Gokul Pitha

To make this pitha, first stuffing is made. Then the batter is made. Little portion of the stuffing is taken and dipped in to the batter and fried. Then the fried balls are dipped into the sugar syrup.
For the Stuffing
Ingredients
2 cup Coconut grated
3/4 cup Date Jaggary grated
2 tbsp Sugar or more as per the taste
4 tbsp Mawa / Khoya
1/4 tsp Cardomom powder
Pinch of Salt
1 tsp Raisins

Method
Take a pan, add the coconut, sugar, Jaggary and salt, stir it on a low flame till the coconut becomes dry. Add Mawa , cardamom and raisins.Cook for another couple of minutes till the mixture is dry. Pour in a bowl and let it cool down.

For the Batter
Ingredients
1 cup All Purpose Flour
1/2 cup Semolina
1 cup Milk or more
Pinch of Salt
1 tbsp Sugar

Method
Take a mixing bowl. Add flour, salt, sugar and semolina. Mix it. Add milk little at a time to make the thick batter. Cover and let the batter stand for 30 minutes.

For the syrup
Ingredients
1 cup Sugar
1/2 cup Water

Method
Take a heavy bottom pan, add all the above and boil it to get thick syrup.

For making the Gokul Pitha
Ingredients
Oil for Frying
Batter
Stuffing
Sugar Syrup

Method
Heat the oil in a wok. Mean while make lime size balls of the stuffing. Dip these balls one by one in the batter and coat the balls. Add the balls in the hot oil. Fry on very low heat till they are golden brown in colour. Drain the oil and immediately drop them in the warm syrup. Let it stand for an hour to soften. Gokul pitha is ready to be eaten and celebrate Poush Sankranti.

Khejur Gurer Shoru Chakli ( Jaggary Rice Dosa)

This is made with rice flour and all purpose flour, mixed together with jaggery water an made into a batter. Then the batter is cooked into a kind of a sweet dosa.
Ingredients 
1/2 cup Rice Flour
1/4 cup All Purpose flour
1/4 cup Date Jaggery
Pinch of Salt
Pinch of Cardomon powder 
Ghee for Drizzeling on the pan

Method 
Take the Jaggary, salt, Cardomon powder and add a cup of water , let it boil till the Jaggary melts. Take it off the  flame. Take a bowl, add both the flours and mix it. Add the Jaggery water into the flour and mix it to make a thin batter. Let it rest for 30 minutes. Take a pan, drizzle ghee, pour in 1 or 2 ladle of the batter and swirl the batter in the pan so that the batter spreads out evenly, keep it on low flame for 3 or more minutes, so that the batter gets cooked. Keep checking, once one side is done, turn it and cook for another minute. Shoru Chakli is done...

Bhaja Puli

This Pitha is made with rice flour which is kneaded into a dough. A lime size portion is taken from the dough and stuffed with coconut and jaggary. Then it is given a shape and fried in oil.
For the Stuffing 
Ingredients
1 cup Coconut grated
1/2 cup Date Jaggary grated
1/4 tsp Cardomom powder
Pinch of Salt

Method
Take a pan, add the Jaggary, Cardomom and salt, stir it on a low flame till it melts. Add the coconut and stir on low heat till the mixture becomes dry. Switch off the flame and let it cool down.

For the Rice Dumplings 
Ingredients
2 cups of Rice Flour
1 Pinch Salt
Warm water

Method 
To make the dumplings, take the flour and add the salt in a mixing bowl, add warm water little at a time. Knead it into a soft dough. Keep the dough covered as the dough will becomes hard if kept open.

For the Final step
Ingredients 
Stuffing 
Rice Dough 
Oil or Ghee for Frying

Method 
Take lemon size balls from the dough. Flatten the balls with your fingers in the shape of a bowl. The shell would be medium thin. Fill the stuffing into it. Close, fold and seal the edges of the dough. Give it a boat shape with 2 edges pointing outwards. Heat oil or ghee in a wok, Heat the oil or ghee. Add the stuffed dumplings in the oil and fry it till golden brown.

Dudhpuli

This Pitha is made with rice flour which is kneaded into a dough. Then the little portion of the dough is stuffed with coconut and jaggary. Then it is given a shape and boiled in milk.
For the Stuffing 
Ingredients
1 cup Coconut grated
1/2 cup Date Jaggary grated
1/4 tsp Cardomom powder
Pinch of Salt

Method
Take a pan, add the Jaggary, Cardomom and salt, stir it on a low flame till it melts. Add the coconut and stir on low heat till the mixture becomes dry. Switch off the flame and let it cool down.

