DUDH PULI ( BENGALI DESSERT )

SWEETS, DESSERTS, BENGALIS are synonymous you may say. I think one should visit our heritage Kolkata to savour wide variety of sweets available. You have to stay longer to taste the varieties, yet you wouldn't be done! Before leaving, you would carry few packets back home for your loved ones.

This recipe is a homemade Bengali winter dessert. There are a variety of home made desserts in Bengal using rice flour, refined flour, jaggery, shredded coconut, milk. They remind me of childhood. Winter vacation started, next day I was at my Maternal Grandparent's place, 100 km away from Kolkata. Our morning started with freshest date juice from our grandfather's farmhouse!

 The winter special  desserts were prepared by our grand mother who managed everything including making rice flour with a manual grinder alone. The dessert I prepared today is usually done in winters with date palm jaggery. In this island, we do not get date palm jaggery neither do I have it in stock, I used sugar and sugarcane jaggery in the recipe!

This recipe is my tribute to the world on behalf of our maternal grand mother. Our paternal grandmother was a good hearted lady who lived far away in Assam. We met few times, she never cooked, paternal grandparent's home had helps & cooks! Also their eldest daughter-in-law took up the baton at a young age!

INGREDIENTS : (for filling)

Shredded Coconut : 200 gm
Jaggery : 50 gm 
Sugar : 1 tbsp

Green Cardamom Powder : 1/4 tsp

INGREDIENTS : (for dumpling )

Hot Water : As required for the dough
Rice flour :  1 coffee mug

Salt : 1/4 tsp

 INGREDIENTS : ( for the Kheer)

Milk : 1 litre
Sugar : 6-7 tbsp
Green Cardamom : 2-3

PROCEDURE :

In wok, mix together jaggery, coconut, green cardamom powder, sugar. 

Switch on gas stove, place wok on it, slow cook mixture until it gets sticky.

Take down, let cool.

Take rice flour in wok, switch on gas stove! Add salt, mix well! Add half cup of water, fold in well. Add little more water.

Once dough cools bit, knead it for 3-4 minutes. We need to knead when its still warm. It had to get smoother, I felt lethargic!

Prepare small balls out of the rice dough, make hole in middle, fill up with coconut jaggery stuffing. 

Close tight ends, get half moon shaped. We can shape them round, half moon, oval. Cristine shaped alongside me.

In a deep bottomed pan, pour milk, let it boil for 12-15 minutes. Keep stirring. 

Tear, add green cardamoms, drop gently coconut filled dumplings. Let simmer for 10-12 minutes at minimal heat. 

Add sugar, gently stir, cook for another 5-6 minutes. Let cool, refrigerate, have chilled. 

It tastes best stale. These steamed & sweet desserts are winter special, done with new harvest. There were no refrigerator in those days, they rested in kitchen cabinets, the rest is heaven inside mouth!

Please note; if you are using date palm jaggery, do not use cardamom powder. Date palm jaggery has its own flavour.