Chunga Pitha - Wikipedia

Traditional Assamese and Bengali rice cake Chunga pitha

Alternative names	Chungapura pitha, Sunga pitha, Sunga saul
Type	Desserts
Course	Breakfast and light refreshment
Place of origin	India, Bangladesh
Region or state	Sylheti Region
Associated cuisine	Assamese, Bengali, Burmese, Cambodian, Lao, Thai, Vietnamese
Main ingredients	Glutinous rice and bamboo[1]
Similar dishes	Lemang, Kralan, Khao lam, Daetong-bap, Sticky rice in bamboo
Media: Chunga pitha

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Chunga pitha, Sunga pitha, Chungapura pitha or Sunga saul is a traditional rice cake (pitha) originating in the Sylhet region of South Asia.[2][3] Though its main ingredients are bamboo and glutinous (sticky) rice, it is also made with binni rice, milk, sugar, coconut, and rice powder.[4][5][6] This unique delicacy is prepared when sticky rice is stuffed inside young bamboo and smoked slowly.[7] It is popularly known as a distinct and traditional food in Assamese and Bengali cuisines.[8][9][10]

This traditional delicacy is famous in Assam.[11] It is prepared at the time of Magh Bihu or Bhogali Bihu, a harvest festival celebrated in India's northeastern Assam.[12]

History

[edit] Main article: Sticky rice in bamboo

Sticky rice in bamboo is known as a ubiquitous traditional food in many traditional Southeast Asian communities. In Minangkabau culture, lemang, or lamang is a traditional food which consists of glutinous rice or tapai that is used in various traditional ceremonies, mainly in West Sumatra, Indonesia.

Fish bazaars have been very common throughout Bengal for centuries. People in the Sylhet region buy fish from these markets or catch big fish (rui, katla, chitl, gual, pabda, koi, magur) from the haors and rivers, and fry them to eat.[3] It was seen as a shame not to offer chunga pitha, fried fish, and coconut milk/sweets or murabba, to guests or a new son-in-law at the end of a meal.[13]

The various hill tribes of Sylhet had a tradition of cutting bamboo and putting wet rice inside it. Gradually, the food started to be popular from the hills to the Sylhetis living in the plains. In the course of time, this chunga (bamboo tube) dish came to be known as chunga pitha.[14]

Though atap rice is the main food of the people of Sylhet region, they prefer glutinous rice to make this delicacy.[15]

Procedure

[edit]

To make this rice cake, mulibash (a small type of bamboo) is required. This bamboo contains a special type of especially oily chemical that helps not burn the bamboo shoots in a fire. Sticky rice rolled with banana leaf is inserted into the bamboo tube.[14] Then it is burned with straw to make chunga pitha.[16] Due to the presence of excessive juice of the bamboo, the inner part of the tube is boiled in the heat of the fire.[9] This bamboo is used to make different types of rice cakes. In some places, baking is occurred with sticky rice, milk, sugar, coconut, and rice powder.[3]

Once the delicacy is prepared, the rice cake is shaped as a candle and separated from the tube.[17]

References

[edit]

1. ^ "Magh Bihu 2020 Special Sweets: Laru, Pitha, Doi-Sira, Enjoy These Assamese Traditional Dessert Recipes on Bhogali Bihu". latestly.com. 14 January 2020. Retrieved 22 March 2020.
2. ^ "বিহু ৰঙীন কৰি তোলে পিঠাই! অসমীয়াৰ কেইবিধমান পিঠাৰ বিষয়ে জানো আহক". pragnews (in Assamese). 3 April 2023.
3. ^ a b c "সিলেটের ঐতিহ্যবাহী চুঙ্গাপুড়া পিঠার প্রধান উপকরণ ঢলুবাঁশ হারিয়ে যেতে চলেছে". patakuri.net online (in Bengali). 13 December 2017. Retrieved 16 January 2016.
4. ^ Bora, Amrita (1 October 2020). "Traditional knowledge and method of various rice preparations in Assam" (PDF). Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge.
5. ^ Mohammed Al-Khusaibi; Nasser Al-Habsi; Mohammad Shafiur Rahman, eds. (18 October 2019). Traditional Foods: History, Preparation, Processing and Safety. Springer. p. 132. ISBN 9783030246204. Retrieved 22 March 2020.
6. ^ "The Beckoning Beauty of Barak". BIT MESRAr. 21 December 2017. Archived from the original on 5 July 2020. Retrieved 28 April 2020.
7. ^ "Food for thought: Understanding Bangladeshi cuisine". The Daily Star. February 24, 2017. Retrieved 29 April 2020.
8. ^ "Sunga Pitha No Longer Traditional Mandate In Guwahati". 13 January 2024.
9. ^ a b "হারিয়ে যাচ্ছে সিলেটের চুঙ্গা পিঠার ঢলুবাঁশ". bhorer-dak (in Bengali). 13 December 2017. Retrieved 22 January 2016.
10. ^ "Bangladesh cuisine part I - delectable and diverse". The Daily Star. 6 December 2016. Retrieved 15 April 2020.
11. ^ "Sunga Pitha". xobdo.org. Retrieved 22 March 2020.
12. ^ "Sunga Pitha". Alamy. Retrieved 22 March 2020.
13. ^ "বিলুপ্তির পথে সিলেটের ঐতিহ্যবাহী ডলু বাঁশ". Sylheter Dak (in Bengali). 20 January 2017. Retrieved 16 April 2020.[permanent dead link]
14. ^ a b "ঐতিহ্যবাহী খাবার সিলেটের চুঙ্গা পিঠা". The Daily Ittefaq (in Bengali). Retrieved 13 January 2016.
15. ^ "চুঙ্গা পিঠা : বাঁশ দিয়ে প্রাতঃরাশ". Sylheter Dak (in Bengali). 3 January 2018. Archived from the original on 11 January 2018. Retrieved 16 April 2020.
16. ^ "বিলুপ্ত প্রায় ঐতিহ্যবাহী চুঙ্গাপিঠা". KristiKatha (in Bengali). 9 October 2017. Retrieved 20 December 2017.
17. ^ "বাংলার ঐতিহ্যবাহী পিঠা". Sylheter Dak (in Bengali). 2 January 2019. Retrieved 28 April 2020.[permanent dead link]

