Bhapa Puli Pithe (Steamed & Stuffed Rice Cakes / Dumplings - Bengali Style)

         These are delicious steamed sweets that are usually made during Sankranti or Harvest festival in the month of January. Quite popular in Bangladesh and Eastern India, they are traditionally made of rice flour and stuffed with coconut-date palm jaggery filling. 

          But in this recipe I gave a twist by adding semolina along with rice flour and filling it with some leftover gajar ka halwa (carrot pudding). There are many varieties of Pithe that are either steamed, fried or baked. They can also be cooked in milk called 'Doodh Puli'. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

• 1/2 cup rice flour
• 1 cup semolina
• pinch of salt
• pinch of cardamom powder 
• 1/2 cup leftover carrot halwa 
• 1 tsp. powdered brown sugar & a pinch of crushed saffron to garnish

          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 pithes with the remaining dough. Place a cloth on a steel colander and transfer all the pithes on it. 

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

          Garnish with crushed saffron and powdered brown sugar or castor sugar. Serve, preferably with liquid jaggery. 

                                  Mix rice flour, semolina & a pinch of salt.

                            Add required quantity of lukewarm water & knead into a dough.

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

                                  Divide into 10-11 equal portions.

                                  Keep the leftover gajar ka halwa ready for the stuffing.

                     Take one portion of the dough & flatten into circle with your fingers. 
                     Put a 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.

                 Garnish with some crushed saffron & powdered brown sugar or castor sugar.