Kolkata is a city which celebrates its food! The place is a heaven for food freaks, especially the sweet-toothed ones! Come Sankranti and winters and every Bengali sets foot in their kitchen to prepare sweet delicacies out of Nolen Gur (Date Palm Jaggery). These are delicious, drool-worthy and made right from the harvested crops. Presenting 6 such awesome goodies from Bengal for the Sweet Loving!
1.Patishapta
The most in-demand during Pounsh Parbon, Patishaptas are made in every household. Sweet rolls made out of rice, semolina and all-purpose flours with the filling of coconut, khoa or mix of both and gur. Even the confectioners have started adding these to their Sankranti special menu. a bite of these will take you to a sugary journey.
2. Gokul Pithe
The favorite snack of Lord Krishna, thus the name! Coconut and jaggery mixture rolled into small balls, dipped into a batter made out of Maida, Suji & Rice Flour, deep fried till brown and finally dipped in Sugar-Jaggery syrup. A crunchy yet soft blend of sweetened flavors bursting in your mouth to be savored to your heart’s content!
3. Dudh Puli Pithe
Dumplings made out of rice-flour kneaded dough with coconut and jaggery fillings and immersed in milk boiled with jaggery. The pudding-like textured Dudh Puli is difficult to be made but worthy of praises as it melts in one’s mouth. Have it fresh or it tends to get hard once refrigerated.
4. Nolen Gurer Payesh
Easily made out of readily available ingredients, this is a kheer delight which will soothe your taste buds! Boiling milk and adding rice and jaggery to make it smell heavenly and look gorgeously rich, calling for an intensely sweet affair with this dessert!
5. Bhapa Pithe
Mini Idlis get a sweet makeover when in Bengal. Soft, white, steamed and baked, these creations are sinfully delicious. Rice flour and jaggery-coconut mixture, placed in layers and steamed to be served piping hot! Extremely filling and truly tempting!
6. Bhaja Puli Pithe
Bengali’s answer to the Non-Bengali’s Moong Dal ka Halwa!! Fried and toothsome, the dumplings are crescent-shaped and made out of dough made of rice-flour and petite, split and de-husked yellow lentils. Filled with coconut and jaggery mix, this is a unique sweet-dish which you would fall in love with.
Be ready to get blown from your mind upon gorging the flavors of Bengal this Poush Sankranti! Calls for a journey to this part of the country??
Happy Lohri/Pongal/Poush Parbon Folks!!
Prashank Saxena
30 May 2019Really love your blog! keep sharing the good information.