Matha Kakara

Matha Kakera

Being a food blogger I keep my eyes open for new dishes. I always try to grab the first opportunity to try something new. This time I got a new recipe from my friend Jayashree Nanda. She showed a new type of Pitha (which is new to me). The name of the pitha is "Matha Kakera".  Matha means kneading. Kakera means flat pitha with or without stuffing. This pitha is known as Matha Kakera because the dough of the Kakera has to be kneaded for a long time. This Kakera is offered as a prasad at Chhatia Bata Temple. This temple is a famous temple of Odisha. This is a Jagannath Temple and it is associated with Kalki Avatar of Lord Vishnu.

I decide to try this lovely recipe on the occasion of Janmastami.  Janmastami is the celebration of birth of Lord Krishna. In my in laws family lots of delicacies are prepared on this day. A puja  is performed with yummy prasads. Thank you dear Jayashree for this lovely and authentic recipe.

                                  Here is the recipe.

                                    Atta- 1 1/2 Cup

                                   Rava- 1/2 Cup

Water- 2 Cup

Salt- 1/2 tsp

Jaggery- 1 Cup

Ghee- 1 tbsp

Saunf- 2 tbsp

(Fennel Seeds)

Black Pepper- 1 tbsp

Ginger- 1/2 inch piece

Bay Leaves- 1

Green Cardamom- 2

Scraped Coconut- 1/2 Cup

Ghee for deep frying

Grate the jaggery- properly and keep aside. Grated jaggery is easier for melting in water.

Make a coarse powder of black pepper. Deseed the green cardamon and make a smooth powder and keep aside.

In a wide kadai (non stick kadai is better) heat water. Add ghee and jaggery to it

Let the jaggery melt properly.

Then add saunf, black pepper powder, bay leaf, salt and green cardamom powder to the water and let it boil for some time.

In a plate mix atta and rava.

Add this dry ingredients to the boiled water. Try to avoid lumps in making. Now add scraped coconut to it and cover and Switch of the gas.

After 5 mind bring out to a big plate and allow it to come down to room temperature.

When the dough is in room temperature bring out the bay Leaves. Grease your palm with ghee and knead it. It should be kneaded properly. That's how the name of the dish came. After kneading there should be a smooth dough like chapati dough

It can be shaped in two ways.

In one way bring out a chapati ball size ball from the dough. Roll the ball between your greased palm and shape them like cutlets. But it should not be very thick. It is ready to be fried.

In another way roll a bigger chapati from the dough and cut out the kakeras with the help of a round cookie cutter. Similarly shape kakeras up to the dough finished.

Heat ghee in a pan. When the ghee is hot slide the kakeras in the hot ghee. You can fry 3 to 4 in a batch. It will puff like puris.  Fry both the sides of the kakeras up to golden in colour.

Matha kakeras is ready for Prasad and serving