Yummy Doodh Puli (Stuffed Rice Dumplings in Milk - Bengali Sweet)

          This is a traditional Bengali dessert of stuffed rice dumplings in milk, prepared during Sankranti in the month of January. They are very popular in the Eastern parts of India. especially West Bengal and in Bangladesh too. 

          They are traditionally made of rice flour and stuffed with coconut-date palm jaggery stuffing. They are then cooked in cardamom flavoured milk and served, garnished with chopped nuts. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

          In this recipe, I gave a slight twist by making the outer covering by mixing semolina with rice flour and stuffing with some leftover carrot pudding (gajar ka halwa) just for a change. It is then traditionally cooked in milk along with date palm jaggery. But as the later was unavailable, instead I used brown sugar and full cream evaporated milk to cut short the time. If using normal milk, first reduce it to half and then follow the recipe.

• 1/2 cup rice flour
• 1 cup semolina
• pinch of salt
• pinch of cardamom powder (opt)
• 1/2 cup leftover carrot halwa 
• 400 ml full cream evaporated milk / 1 litre milk reduced to half
• 4 tbsp. brown sugar or to taste
• 1/4 tsp. cardamom powder
• 1 tbsp. chopped pistachios
• 2 tbsp. raisins
• pinch of saffron

          In a bowl, mix together rice flour, semolina, cardamom powder and a pinch of salt. Knead into a dough by adding required quantity of water. Cover with a damp cloth and keep aside for an hour.

          Divide into 10-11 equal portions. Take each portion and roll into a small circle with your fingers 

          Put 1/2 tsp. of the carrot filling in the centre and close it into a crescent shape. Seal all the edges by running a fork around and making an impression.

          Make similar pithe with the remaining dough. Place a cloth on a steel colander and transfer all the pithe on it. 

          Now cover the pithe with the cloth and place this colander over a saucepan containing water. Place a steel plate over it and steam for 4-5 minutes. Keep them aside.

          Bring the milk to a boil. Add the steamed puli pithe, sugar, cardamom powder and raisins. 

          Cover and simmer on a low flame for 15 minutes by stirring at intervals. Serve in individual bowls, garnished with chopped pistachios and saffron.

        

                                 Mix rice flour, semolina & a pinch of salt.

                                Add some lukewarm water & knead into a dough.

                                 Cover with a wet cloth & keep aside for 30 minutes.

                                 Divide into 10-11 equal portions.

                          Keep leftover gajar halwa (carrot pudding) ready for the stuffing.

                     Take one portion of the dough & flatten into a round circle with your 
                     fingers. put 1-2 tsp. of the stuffing in the centre.

                                Close it into a crescent shape.

                                 Seal edges with your fingers.

                                Or with a fork.

                                Line a colander with a wet cloth & place the pithes in it.

                                Cover with the cloth.

                           Steam for 4-5 minutes in a saucepan, steamer or pressure cooker.

                                The steamed Pithes.

                    Bring milk to a boil. Add sugar, steamed puli pithe, cardamom powder 
                    & raisins. Simmer on low flame, covered for 15 minutes. Keep stirring 
                    at intervals.

                              Serve, garnished with chopped pistachios & crushed saffron.