Makai ko Pitho (Cornmeal)
山の人々の命を繋ぐ黄色い粉。ディドを作るためのベース
Description
'Makai' means corn, 'Pitho' means flour. The most crucial staple ingredient sustaining lives for millennia in Nepal's hill/mountainous regions where rice/wheat struggle to grow. Dried corn ground in a stone mortar; vigorously kneaded with hot water into 'Dhido' (sobagaki-like mash) or dissolved in water to eat as 'Roti' (pancake).
Classification: Flour, Staple, Regional Cuisine
Shops selling Makai ko Pitho (Cornmeal)
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How to use
Ingredients
- Corn
Instructions
- [Authentic Recipe]
- [Makai ko Dhido (Corn Mash)]: Boil water in a large pot, drop a little ghee. Gradually sprinkle Makai ko Pitho without clumping, kneading continuously with full body strength using a long wooden spatula (Madani). Done when it gains strong elasticity peeling smoothly from the pot. Tear by hand and dip in curry broth.
Learn more Substitutes, pairings, tips
Key spices
Rustic、powerful sweetness of corn
Substitutes at Japanese supermarkets
Use commercial 'Corn Grits' or 'Cornmeal (fine)'
Pairing
Gundruk (Fermented greens soup) / Local Chicken Curry / Mohi (Buttermilk)
Trivia
For modern Nepali youth, it's a flavor of the original landscape associated with 'We used to be poor and couldn't afford rice, so we ate Makai (corn) every day', but now hugely popular in Kathmandu's Thakali restaurants as a 'healthy traditional food' due to its rustic sweetness and nutrition (fiber).
Eating tips & etiquette
Make into Dhido, dip generously in sour Gundruk soup or bone-in local chicken curry, and swallow without chewing.
Allergen
None