MOONG PULI

With Makar Sankranti round the corner, many of us are busy preparing pitha, payesh, following the family traditions. I do not know a variety of them, just do the usual ones, patishapta, malpua, puli pitha, choshir payesh. Usually, the Bengalis offer to the God and then savour them sitting together. Preparing them in the evening and having them the next morning is the best idea, however.... this Moong Puli should be had warm. Pitha, payesh / steamed or fried savoury & sweet snacks, pudding tastes best the next day of preparation otherwise. Some of them should we have hot though. My childhood memory of having pitha is the wintry mornings, the courtyard [uthon] in the maternal grandparent's home, grand mom preparing a variety of them in a mud oven [unan] lighted with wood and dried jute plant stems [patkathi]. We must remember that even the rice flour [with atap chal] had to be made at home which was a tedious job.

This is my first attempt at Moong Puli. Bhaja pitha tastes yum along with the steamed ones. Moong Puli can be soaked in sugar or date palm jaggery syrup also after being fried. I skipped that part and served the fried ones. This one tastes best when served fresh and hot. Let us do it. My men would have pithe-puli [of their choice] whenever served. The father loved immensely, Bhai's intake of pithe-puli depends upon his mood! He eats but not in the same frequency as in case of biryani or roll!

Authentically, Makkar Sankranti goodies are cooked using rice flour, jaggery, coconut. I did not see in the grandmother's era semolina, refined flour to be used in the making of the winter goodies. Even she prepared her own rice flour in the "jata kol" the family owned, also a "hamandista!"During our mother's era, I saw her using semolina, refined flour in the "pithe-puli", that started in the late 70's, early 80's; continuing till date!

INGREDIENTS :[for the dough]

Moong Dal [split yellow lentil] : 1medium tea cup

Refined Flour  or Rice Flour : 2-3 tbsp [authentically rice flour is used]
Salt : A pinch of

Turmeric Powder : A pinch of
Water : As required

INGREDIENTS :[for the filling]

Shredded Coconut : 1 coffee cup
Jaggery : 1/2 small tea cup
Sugar : 1tbsp
Green Cardamom Powder : 1tsp

INGREDIENTS :[for the Moong Puli]

The Lentil Dough

The coconut jaggery filling

Oil : To deep fry

METHOD :

Dry roast the dal, wash and pressure cook up to 2 whistles using 11/2 cup water. Please note do not use much of water. If it gets watery, we will find it very difficult to prepare the dough.

Once cool, the lid would open! Add the refined flour or rice flour, incorporate well and stir cook for few minutes. Take down on a plate, let cool.

To the dough, add a pinch of salt, turmeric and keep kneading until a firm dough is formed. Keep covered with a piece of cloth while we prepare the filling.

Heat a pan, add the shredded coconut and stir for a minute. Break the jaggery into smaller pieces and add to the pan.

Keep stirring, we will see the jaggery melts. Add the sugar and after 5 minutes, the cardamom powder. We will keep stirring till a sticky filling is prepared. Let it cool.

Prepare medium sized ball from the dough and make a hollow. Fill in with 2 spoonful of coconut - jaggery filling.

Close and shape as you desire! I did one, the rest were shaped by Cristine!

Heat the oil in a wok and deep fry in batches. The oil should be neither too hot nor less. If more they will burn, if less they will break.

Once done, place them onto a tissue paper before serving warm. If you wish to refrigerate, let them cool then keep. Take them out an hour before having, always warm a bit before you eat! This particular pithe tastes the best when fresh & warm!

I was going wrong somewhere while making this goodie. I was not adding any amount of refined flour or rice flour to the lentil dough! Hence, they were breaking while frying! What I want to learn, I would!