Patishapta/Patishapta Pitha for Sankranti

When the new year kick starts in India,people eagerly wait for Sankranti or let us type the correct terminology – Makar Sankranti! This is celebrated all throughout India as various festivals of Makar Sankranti,Lohri,Magh Sankranti,Sakraat,Khichdi,Poush Parbon and Pongal.Common items of cooking include mung dal/lentils,freshly harvested rice freshly harvested sugarcane or jaggery made out of sugarcane juice,sesame seeds,peanuts and milk.

So across the country we find almost 100 different recipes,each having their unique ingredients and cooking method!This was the theme of the 126th FoodieMondayBloghop which was Sankranti recipes!I thought I would make one of my favourite desserts from West Bengal – Patishapta and so am sharing the same with you all!

Patishapta or Patishopta Pitha is a flour Pancake with a delicious Coconut and Nolen Gur stuffing and drizzled on with thickened milk.The Nolen/Patali Gur is sourced from date palms and vendors on bicycles bearing liquid Gur in big earthenware pots as well as solid pieces in sealed plastic bags are a common sight to see these days.This delicious and aromatic Gur is used to make sweets like Shondesh and Jol Bhara and desserts like Payesh,Patishapta and Narikel Naru (coconut and jaggery balls)!

This recipe involves 3 steps :

• Making the Patishapta/Crepes
• Making the stuffing
• Making the thickened milk

You can substitute condensed milk to cut down on time.

Preparation Time : 1 hour

Milk thickening time : Depends on the quality and fat level of the milk used

Makes : 7 – 8 Crepes/Patishapta

INGREDIENTS

For the Patishapta :

1 cup all purpose flour/maida

1/2 cup semolina (sooji)

1/2 cup rice flour

1/2 tsp salt

Milk as required

For the stuffing :

1 1/2 cups grated Coconut

1/2 cup Nolen/patali gur

1 tsp Cardamom Powder

1 tsp Nutmeg Powder

1 tbsp white sugar

For the thickened milk:

1 litre full fat milk

2 tbsp sugar

OR

Use condensed milk

4 – 5 Raisins for garnishing

METHOD

Make the thickened milk :

Place the milk in a pan on the lowest heat and start cooking it.The time taken for thickening depends on the quality of the milk and the fat level.Full fat milk thickens in 30 minutes,toned milk in about 1 1/2 hours.Keep collecting the skin which forms over the milk and keep dropping into it as it boils.Reduce the milk to 1/4 of the original volume till it is a rosy pink and forms a lot of “skin” or malai!Add the sugar and mix well.Cool to room temperature!

Make the stuffing/pur :

If you have solid pieces of Gur,melt them with 4 – 5 tbsp water in a fry pan on low heat till the pieces melt leaving behind a beautiful golden liquid.Add grated Coconut and ghee and mix well.Add the Cardamom and Nutmeg Powders and mix well.

If using liquid Patali Gur,heat ghee and fry the grated Coconut on a low heat till it starts getting light brown.Pour in the gur and mix well.Add the Cardamom and Nutmeg Powders and mix again.Leave to cool.

Make the Patishapta :

Mix the flour,semolina,rice flour and salt in a bowl.Add enough milk 1/4 cup at a time and make a thick batter (akin to dosa batter).Cover and leave it for 15 – 20 minutes.

Heat a tava/griddle on medium heat and pour on 1 tsp oil.Spread with a piece of cloth over the tava.Spread a ladleful of batter thinly over the tava.When one side is cooked and golden brown,flip the crepe and cook the other side.Remove on a plate.Prepare the rest of the crepes the same way.

After the crepes cool,spoon in 1 tbsp of the prepared stuffing and roll over to close the Patishapta.Arrange on a plate and serve drizzled with the thickened milk or use condensed milk.Garnish with Raisins.Serve!

May every Country have a bountiful Harvest!