For the Rice Dumplings 
Ingredients
2 cups of Rice Flour
1 Pinch Salt
Warm water

Method 
To make the dumplings, take the flour and add the salt in a mixing bowl, add warm water little at a time. Knead it into a soft dough. Keep the dough covered as the dough will becomes hard if kept open.

For the kheer
1 liter  Full cream Milk
1 cup Date Jaggery 
Pinch of Salt 
Pinch of Cardomon Powder

Method
Add the milk in a pot and keep it on low flame till it reduces a bit. Add salt, Cardomon powder and Jaggary and let it simmer for 15 minutes. Meanwhile we will get the dumplings ready.

For the Final step
Ingredients 
Stuffing 
Rice Dough 
Kheer

Method 
Take lemon size balls from the dough. Flatten the balls with your fingers in the shape of a bowl. The shell would be medium thin. Fill the stuffing into it. Close, fold and seal the edges of the dough. Give it a boat shape with 2 edges pointing outwards. Once the kheer has simmer for 15 minutes, add the dumplings into the kheer. Let it simmer for 10 to 15 minutes more, till the dumplings are cooked.

Nolen / Notun Gurer Roshogolla... Date Jaggery Rasgulla...

This Rasgullas are made with Notun / Nolen Gur / Date Jaggery. Date jaggery is made in winter season and is sold in the market either in liquid form called Jhola Gur or solid blocks called Patali / Nolen Gur or Notun Gur. 

The recipe of the Rasgulla is the same, only date jaggery is added to the syrup. Rasgulla making is a easy task, only few tips to be remembered. Cow milk is best to make the rasgulla. While making the cheena / paneer, after the sour agent is added don't over boil the milk after it curdles other wise the cheena will become hard. Squeeze out the whey completely from the cheena, but at the same time cheena should be moist enough to bind into a smooth soft dough. Knead the cheena very well by rubbing the cheena with the help of your palm on a flat surface. Knead the cheena for 10 minutes. If you feel that the cheena has become hard and it is not binding, then add few drops of milk or water while kneading. I have added suji and sugar. You can also replace suji with flour. 

I am sure you will enjoy making them too. 

Ingredients

Cheena / Paneer made out of 1 1/2 litres Cow Milk

1 tsp Suji / Fine Semolina 

1 tsp Sugar 

For the Syrup

2 cups Sugar

1 cup Nolen Gur / Date Jaggery 

7 cups of Water 

Method

Take a deep bottom pot. Add the sugar, date jaggery and water. Let the jaggery and sugar melt. Let it simmer. Meanwhile on a flat surface, start kneading the cheena, suji and sugar for 10 minutes rubbing the cheena with the heel of the palm until smooth and it binds into a dough. Make small lime size portions and roll them into balls. Drop the balls into the syrup. Cover and cook for 15 minutes on medium heat. Open the lid and let it cook for 5 minutes on low heat. Switch off the flame, wait till it cools down before serving. 

Oats ar Chana diye Gurer Payesh (Oats and Paneer Payesh with Date Jaggary)...

Oats ar Chana diye Gurer Payesh (Oats and Paneer Payesh with Date Jaggary)...

This is a Bengali sweet dish made out of the Date Jaggary, Milk and Paneer. Here I have given it a twist by adding in Oats. It has a rich and creamy texture and delicious in taste. 

Date Jaggery are usually found in the shops during winter. But I always keep a stock of it in the fridge to be used through out the year.. In case date jaggery is not available then you can also use Sugar... 

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups of Milk

4 tbsp Oats roasted 

1/2 cup Paneer crumble

1/2 cup Date Jaggary grated

Pinch of Cardamom

Pinch of Salt

Few Broken Cashewnuts

Few Raisins

1 Bay Leaf

Method

Take Milk in a pot and add the bay leaf. Keep it on low flame and let it simmer till the quantity reduces to half. Add the paneer, oats, salt, cardomom powder, raisins and cashewnut. Stir it and cook for 5 minutes more on low flame. Add the jaggery and stir it till the jaggery dissolves and simmer it for 10 minutes. Switch off the flame. Garnish it with some more cashewnuts and raisins. Serve it hot or cold.

