Designer Patishapta Pitha (Stuffed Crepes - Bengali Style)

          These beautiful stuffed patterned Crepes known as Patishapta Pithe is a traditional homemade Bengali sweet usually prepared during the festival of Sankranti. It is also very popular in Bangladesh. They are crepes made of rice flour-plain flour and stuffed with fresh coconut and khoya (thickened milk). It is sometimes sweetened with date palm jaggery instead of sugar.

           However, in this recipe I stuffed with semolina-coconut halwa. You can stuff it with some store bought kalakand for an instant version. Give a designer look to it by forming some beautiful patterns to make them look appealing and appetizing. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it. 

• 1 cup rice flour (makes 8 )
• 1/2 cup plain flour (maida)
• 2 tbsp. semolina
• 2 tbsp. sugar
• pinch of salt
• 1/4 tsp. cardamom powder
• 1 tsp. rose water
• 1 & 3/4 cup water
• 1 tsp. melted ghee
• 1-2 drops of red, green & yellow colour
• ghee to grease
• 1 & 1/2 cup stuffing 

          In a bowl, mix together all the above mentioned ingredients (except the stuffing) into a smooth semi thick batter. Keep aside for 15-20 minutes.

          In 3 small bowls, take a ladleful of the batter. In each of it add the 3 different colours. Mix well and keep aside. Fill the coloured batter into piping bags / bottle.

           Heat a non-stick pan / tawa and grease with some ghee. Now make a pattern of your choice with the coloured batter. Cover with a lid for a few seconds till the batter is set.

          Pour a ladleful of the white batter and spread it around over the pattern so as to cover it. Cover and cook for a few seconds more.

          Place some of the stuffing lengthwise in one corner and fold gently like a roll. Transfer to a serving plate. Make similar designer pitha and relish as and when desired. 

                                 Make a pattern of your choice with the coloured batter. Cover
                                 with a lid for a few seconds till the batter is set.

                              Pour a ladleful of the white batter & spread it around over the 
                              pattern to cover it. Cover & cook for a few seconds more.

                                      Place some of the stuffing lengthwise in one corner.

  
                                         Fold gently like a roll. 

                                  Serve as desired.

PatiShapta Pitha in Caramelised Rabdi - Traditional Bengali Sweet

  
         This is a traditional home made Bengali dessert usually prepared during the festival of Sankranti. In simple terms, they are pancakes / crepes stuffed with a filling of grated fresh coconut and khoya. I took the liberty of adding some powdered cashew nut for some added flavour.

         

              There are many varieties of Pithe made during this occasion. Traditionally, khejurer Gur (Date Palm Jaggery) is used in this recipe, but it can be substituted with plain sugar. They can be had as it is or served, drizzled with some rabdi over it. 

Batter - 

• 1/2 cup rice flour (makes around 7)
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour 
• 1/4 cup semolina
• 2 tbsp. sugar 
• 2 tbsp. powdered cashew powder (opt)
• 1/4 tsp. cardamom powder
• milk as required to make the batter

Filling -

• 1 tbsp. ghee 
• 1/2 cup fresh grated coconut
• 1 cup khoya / milk pedas, crumbled
• 1/4 tsp. cardamom powder
• 1 tsp. kewra water (opt)
• sugar to taste
• 1 tbsp. chopped pistachios
• oil / ghee to grease the pan

Rabdi - 

• 1/2 litre full cream milk
• 2 tbsp. sugar
• 1 tbsp. chopped pistachios
• pinch of saffron
• 1 tsp. rose water

           For the batter - mix together all the mentioned ingredients with required quantity of milk. Keep aside for 30 minutes. If needed add water to make the consistency a semi liquid batter of pouring consistency. Keep aside.

          For the stuffing - Heat ghee in a non-stick pan and sauté the coconut till it changes colour. Then add the khoya, cardamom powder, kewra water and sugar to taste.

           Sauté on a low flame till it is thick and starts to leave the sides of the pan . Switch off the flame and add the pistachios. Keep aside to cool.

