- Vrat Ki Panjiri
How To Make Bibikhana Pitha In Few Simple Steps:
Ingredients
- ▢ 1 Cup rice flour
- ▢ 2 tablespoon all-purpose flour (maida) optional
- ▢ 1 Cup desiccated coconut
- ▢ 1 teaspoon cardamom powder (elaichi powder)
- ▢ ¼ teaspoon black pepper powder
- ▢ a pinch of salt
- ▢ ½ Cup date palm jaggery (nolen gur)
- ▢ 2 tablespoon date palm molasses+ more for serving
- ▢ ¼ Cup clarified butter (ghee)
- ▢ 1 Cup milk
- ▢ 2 eggs
Instructions
- Sieve and sift all-purpose flour and rice flour together. Mix desiccated coconut and ground spices (including salt) with the flour mixture and set aside.
- Whisk egg, ghee, and jaggery together to a fluffy batter. Use a hand blender if required for the purpose.
- Add molasses to milk mixture and whisk briskly.
- Add flour and milk alternately in 3:2 ratios to the egg batter and mix until smooth lump-free batter forms.
- Grease a heatproof pan/bowl with ghee and pour the batter into the pan/bowl.
Gas Stove Method:
- If you are cooking bibikhana pitha on a gas stove/stovetop take a large pan with tightly fitted cover. Place a wire rack inside and place batter filled pan/bowl on the stand. Cover the large pan with the lid and keep on low-medium flame. Cook the pithe this way for 60-70 mins or until a skewer comes out clean once inserted in the middle of the pithe .
Oven Method:
- If cooking in the oven preheat oven @160C and bake the pithe for 55-65 mins or until a skewer comes out clean once inserted in the middle of the pithe. Remove cooked pithe from oven/gastop and keep on a wire rack to bring to room temperature.
- Serve Bibikhana pitha warm freshly made along with nolen gur (date palm jaggery).
Recipe Notes:
- This recipe yields either one pitha of 8 inch or small cupcake size 8 pitha.
- You can use either the gas stive method or the oven one to cook the pitha.
We follow a strict NO SPAM Policy
Bibikhana Pitha Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 Cup rice flour
- 2 tablespoon all-purpose flour (maida) optional
- 1 Cup desiccated coconut
- 1 teaspoon cardamom powder (elaichi powder)
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper powder
- a pinch of salt
- ½ Cup date palm jaggery (nolen gur)
- 2 tablespoon date palm molasses+ more for serving
- ¼ Cup clarified butter (ghee)
- 1 Cup milk
- 2 eggs
Instructions
- Sieve and sift all-purpose flour and rice flour together. Mix desiccated coconut and ground spices (including salt) with the flour mixture and set aside.
- Whisk egg, ghee, and jaggery together to a fluffy batter. Use a hand blender if required for the purpose.
- Add molasses to milk mixture and whisk briskly.
- Add flour and milk alternately in 3:2 ratios to the egg batter and mix until smooth lump-free batter forms.
- Grease a heatproof pan/bowl with ghee and pour the batter into the pan/bowl.
Gas Stove Method:
- If you are cooking bibikhana pitha on a gas stove/stovetop take a large pan with tightly fitted cover. Place a wire rack inside and place batter filled pan/bowl on the stand. Cover the large pan with the lid and keep on low-medium flame. Cook the pithe this way for 60-70 mins or until a skewer comes out clean once inserted in the middle of the pithe .
Oven Method:
- If cooking in the oven preheat oven @160C and bake the pithe for 55-65 mins or until a skewer comes out clean once inserted in the middle of the pithe. Remove cooked pithe from oven/gastop and keep on a wire rack to bring to room temperature.
- Serve Bibikhana pitha warm freshly made along with nolen gur (date palm jaggery).
Notes
- This recipe yields either one pitha of 8 inch or small cupcake size 8 pitha.
- You can use either the gas stive method or the oven one to cook the pitha.