Date Jaggary Cookies

Date Jaggary Cookies..
Ingredients
2 cups All Purpose Flour
3/4  cup Ghee
1/2 cup + 1 tbsp Date Jaggary grated
1 cup Water
1/4 tsp Salt

Method
Take a pot, add water, 3/4 cup date jaggary and salt. Boil the water till the date jaggary dissolves. Take it off the flame. Take a mixing bowl, add the flour and ghee. Mix it well. Gradually add Jaggary water and knead the dough. Cover the dough and let it rest for 15 minutes. Divide the dough into 5 equal portion. Roll each portion into same size sheets. Brush ghee on the sheets. Place the sheets on top of the other sheet.Start rolling the sheets from one end so that one is layered inside the other. Now there will be a long roll, cut this roll with a knife about one inch each. Keep all the pieces aside. Take one piece at a time and press it a little sideways with your finger and flatten it with a rolling pin. Cut the roll into half. Repeat the process with the other rolls. Place the cookies on the baking tray. Take 1 tbsp Jaggary and make small balls out of it, place the balls on the cookies. Bake at 180 degrees celcius for 20 minutes in a preheated oven. Cool it completely before having.

Pitha (Rosh Bora Pitha, Chushi Pitha Kheer, Dudh Puli, Bhaja Puli andGurer Shoru Chakl,Patishapta, Gokul Pitha , Mung Dal Pakun Pithe)

Poush Sankranti ar Pitha....

In West Bengal, Sankranti, also known as Poush Sankranti is named after the Bengali month, it is celebrated as a harvest festival Poush Parbon. It falls on 14 th January according to the western Calendar. The freshly harvested paddy ( Nobo anno) and the date palm jaggery in form of liquid called Jhola Gur or solid block form called Notun / Nolen / Patali gur are used along with coconut and milk to prepare sweet dish called Pithas. There are many kinds of Pithas made. 

Few of the Pithas are

Chitui piṭha

Aarisha Kakara pitha

Teler piṭha 

Bhapa piṭha 

Pakan piṭha

Puli piṭha

Gokul pitha 

Beni piṭha 

Dudher piṭha 

Chôndro puli

Muger puli

Dudh puli

Paṭhi shapta

Mug pakon

Rosh Bora 

Chushi Pitha (Traditional Old Dhaka Pitha)....

Here are few common pitha recipe links that I would like to share with you. Please click on the names to see the recipe. 

             Click here 👉  Bhaja Puli

              Click here 👉Dudh Puli

   Click here 👉 Gokul Pitha

Click here 👉 Khejur Gurer Shoru Chakli

Click here 👉 Patisapta

Click here 👉 Chushi Pitha Kheer

Click here 👉  Rosh Bora

            Click here 👉 Moong Dal Pakon Pitha

Pathisapta

For the Stuffing
Ingredients
2 cup Coconut grated
3/4 cup Date Jaggary grated
2 tbsp Sugar or more as per the taste
4 tbsp Mawa / Khoya
1/4 tsp Cardomom powder
Pinch of Salt
1 tsp Raisins

Method
Take a pan, add the coconut, sugar, Jaggary and salt, stir it on a low flame till the coconut becomes dry. Add Mawa, Cardomom and raisins.Cook for another couple of minutes till the mixture is dry. Pour in a bowl and let it cool down.

For the Crepe
Ingredients
1 cup All Purpose Flour
1/2 cup Semolina
1 cup Milk or more
Pinch of Salt
1 tbsp Sugar
Ghee for drizzling on the pan
Liquid Date jaggary for drizzling (optional)

Method
Take a mixing bowl. Add flour, salt, sugar and semolina. Mix it. Add milk little at a time to make the batter. Cover and let the batter stand for 30 minutes. The batter will be just a little runny-consistency that is easy to spread and swirl on the pan. Heat a small heavy bottom non-stick pan on medium-low heat and add just enough oil or ghee once the pan is hot. Add 1 or 2 ladle full of batter to the pan and immediately tilt the pan and swirl the batter to cover the entire surface. Soon it will start to set. Give the pan a gentle wiggle. If the crepe moves, it is ready. Add 1 or 2 tbsp of the stuffing lengthwise in the center. Fold the crepe from both the sides. Drizzle the Jaggary syrup on top of the pathisapta (optional).

