There are variation of steamed cake or poda pitha which is a traditional pitha of odisha. .As all we know bottle guard/Lauki or Lau in Odia is a very healthy vegetable.i tried this cake is sugar free which is sweet naturally…

 PREPARATION STEP BY STEP WITH PHOTOS..

• Rinse bottle guard and peel off its skin. Remove all seeds and chop in cubes. In a steam pot boil all bottle guard cubes along with little water into it. Cook until soft.
• In a pressure cooker over high flame cook for 2 to 3 whistles .Cool it .
• Bottle guards is a vegetable that high in water and vitamins too.So after boil it leaves lots of water,discard them in a pot for later use in the dish.
• After use rest of the water you can drink by adding little salt,very healthy for our body.Which i suppose to do.
• Blend to form a puree of boiled bottle guard pieces.
• Use little warm water of bottle guard and blend raisins,cashew to fine puree.
•  In a small pan pour 1 tsp. ghee and fry cashew nuts. Keep them aside. In a mortar crush peppercorn and fennel seeds. Grate ginger and keep a side. Now all ingredients are ready it’s time to combine all one by one.

• The mixture should be slightly thin and thick consistency.In a large bowl pour puree and rice combine together with adding little Lauki water.
• Add coconut, ginger, pepper, fennel seeds, and cardamom into it. Stir it

•  Add raisin  and cashew paste, salt, soda, 2 tsp. of ghee and combine the mixture to form a slightly thin batter not a runny consistency.
• If you would don’t like to add baking soda, then increase the amount of bottle guard puree than rice.Or decrease the quantity of rice than puree.
• Sit the mixture for 10 minutes.

• Grease a non stick pan,pour 2 to 3 tsp ghee and pour the mixture.

• You can garnish with some cashews or decorate as you like.

• Now cover it with air tight lid and bake on lower/medium flame.it will take 1 hour to bake.

• Poke a tooth pick should come out without sticking mixture.

• It leaves the side of pan.

• Off the gas and leave to cool it.

• Cut into your own shapes and Enjoy!!