Vaapa pitha or Bhapa pitha is a type of steamed rice cake and its main ingredients are rice flour, coconut, and ghur/sugar. It originated in the eastern part of the Indian subcontinent including Bangladesh, East India, and Northeast India. Bhapa pitha is one of the most traditional winter dishes in Bangladesh. Check here the 4 best vaapa pitha recipes to try in your kitchen. 

Food value of the Vaapa Pitha

From 1 Vaapa Pitha you will get nearly 15.20 g of carbohydrates which are the main source of energy and nutrients in your body. Besides, carbohydrates help to support your central nervous system, and the functions of the kidney, brain, and heart muscles.

Most importantly, it assists you to avoids constipation and help control blood cholesterol level. Moreover, you get 12 g dietary Fiber, 0.2 g sugars, 0.5 g fat, 5.7 g saturated fat, 0.75 g sodium, and 115 mg potassium. Plus, you get vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium, and iron.

Read More: 5 Yummy Winter Pitha Recipes for Diabetics

Delicious Vaapa Pitha Recipes to try at Home

Vaapa Pitha With Coconut Filling Recipe

Ingredients

2 cups of rice flour, 1/2 coconut (grated), 1 cup of date jaggery, 1 pinch of salt

Directions 

First, mix rice powder and sieve well, and add salt. Meanwhile, boil water in a pot and put a steamer on top of that pot. Then, take a small cup and put some rice flowers and a layer of 1 tbsp of grated jaggery, 1 tbsp of grated coconut and then put another layer of rice flour. Do the process two times.

Now take a soft cotton cloth, wrath the cup with the cloth. When the water is boiling, put the cup full of rice flour on the steamer. Make sure you remove the cup. Cook for 1-2 minutes and remove the pitha when it is done. Follow the same process to prepare the rest of the pithas. Serve hot. 

Read More: Delicious Winter Pithas in Bangladesh: Where Savory, and Innovation Meets Tradition

Chicken Vaapa Pitha Recipe

Ingredients

For the Bread Dough:

2 ½ cups of rice flour, salty and water ( as required)

For Pur:

chicken 2 cups (Minced), ½ cup of chopped onion, 2 bay leaves, ½ teaspoon whole cumin seeds, ½ teaspoon ginger paste , 2 tbsp oil, ½ teaspoon turmeric powder, half  teaspoon chili powder, ½  teaspoon coriander powder, half teaspoon garam masala powder, ½ teaspoon garlic paste 

Directions

First, take a pan and heat oil, and fry bay leaf and whole cumin seeds. Then add onion and fry for 2 minutes add ginger-garlic batter and fry for some more time so that there will be no raw smell.

Now mix the minced chicken with powdered spices. The water will come out of the chicken. Minced meat will be cooked in that water. Then cover the lid with salt.

Stir until the water dries up. When the meat is cooked and crispy, take it off. The chicken filling will be ready.

Now prepare the rice flour. Take a small cup and put some rice flowers and layer 1 or 2 teaspoons of cooked chicken and put another layer of rice flour. Take a soft cotton cloth, wrath the cup with the cloth. Meanwhile, boil water in a pot and put a steamer on top of that pot.

When the water is boiling, put the cup full of rice flour on the steamer. Make sure you remove the cup. Cook for 1-2 minutes and remove the pitha is done. Follow the same process to prepare the rest of the pithas. Serve hot. You can eat it with your preferable sauce. 

Read More: Winter Cake Ideas: Yummy Recipes to add your baking bucket list 

Vaapa Pith With Cabbage Recipe

Ingredients

Filling

5 cabbage leaves, 250g of chicken meat, 2 small cardamoms, 1 piece of cinnamon, 2 bay leaves, 2 medium onions chopped, 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste, 2 tbsp tomato paste, 1 tablespoon of, green chili paste, chop 4 green chilies, salt ( as required), 1 teaspoon turmeric powder, one teaspoon cumin powder, 1 tablespoon tomato ketchup, 3 tbsp mustard oil

Dough 

2 cups of rice flour, salt, and water ( as required)

Directions

First, prepare the dough by just mixing 1 pinch of salt and a little water. Rest the rice flour for 1 hour. Make sure the rice flour is breezy. Meanwhile, prepare the filling with the filling ingredients in a pressure cooker with all the spices and salt. It took me 20 minutes on medium heat.

Then boil water in a pot and put a steamer on top of that pot. Now, take a small cup and put some rice flower and the layer of 1 tbsp of filling and then put another layer of rice flour. Do the process two times.

Now take a soft cotton cloth, wrath the cup with the cloth. When the water is boiling, put the cup full of rice flour on the steamer. Make sure you remove the cup. Cook for 1-2 minutes and remove the pitha when it is done. Follow the same process to prepare the rest of the pithas. Serve hot. 

Read More: Shahi Tukda Recipes for People Who Love Desserts

Salted Bhapa Pitha (Without ghur or sugar)

Ingredients

2 cups rice flour, 1 ½ cups fresh coconut grated, ½ cup water, 1 teaspoon salt

Directions

First, mix rice powder and sieve well, and add salt. Meanwhile, boil water in a pot and put a steamer on top of that pot. Then, take a small cup and put some rice flowers and a layer of 1 tbsp of grated coconut and then put another layer of rice flour. Do the process two times.

After that take a soft cotton cloth for wrathing the cup. When the water starts to boil, place the cup full of rice flour over the steamer. Do not forget to remove the cup. Wait for 1-2 minutes and take out the vaapa pitha when it is prepared. Now, prepare the rest of the pithas in the same process. Serve hot. 

Read More: 5 Mouth-watering Orange Dessert Recipes to Try this Winter

Bollom Line

Every year, the Bangladeshi people love to try vaapa pitha in the winter season. In rural homes, the tradition of making Vaapa pitha is widely observed during the winter months. However, nowadays, city people also adore the steaming vaapa pitha to beat the cold.

Vaapa pitha is not difficult to make and most of the ingredients are usually available in the kitchen. So you can prepare vaapa pitha as your breakfast or evening snack. So far we have discussed here the 4 healthy Vappa pitha recipes. Try any of these recipes at home today!