Recipe
Winter
is a season of fresh vegetables and special dishes popularly called shiter
pitha (winter cakes). We Bangladeshis have something special to offer
and enjoy in winter. Other than pithas (cakes) we have many items
which cover a vast area of our day-to-day culture and dining habit. Let's
be introduced to some of them. Also learn how to prepare them.
Patishapta
1
liter (41/2 cups) milk
2 cups rice flow
1
tablespoon flour
3/4 cup molasses or sugar
1/4
cup sugar
Boil
milk. keep aside 1/4 cup of milk. By boiling reduce the quantity of milk
to half. During the time of boiling stir regularly adding 1 tablespoon
sugar at a time.
Dissolve
1 tablespoon flour in 1/4 cup of milk, add flour and sugar to the thick
milk when it is on the burner. Stir quickly for 2-3 minutes. When it
thickens more remove from heat. Keep covered with a cheese cloth.
Dissolve
molasses or sugar in 2 cups of water. Add rice flour and mix well,
batter
should be moderately thin . If necessary add a little water. Keep for
2-3 hours.
Heat
a frying pan with handle, brush oil, pour in 1/4 cup of batter. Move
the pan so that the batter spreads all over it. Reduce heat. When pan
cake dries up place I tablespoon prepared thick milk at one edge. Roll
on the pancake. With the back of a serving spoon press the roll
lightly. Serve
as a dessert or in the breakfast.
Yields
6 servings.
Coconut
Filling : Measure 180 grams grated fresh coconut, 100 grams molasses, 3
tablespoons milk powder and 1 tablespoon ghee in a pan with
handle.
Cook
over moderate heat stirring constantly. When sticky remove from heat.
Use the filling for Patishapta Pitha.
Bhapa
Pitha
400
g (2 cups) rice
or
100g (3 oz) grated coconut
500
(5 cups)
freshly
200g (8 oz ) molasses
pounded
rice
flour
( patali gur)
Wash
and soak rice in 6 cups of water 45-60 minutes. Test rice pressing
in between teeth whether soft, if not , soak for another 15 minutes.
Drain water and spread rice in the colander, keep for 30 minutes, pound
and grind rice to make flour. Sift the rice flour.
Assemble
one small round of 8 cm diameter, 3 cm deep ( plastic cup not preferable), a piece
of cotton cloth measuring 25 square centimeter, a
small but deep saucepan with a lid and a strainer that
can be fitted on the saucepan.
Boil
some water in the saucepan placing the strainer on it .
Add
salt to the rice flour and sprinkle some water just to dampen the flour
. Sift the flour again .
Spread
25g ( 1/4 cup) rice flour lightly in the small cup . Place 1 tablespoon
molasses at the center ( do not spread molasses). Sprinkle 2 teaspoons
coconut over it . Cover the molasses and coconut by spreading another 25
grams of rice flour in the cup. Spread a wet cloth on the cup. Gather
the four corners of the cloth with the cup inside. Hold the cloth with
the cup tightly keeping the cup upside down.
Place
the cup with the cloth ( keeping it upside down ) in the
strainer fitted on the saucepan. Uncover the cup and remove it
carefully from the pitha. Gather the corner of the cloth again and
cover the pitha with it. Put lid on the saucepan and steam for 30-60
seconds. Holding the cloth remove pitha from the strainer.
Serve
hot pitha at breakfast. Yields 10 servings.
Rice Molasses Pudding
1
liter (41/2 cups )
milk
225g (8 oz ) molasses,
1/3
cup pullao
rice
(patali)
Rinse
rice, then drain water and soak rice in half cup of fresh water for 30
minutes. On a bread board press the rice with a rolling pin to make it
half broken. In
a pan put rice and milk and mix well. Bring to boil, reduce heat and boil
milk for about one hour, stir occasionally.
Add
1/4 cup of molasses at a time, stir till molasses dissolves and
blend well, remove from heat.
Pour
in a serving bowl or in individual dessert bowl. Cover with cheese
cloth.
When
completely cool cover the bowl, keep in the refrigerator. Serve
as a dessert during breakfast. 6-8 serving.
