For the Filling

½ kg chicken meat, minced

1 cup chopped onions

1 cup green peas

2 medium sized carrots, chopped

1 cup chopped mushrooms

1 celery stalk, chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

Pinch of dried rosemary and thyme

½ cup milk

2 tbsp butter

1 tbsp soy sauce

For the Pitha

2 cups of rice flour

Cold water, just enough to knead the flour into a soft but stretchable dough

Salt to taste

Directions

In a bowl, season the minced chicken with salt, pepper, soy sauce and let it marinade.

Heat the butter in a medium saucepan. Once melted, sauté the onions until tender. Add the chopped celery and sauté further, until the two tenderize and change colour. Add the chopped vegetables and

stir. Then, sprinkle the rosemary and thyme and pour about half a cup of milk when the juices start drying.

Let the vegetables simmer for a good 15 minutes or until soft, and then add the chicken. Stir well so that the minced meat does not bind. Then cover and let it simmer until the chicken is well cooked.

This is now a good time to knead the pitha (pie) dough.

Take the lid off the saucepan and let the juices from the chicken and vegetables dry off. Turn the heat off and let the mixture cool.

Divide the pitha dough into desired quantities and then roll into 10 cm circles. Fill each with a spoonful of the chicken and vegetable mixture and then press together firmly to make pithas. You can make them into any shape and size you desire, my most favourite are close-ended patishapta wrap. While you’re doing this, heat water in a large saucepan or steamer, and steam your pithas.

The pitha pies are best served warm with tea. They are a very nourishing and filling alternative to chicken pot pies, which are traditionally baked with puff pastry.