Durga Utsab and Feasting..... Vegetarian Platter

Durga Utsab and Feasting..... Vegetarian Platter 

Durga Puja (Worship of Goddess Durga ) also called Durgotsab. It is a popular festival of Bengal. It is celebrated in the eastern region of India and now celebrated world wide. The main days of Durga puja according to the traditional Hindu Calander are Shashthi, Maha Saptami, Maha Ashtami, Maha Nabami and Bijoya Dashami which is within the 9 nights and 10 days of Navaratri.The word Navaratri means nine nights in Sanskrit, Nava meaning nine and Ratri meaning nights. During these nine nights and ten days, nine forms of Shakti/Devi are worshiped. The 10th day is Vijayadashami or Dussehra. This fortnight is called Devi Pokkho (Fortnight of the Goddess). The fortnight ends on Kojagori Laxmi Puja “Worship of Goddess Lakshmi on Kojagori Full Moon Night.

           Apart from the magnificent Puja Pandal set up, the sound of the Dhak (sound of the drums played during the Arati) and Dhunachi Nach (one of the form of Arti, dancing with the incense burner) and dressing, feasting is an important part... After the Debi Puja is the Pet Puja... Mornings people go to the Pandals to give Pushpanjali (Flower offering to the Goddess) on an empty stomach.Thereafter begins the feasting of the day. The food stalls in the pandals are open from morning selling, Vegetable Chop, Muchar Chop, Luchi and Dal Puri with Aloor Tarkari, and some of the sweet dishes like Rasgullas, Kalojam, Mihidanar Laddu, Pantua, Rajbhog etc. Afternoons lunch is usually the Bhog Prasad (Food offering to the Goddess and distributed amongst the people). It consist of Khichudi, Labra, Begun Bhaja, Chutney, Payesh and a Sweet dish. Nights are the visits to different Pandals and celebrating with friends and family. Enjoying the Pandals, Adda (is a form of intellectual exchange among members, who were originally of the same socio-economic strata)and Food. Mughlai Paratha, Chop, Ghugni, Jhal Muri, Phuchka, Luchi Aloor dum, Ilish Mach Bhat, Mutton Biriyani and off course no celebration ends with out sweets. The last day of the festival Vijaya Dashami is celebrated with Shindur Khala (For Bengali women, this last ritual — Sindoor Khela or Sindoor Utsav — holds much significance. The sindoor is a symbol of married life.It is first apply on the idol of Goddess Durga and then on other women while wishing them a happy married life and good luck. The origins believe that the goddess is heading for her in-laws’house. So,a royal treatment is given to Her.)There after immersion takes place and the Vijaya Dashami is concluded with KolaKoli. Greeting and respect to elders and love to young ones in the family and feasting on good food. Mutton Curry and Rice or Palau is made on that day with varieties of Sweets.

I have made some of the pure vegetarian dishes with out onions and garlic for the Durga Puja celebration at home. This dishes are different from the traditional dish prepared during the festival.
From left to Right...
Saag Bhaja usually spinach leaves are stirred fried with salt and turmeric powder. I have fried Dill leaves.
Muger Dal Bata
Kasundi diye Pholkopir Roast
Gandharaj Lebu ar Dhonepata diye Chana
Curd
Kacha Kolar Bora (Raw Banana Kofta)
Pineapple and Khejurgurer (Date Jaggary) Baked Sandesh

Muger Dal Bata (Mung Dal Paste)
For the Paste
1/4 Cup Coconut grated
1 tbsp Mustard Seeds
1/2 tbsp Poppy seeds
1 Or 2 Green Chiilies
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp Mustard Oil
Method
Blend all the above ingredients into a thick paste. Keep it aside for 15 minutes.

For the Muger Dal
Ingredients
1 Cup Moong Dal
Paste
1 Or 2 Chilli Chopped
Salt to taste
Few Coriander leaves Chopped
1/4 tsp Mustard Oil

Method
Soak the dal for 15 minutes. Remove the water from the dal.  Grind the dal into a coarse  paste, while grinding avoid adding water. Take a Malmal cloth, add the dal paste on the Malmal cloth, tie the cloth tightly, steam the dal till cooked. Once cooled, take the dal out of the cloth in a mixing bowl, add the chopped chillies, paste, salt to taste, mustard oil and few chopped coriander leaves. Mix it well. For garnishing add few drops of Mustard oil and chopped coriander leaves.

Kasundi diye Pholkopir Roast (Cauliflower roasted in Kasundi)

For the Kasundi
Ingredients
Ingredients
1 small Raw Green Mango pieces
3 Green chillies
3 Garlic cloves (optional)
1tbsp Black Mustard seeds
1tbsp Yellow Mustard seeds
Rock Salt to taste
Pinch of Turmeric Powder
1 tbsp of Mustard Oil

Method
Blend all the ingredients in a blender except for the mustard oil into a paste. Add little water to get a thick paste and blend it again. Now add mustard oil little at a time while blending. Store it into a glass bottle in the fridge. Let it stand for a day.