          Smear a non-stick tawa / griddle with a little oil / ghee and pour a ladleful of the batter. Spread it around by tilting  the tawa. Add a few drops of oil around the edges and let it cook for a few seconds.

          Add a heaped tbsp. of the filling lengthwise in the centre of the pancake and roll it over. Press it gently and take off the fire.

          Make similar Patishapta pitha with the remaining batter. Serve as desired. Another great option is to relish with some homemade rabdi drizzled over it for that ultimate sweet experience.

          To make the rabdi - Heat the sugar along with 1 tsp. of water till it caramelizes. Then add the milk and simmer on a low flame till it thickens. 

          Keep stirring at intervals. Switch off the flame and add the rose water. Cut the patishapta pitha into bite size pieces and drizzle some rabdi over it. Serve, garnished with the chopped pistachios and saffron.

PatiShapta Pitha (Traditional Bengali Sweet)

          This is a traditional home made Bengali dessert usually prepared during the festival of Sankranti. In simple terms, they are pancakes / crepes stuffed with a filling of grated fresh coconut and khoya. I took the liberty of adding some powdered cashew nut for some added flavour.

               There are many varieties of Pithe made during this occasion. Some are deep fried and then dipped in sugar syrup and some are simply steamed. Traditionally, khejurer Gur (Date Palm Jaggery) is used in this recipe, but it can be substituted with plain sugar. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

Batter - 

• 1/2 cup rice flour (makes around 7)
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour 
• 1/4 cup semolina
• 2 tbsp. sugar 
• 2 tbsp. powdered cashew powder (opt)
• 1/4 tsp. cardamom powder
• milk as required

Filling -

• 1 tbsp. ghee 
• 1/2 cup fresh grated coconut
• 1 cup khoya
• 1/4 tsp. cardamom powder
• 1 tsp. kewra water (opt)
• sugar to taste
• 1 tbsp. chopped pistachios
• oil / ghee to grease the pan

           For the batter - mix together all the mentioned ingredients with required quantity of milk. Keep aside for 30 minutes. If needed add water to make the consistency a semi liquid batter of pouring consistency. Keep aside.

          For the stuffing - Heat ghee in a non-stick pan and sauté the coconut till it changes colour. Then add the khoya, cardamom powder, kewra water and sugar to taste.

           Sauté on a low flame till it is thick and starts to leave the sides of the pan . Switch off the flame and add the pistachios. Keep aside to cool.

          Smear a non-stick tawa / griddle with a little oil / ghee and pour a ladleful of the batter. Spread it around by tilting the tawa. Add few drops of oil around the edges and let it cook for  few seconds.

          Add a heaped tbsp. of the filling lengthwise in the center of the pancake and roll it over. Press it gently and take off the fire. 

          Make similar patishapta pithe with the remaining batter.  Serve as desired. 

          Another great option is to relish with some rabri drizzled over it for that ultimate sweet experience.

                      Mix all ingredients with some milk. Keep aside for 30 mins. If needed 

                      add water to make a semi liquid batter. Keep aside.

                  Heat ghee in a non-stick pan & sauté coconut till it changes colour. Add
                  khoya, cardamom powder, kewra water & sugar to taste. Sauté till it is 
                  thick. Switch off flame & add pistachios. Keep aside to cool.
                  

                    Smear a non-stick tawa with little oil / ghee & pour a ladleful of batter. 
                    Spread it by tilting tawa. Add few drops of oil around edges & let it cook
                    for few seconds. Add heaped tbsp. of filling lengthwise in the centre of
                    the pancake.....

                                 ......and roll it over. 

                                  Press it gently and take off the fire. 

                                  Make similar patishapta pithe with the rest of the batter.

                      Serve as desired. Another great option is to relish with some rabri drizzled 
                      over it for that ultimate sweet experience.

Doodh Puli Pitha (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 flavored 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 pitha with the remaining dough. Place a cloth on a steel colander and transfer all the pithas on it. 

          Now cover the pitha 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 pitha, 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 pithas in it.

                                Cover with the cloth.

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

                                The steamed Pithas.

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

                              Serve, garnished with chopped pistachios & crushed saffron.