How many calories does one serving of Maharashtrian Pitla have?

One serving of Maharashtrian Pitla gives 458 calories. Out of which carbohydrates comprise 212 calories, proteins account for 70 calories and remaining calories come from fat which is 176 calories.  One serving of Maharashtrian Pitla provides about 23 percent of the total daily calorie requirement of a standard adult diet of 2,000 calories.

Maharashtrian Pitla recipe serves 2.

458 calories for 1 serving of Maharashtrian Pitla, Pitla Recipe,  Carbohydrates 52.9g, Protein 17.6g, Fat 19.6g. 

See pitla recipe | Maharashtrian pitla | besan pitla | Maharashtrian pitla with chawal bhakri | with amazing 15 pictures

Pitla is a very famous Maharashtrian food, falls under the category of their comfort food. Not only Maharashtrians but many Indian households have pitlain their weekly menu. 

Pitla is a very quick and easy dish to make with minimum of ingredients. All the ingredients used in the dish are found in every Indian well maintained pantry. 

The base of the Maharashtrian pitla is made with besan. The first step is combining besan with enough water to get it started. Further, for the tempering take oil in a non stick pan, add garlic which gives a luscious taste to our Maharashtrian pitla. Next, add cumin seeds and curry leaves followed by green chillies and onions. Chillies can be adjusted according to the preference of spice and onions give a mouthful to the recipe, it basically adds crunch. Once onions are cooked, add the besan water mixture, with turmeric and coriander leaves for freshness. Further all you need to do is keep stirring it and make sure the besan doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan. And also make sure you do not leave besan pitla unattended as it might burn. 

Some places in Maharashtra also serve pitla as a street food. As pitla is super easy to make, I remember as a child when my mother was a working women she would make it for dinner as it doesn’t consume time and also she would cook it when we would run out of vegetables. 

Is Maharashtrian Pitla healthy?

Yes, its healthy, make small changes for those with health issues. Made from besan, onions, oil and Indian spices. 

Let's understand the Ingredients.

Besan : Besan has more good fat than whole wheat flour and also higher protein content. Rich in complex carbohydrates and with a low glycemic index, besan is good for diabetics too. Besan is high in Folate or folic acid, which is important for rapid growth and multiplication of red blood cells and white blood cells (WBC) in the bone marrow. See 10 detailed benefits of besan and why it's good for you. 

Onions (pyaz, kanda) :  Raw onions are a very valuable source of vitamin C – the immune building vitamin. Along with other phytonutrients from onions, it helps to build WBC (white blood cells) which serves as a line of defence against illness. Yes, it’s a source of many antioxidants, the most important one amongst them being Quercetin. The quercetin in Onions promotes production of HDL (good cholesterol) and lowers total cholesterol in the body. The sulphur in onions act as a blood thinner and prevents blood clotting too. This in turn would lower blood pressure and good for heart,  diabetics. Read the benefits of onions. 

Coconut Oil : Use coconut oil instead of processed seed oils like soyabean oil, canola, sunflower oil, corn oil and other omega-6 rich oils should be used in very low amounts.  Coconut oil is a medium chain triglycerides (MCT’s).  Unlike other fats, they go directly from the gut to the liver. From here, they are then used as a source of energy. As the calories in MCT’s are used straight away, they are less likely to be stored as fats in the body. MCT's have shown to improve your brain and memory function, they also give a boost to your energy levels and improve your endurance.  The MCT in Coconut oil reduces the LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol) while increasing the count of HDL cholesterol, maintaining normal blood pressure and good for diabetics. See detailed benefits of coconut oil. 

Coriander (kothmir, dhania) : Coriander is a fresh herb often used as a flavour enhancer in Indian cooking. It is mainly used as a garnish. This is the best way to use it - no cooking. This preserves its vitamin C content which helps to build our immunity and bring that sparkle to the skin. The antioxidants vitamin A, vitamin C and the quercetin present in coriander works towards strengthening our immune system. Coriander is a fairly good source of iron and folate – the 2 nutrients which help in the production and maintenance of red blood cells in our blood. Good for reducing cholesterol and good for diabetics. Read 9 benefits of coriander to understand details. 

Is Maharashtrian Pitla safe for diabetics, heart and overweight individuals?

Yes, this is safe for all to eat. Please cut the oil usage by half for the recipe and use coconut oil. Note that this is a meal by itself when paired with bajra roti or whole wheat roti.

Is Maharashtrian Pitla safe for healthy individuals?

Yes, this is safe for all to eat. Besan is a complex carb with more protein for vegetarians. 

Maharashtrian Pitla is good for

1. Healthy Lifestyle

2. Healthy weight gain

3. Diabetics

4. Cardiac patients

5. Kids

6. Pregnancy

7. Builds immunity

What to have Maharashtrian Pitla with ? 

Traditionally it's had with rice bhakri. We would suggest have it whole wheat roti to make a healthy combination.

Roti ( How To Make Soft Roti Or Phulka Or Chapati)

Maharashtrian Pitla is rich in below macronutrients, vitamins and minerals given in descending order (highest to lowest). 

1. Folic Acid (Vitamin B9): Folic acid is an essential vitamin required throughout pregnancy. Folic acid rich Indian foods (kabuli chana, chana dal,  yellow moong dal, urad dal, toor dal , sesame seeds ). 62% of RDA.
2. Fiber : Dietary fiber reduces the risk of heart disease, prevents the spike in blood sugar levels and hence super for diabetics. Consume more fruits, vegetables (green peas , carrot, bitter gourd ), dals ( chana dal, urad dal , toovar dal) moong, oats, matki, whole grains . 52% of RDA.
3. Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) : Vitamin B1 protects nerves, helps in carbohydrate metabolism, prevents heart diseases and helps produce red blood cells. Indian Foods rich in B1 are Flax seeds (alsi), Sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, Garden cress seeds (halim), capsicum, whole wheat flour ,  chana dal, moong, walnuts, masoor dal, brown rice ,  jowar, bajra. 40% of RDA.
4. Protein : Protein is required for managing the wear and tear of all cells of the body. Have protein rich Indian foods like curds, paneer, Greek yoghurt, tofu, almonds, sprouts, chana, rajma, chick peas, quinoa, buckwheat ). 32% of RDA.
5. Iron : Iron is essential in the chemical reactions that produce energy from foods. Eat more greens and garden cress seeds to prevent you from being anaemic. Here are the top 7 sources of iron rich foods.  22% of RDA. 

How to burn 458 calories that come from one serving of Maharashtrian Pitla?

Walking (6 kmph) = 2 hrs 17 mins

Running (11 kmph) = 46 mins

Cycling (30 kmph) = 1 hr 1 mins       

Swimming (2 kmph) = 1 hr 19 mins

Note: These values are approximate and calorie burning differs in each individual

.