Pushkar is one of the most beloved spiritual getaways among the travelers all over the world. And the city is on my travel list ever since I read all the Hindu mythological stories about it from my mother. Finally, this August I got the opportunity to visit Pushkar, and we were guest of Hotel Brahma Horizon. It was the perfect getaway to stretch our limbs, sample some local food, and soak in the tranquility of a historic town. The much-needed break from the mayhem of a cosmopolitan!
Hotel Brahma Horizon is an epitome of luxury and comfort providing remarkable service and unmatched hospitality in the laps of Pushkar since October 2016. It was a perfect space for an urban traveler like us! If this is isn’t enough to convince you about the hotel, I’ll give you five reasons to stay at Hotel Brahma Horizon.
Here are 5 Reasons To Stay At Hotel Brahma Horizon:
1) The Rooms:
The hotel offers 32 spacious rooms and 6 suites to suit your style and comforts furnished with state-of-the-art facilities. The deluxe king size rooms are quite spacious with the beautiful view of Aravali mountains. Each room is equipped comfortably with a spacious, modern bathroom with cubical shower.
But my favorite part of the room was giant floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the lush green lawn of the hotel. And most importantly it was the little personal touches in the room like our framed picture, a welcome note with flowers, loaded mini bar and a fully equipped coffee corner, that made our stay so comfortable.
Deluxe King Size Room
2) Good Food:
Hotel Brahma Horizon in Pushkar comprises of two signature restaurants Abbiocco and Lotus Café. These two are 100% vegetarian restaurants. Abbiocco offers a multi-cuisine menu to choose from and serves a range of scrumptious delights with a wide variety of continental and Indian dishes along with the mocktails.
Breakfast Buffet
The showstopper of the menu is the traditional Rajasthani thali. It is laced with regional dishes, and a definite must try if you are staying at the hotel. What I enjoyed most during our stay at the hotel was the grand breakfast buffet. It was full of delicious choices, and there is something for everybody. So if you are a breakfast lover like us, then this is the place for you in Pushkar.
3) Easy Access to City:
From Hotel Brahma Horizon it takes not more than 10 minutes to reach the main city of Pushkar. So you can enjoy the best of both the places – the chirpiness of the city and the quietness around the property. During the day visit the Brahma Temple, explore the Pushkar market, sample the street food and by the sunset sit beside the lake and enjoy the evening aarti. And by dinner time come back to Hotel Brahma Horizon, relax and enjoy a scrumptious meal peacefully.
Must To Do Things When In Pushkar:
- Visit Brahma Temple and Savirti Mata Temple
- Shop for handicrafts and souvenirs at the local market
- Roam around the Pushkar lake, explore the ghats and enjoy sunset/sunrise
- Taste the street food – malpua, kachori, gulkand lassi and lot more
- Eat at local cafes and connect with other travelers
4) Great Service:
By the end of the day, it all comes to the great service. I think apart from fabulous rooms and good food; excellent service is one of the crucial criteria in selecting a hotel for the vacation. And the Hotel Brahma Horizon gets a big ‘A+’ from us when it comes to service. The staff left no stone unturned to make us feel comfortable, and it was all done with a big smile on their faces. If you are planning a trip to Pushkar and want to experience Indian hospitality, then stay at Hotel Brahma Horizon.
5) Relax By The Pool:
If you aren’t in a mood to indulge in the chaos of the city, then relax by the pool at the hotel. Either take a dip in the pool or sit beside it in the cafe called ‘Lotus’ and enjoy your cup of coffee. The pool is surrounded by the green patches and give you an unhindered view of the mountain range. On the second day of our Pushkar trip, we decided to ditch the local site seeing plan and spent a few hours enjoying the sunset beside the pool at the hotel. It was an enticing and rejuvenating experience we hardly get to endure in a chaotic city like Gurgaon.
We follow a strict NO SPAM Policy