For the Cauliflower Roast
Ingredients
1 big Cauliflower cut into medium size florets
1 big Tomato cut into pieces
2 Capsicum cut into medium pieces
1/4 tsp Ginger paste
1/4 tsp Chilli paste
2 tbsp Curd
2 to 3 tbsp Kasundi
1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
1/2 tsp Cumin seed powder
1 tbsp Mustard Oil
Few Coriander Leaves chopped

Method
Boil the Cauliflower florets and in 2 cups of water, adding salt to the water for 5 minutes. Drain the water out. In a mixing bowl add the ginger paste, chilli paste, curd, salt to taste, oil, turmeric powder and cumin seed powder and mix it. Add the cauliflower florets, capsicum and tomato pieces in the paste, mix it well and add the vegetables a glass baking tray, roast the vegetables for 45 minutes at 200 degrees Celsius in a pre heated oven. In between at a interval of 15 minutes, take the baking tray out of the oven and stir the vegetables. After the vegetables are cooked, take it out of the oven and garnish it with coriander leaves.

Gandharaj Lebu ar Dhonepata diye Chana (Cottage Cheese with Gandharaj lemon and Coriander leaves )

For the Paste
Ingredients
1/2 tsp Mustard Oil
1 Cup Coriander Leaves
1 or 2 Green Chillies
1 small piece of Ginger
1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
2 Dates Or 1/2 tsp Sugar
1/2 tspTurmeric powder
1 Gandharaj Lemon Juice

Method
Before taking out the Juice of the Gandharaj lemon, remove the zest of the lemon. Blend all the above ingredients in a blender into a paste.

For the Cottage Cheese preparation
Ingredients
500 grams Cottage Cheese cut into pieces
1 Tomato cut into strip
2 Green Or Red Chilli slit
Coriander paste
Salt to taste
1 tbsp Mustard Oil
For Garnishing
Few Coriander leaves chopped
Zest of Gandharaj  Lemon

Method
Take a wok, add oil. Let it heat. Add the tomatoes and the chillies. Sauté it for 2 minutes. Add the paste, stir and simmer for 2 minutes, add the Cottage cheese cubes and the salt, stir and cook for another 2 minutes, add 1/4 cup water and salt. Stir, cover and let it simmer till the gravy has incorporated well with the Cottage Cheese. Before serving, garnish with coriander leaves, lemon zest and few drops of Mustard Oil.

Pineapple and Khejurgurer (Date Jaggary) Baked Sandesh
Ingredients
1 cup Cottage Cheese
1/4 cup grated Khajurgur ( Date Jaggary)
2 tbsp Pineapple paste or chopped finely

Method
Take a mixing bowl, mix the cottage cheese and the Jaggary well. Take a pan, add the cottage cheese mix with the Jaggary. On low flame cook the mixture well, add the pineapple paste, mix it well. Stir and cook for 3 to 4 minutes till the ingredients has incoperated well. Take a small lose base tart tins.  Add the Sandesh mixture in the tins. Bake the Sandesh at 180 degrees for 25 minutes in a preheated oven till the top has  browned.

Rosh Bora

Rosh Bora
The festival of Makar Shankranti is also known as Pithey Parbon in Bengal. There are many types of Pithey made in Bengal. Another type of sweet made during Shankranti is Rosh Bora.
Ingredients
2 cups of whole white urad dal
1 tbsp fennel seeds
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp grated ginger
Oil for frying
Notun gur or date jaggery according to the sweetness of the syrup wanted

Method
Soak the dal for an hour. Drain the water and grind into a fine paste. Mix in fennel seeds, salt and grated ginger with the paste. The consistency of the mixture should be thick. Whisk the batter in one direction till light and fluffy. Heat oil in a wok and when oil gets heated up then drop a tablespoon of the batter and fry till golden brown in color. Fry in batches. Once the boras are ready. Keep them on a absorbing paper to drain off the excess oil. While frying the boras, get the Gur syrup ready. Heat 2 cups water with 2 cups grated Notun gur. When the gur completely dissolves and forms 1 string consistency then switch of the flame. Soak the boras in the syrup for an hour. Boras will turn super moist after absorbing the syrup.