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Rice is an ingredient that is ubiquitous to all cuisines. From the comforting Indian Khichdi and Italian Risotto to the widely loved Biryani and fried rice, every cuisine boasts of its diverse and flavourful rice dishes. Not only the number of dishes but even the methods of cooking rice are innumerable in every cuisine. From steaming to frying and par-boiling, rice is cooked in myriads of ways around the world. Talking about India- we have rice dishes of all flavour profiles- sweet, savoury and tangy. The tangy Pakhala Bhata of Odisha, the sweet Kheer and Adhirasam and the savoury Biryani- all of these are some of India’s favourite rice dishes.
Keeping savoury and tangy for another time, let’s talk about the sweet rice dish Adhirasam today. The dish is basically a deep-fried rice doughnut sweetened with jaggery. The same dish is known by the name ‘Arisa Pitha’ in Odisha. But will you believe us if we say that Adhirasam has a Nepali cousin too? Yes, you heard it right. Colloquially known as Sel Roti, this Nepali doughnut is a cross between the doughnut and bagel. Popularly savoured as breakfast, Sel Roti is also made during festivals like Tihar and Dasai. The best thing is, you don’t even have to go to Nepal to savour this rice delicacy. You can get it in the northeastern regions like Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Sikkim and Siliguri.
The dish is made with rice, semolina, sugar, all-purpose flour, ghee and baking powder as the leavening agent. Rice is soaked overnight and is made into a paste the next morning. All the other ingredients are mixed to form a batter. The batter is then poured into a ketchup bottle and pour it into a kadhai making rings. Deep-fry them till they are cooked to perfection and serve hot.
Sel Roti is advisable to be eaten immediately as storing them longer results in a chewy texture. You can have them as snacks or breakfast along with yogurt. Follow the detailed recipe to make it at home.
