Taler Pitha / Palmyra fruit Steamed Cake

 Palmyra fruit / Taal / Tardgola  / Sugar palm 

The palmyra fruit is eaten while the outer covering is still unripe during summers… once the fruit is riped then the inside of the fruit becomes yellow and pulpy from inside. In Bengal it’s said in the month of Bhadro (August) tal fruit becomes ripe, it is used to make different types of dishes like pitha , fritters, kheer, luchi etc. This dishes made from Tal are offered to Lord Krishna on Janmashtami day in Bengal. 

The fruit is peeled, the pulp is extracted and then strained. Sugar and pinch of salt are added to the pulp and then simmered. The pulp can be stored in the fridge for further use. Since Janmashtami is just around.. today we made Taler pitha / Palmyra fruit steamed cake. It’s a sweet dish. Milk and sugar is used to make the dish, but I have used condensed milk to give richness to the taste. 

Ingredients 

1/4 cup Rice flour 

1/4 cup Semolina 

1/4 tsp Salt

1/4 tsp Cardamom powder 

1/4 tsp Baking soda

1/4 tsp Baking powder 

1 tsp + 1/2 tsp broken Cashews

1 tsp Raisins

1/4 cup Grated Coconut 

1/4 cup or more Condensed Milk as per the sweetness 

1/2 cup Palmyra fruit Pulp

1/4 cup Ghee

Method 

Take a bowl, add rice flour, semolina, salt, cardamom powder, baking soda and baking powder. Mix all the ingredients together. Add ghee, condensed milk and the pulp. Mix well. The batter has to be thick and dropped consistency. Add 1 tsp broken cashews and raisins, mix well. Pour the batter into a greased container. Sprinkle the grated coconut. Gently mix the batter. Add the remaining broken cashews. Steam the batter for 25 minutes or until done. Insert a toothpick to check. Once done cool the Taler pitha and enjoy. 

Hilish Macher Mata diye Kochur saag / Taro Stem with Hilish Head

 

Taro stem is a popular ingredient in Bengali cuisine… each part of Taro plant is consumed in Bengal… the roots, the stem, the leaves and the stolons… it can be cooked with either fish head, prawns or made vegetarian. Some taro varieties produces a slime that can cause irritation - itching, pain, burning or swelling in the mouth and throat or even vomiting. While cutting the taro stem if the skin is too itchy then you must avoid eating that taro,  it’s best to boil the taro stem with salt and turmeric and drain the water out completely and add little lemon juice at the end.. 

Cooking the taro stem with hilsa fish head is a delicacy. This dish is served with steamed rice. 

Wet Paste 

Ingredients 

1 small piece of Ginger 

4 Green Chillies 

10 Garlic cloves 

1 tsp Cumin seeds 

1/4 cup Water 

Ingredients 

Grind all the above ingredients together into a paste. 

Hilish Maacher mata diye Kochur saag 

Ingredients 

1 Taro stem

1 Hilsa Fish head 

2 Green Chillies slit 

Wet paste 

Salt to taste 

1 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder 

1/2 tsp Sugar 

1/2 tsp Chilli powder 

1/2 tsp Cumin seeds 

1 Bay leaf

1 Red dried Chilli 

1/4 cup Mustard Oil 

Method 

The outer part of the taro stem or the outer fibre is pulled out and then it’s cut into small pieces. It is then boiled with a cup of water, salt to taste and 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder. We can cook the stem in a pressure cooker, give 1 or 2 whistles. Once the pressure releases, open the cooker and drain / squeeze all the water out completely. Clean and rub the fish head with little salt and 1/2 tsp turmeric powder. Take a wok, add mustard oil, let the oil heat up. Reduce the flame to medium and add the fish head into the wok. Fry the fish head until golden brown from both the sides. Remove the fish head and keep it aside. In the same oil, add the cumin seeds, bay leaf and dried red chilli. Sauté for few seconds. Add the wet paste. Add the salt, remaining turmeric powder, chilli powder and green chillies. Stir and cook for a minute. Add the fish head, cook the fish head for a minute and break the fish head into small pieces. Add the boiled taro stem into the wok, stir, add sugar and cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until the water evaporates completely and the dish becomes mushy. Enjoy the dish with steamed rice. 

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