Suji manda/kakara pitha is a classic treat from Odia cuisine and has a fascinating mix of textures with an exciting crispness leading to succulent sweetness.

The ingredients needed: Oil for Deep Frying

For the pitha stuffing:

1. 2 cups grated coconut
2. 1/2 cup powdered jaggery
3. 7-8 crushed cardamom, black pepper
4. Salt to taste.

For the outer covering:

1. One Cup suji
2. 2 tbsp sugar
3. Salt to taste
4. Little crushed Cardamom
5. One teaspoon ghee

Method :

To make the stuffing:

1. Heat a kadhai and add 1 tsp ghee. Add coconut and jaggery. Mix them well. Keep stirring and cooking till the mixture becomes dry. Add crushed black pepper and cardamom. Keep it aside.

To make the Pitha:

1. In a Kadhai boil 2 cups of water on low medium flame. Add sugar, salt and crushed cardamom and 1 tsp of ghee. When water starts to boil slowly add suji and stir it continuously until you get a thick dough. Keep the dough in room temperature and knead it by adding one spoon ghee to make it softer.
2. Make 10-12 balls out of the dough by rolling them with the help of your greased palms. Flatten each ball and place the stuffing in it. Close the flattened balls after putting the stuffing and carefully give them a rounded shape for kakara and modak shape for modak.
3. Heat the oil in a kadhai and deep fry the stuffed balls until golden brown. Remove and drain on a paper towel.
4. Now the delicious Suji kakara and modaks are ready to serve.