See also

[edit]

• Bangladeshi cuisine
• Zongzi
• Sticky rice in bamboo
• Puto bumbong

v t e Glutinous rice dishes
List of rice dishes
Arare Arroz caldo Bánh chưng Bánh tét Bánh tẻ Bibingka Biko Binignit Brem Bringhe Bubur ketan hitam Butter mochi Cascaron Champorado Chunga Pitha Ci fan tuan Daifuku Dodol Espasol Gangjeong Ginataang mais Ginataang munggo Goto Gyeongdan Hsi htamin Htamane Injeolmi Jian dui Juk Kalamay Kelupis Ketupat Khao tom Khao tom mat Kiampong Kiping Klepon Kochi Kutsinta Lamban Lapis Lemang Lemper Lepet Lo mai chi Lo mai gai Lugaw Lupis Mache Masi Moche Mochi Morón Nian gao Paelya Palitaw Panyalam Pilipit Pusô Puto Puto bumbong Puto seco Rengginang Rice pudding Salukara Sapin-sapin Sayongsong Sekihan Shakoy Shwe htamin Songpyeon Suman Tangyuan Tapai Tibok-tibok Tteok Tupig Wajik Wingko Yaksik Zongzi

v t e Bengali Pithas
Rice flour based	Chitoi Bhapa pitha Chunga Pitha Handesh Mera Pitha Nakshi Pitha
Wheat flour based	Malpua Nunor Bora

v t e Bangladeshi dishes
Main and side dishes	Meat Akhni Alu gosht Satkara Beef Biryani Haji biryani Chicken korai Chicken tikka Durus kura Gosht Hash O Bash Jalfrezi Kala bhuna Kebab Seekh kebab Shami kebab Keema matar Kofta Korma Mezban Mogoz bhuna Murgi musollom Mutton curry Nihari Paya Polao Posondo Roast chicken Roust Tandoori chicken Tikka Seafood Chingri malai curry Daab chingri Domachha Fried fish Hutki Shira Machh bhaja Machher jhol Shorshe ilish Thoikor Tenga Vegetarian Alur Dom Bhorta Begun bhorta Alu Bharta Bini/biran bhat Chacchari Chira Dal Forash Haleem Khichra Khichuri Norom khichuri Panta bhat Ponir Shak Shorba Shukto Tehari Torkari Zorda polao
Snacks and sauces	Achar Alu chaat Alur chop Beguni Bela Biscuit Bhelpuri Chaat Chatni Chanachur Chhana Chotpoti Doi bora Jhalmuri Nankhatai Paan Pakora Phuchka Raita Samosa
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Beverages	Akher rosh Aamrosh Beler Sharbat Borhani Cha Dudh cha Masala cha Seven-color tea Ghol Khejur rosh Lachhi Matha Rooh Afza Shorbot Taler rosh
Sweetmeats	Borfi Bundia Chhanamukhi Chhenabara Chomchom Doi Mishti doi Curd of Bogra Faluda Gulabjam Gur badam Halua Gajorer halua Jilapi Chhena Shahi Kheer Kulfi Laddu Malpua Mimi Chocolate Morobba Nimki Pantua Pitha Ashke pitha Bhapa pitha Chunga pitha Nunor bora Teler pitha Roshkodom Roshmolai Roshogolla Khondoli Shemai Shondesh Shonpapri Tiler Khaja Tusha Shinni
Bangladeshi diaspora	Chicken tikka masala Phall
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v t e Rice dishes
List of rice dishes List of fried rice dishes
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Europe	Arroz a la cubana Arancini Arròs negre Arròs a banda Kedgeree Nasischijf Paella Rijsttafel Risalamande Risotto Riz Casimir Supplì Three-in-One
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