Pithe, puli, payesh and more — Five traditional Bengali mishti recipes with nolen gur

Winter means having pithe, puli and payesh. It reminds us of the time when our thakuma, didima and maa would make a treat of warm doodh puli in the morning or make patishapta or payesh as evening treats.

Poush Sankranti may have just passed, but as long as it is nolen gur season, the time for pithe-puli hasn’t ended. Here are five easy pithe and nolen gur dessert recipes to try so you can recreate some of those cherished memories and celebrate the last of the winter with some OG desserts.

Nolen gurer payesh

Making the most of winter is incomplete without a bowl full of creamy nolen gurer payesh.

Ingredients:

• Gobindabhog rice: 1 small cup
• Full fat milk: 1litre + 500ml
• Cardamom pods: 2-3
• Bay leaf: 1 large
• Nolen gur: 1 large cup
• Ghee: 2 tablespoons
• Cashews: 10-12
• Raisins: 10-12

Recipe:

• Wash the rice and pat dry. Add ghee and coat the rice well
• In a deep kadhai, pour 1l of milk and bring to one full boil, keeping the flame low to medium
• Now add the bay leaf and cardamom pods and bring to another boil
• Add the rice, cover and cook until the rice is ready
• Keep the flame low, add jaggery, cashew and raisins. Mix continuously
• If needed, add the remaining milk. The consistency of the payesh should be creamy
• Cook for 5-8 minutes and take a quick taste. Turn off the heat

Tip:

• You can add any other dry fruit of your choice

Nolen gurer rosogolla

Spongy gurer rosogolla at home — doesn’t winter keep getting better?

Ingredients:

• Chenna or Cottage cheese: 500gm
• Semolina: 1 and 1/2 teaspoons
• Sugar: 1 medium cup
• Nolen gur: 1 medium cup

Recipe:

• Put the prepared chenna in a clean cloth and press to remove any excess water. The process takes about 40 minutes to an hour
• Put the cottage cheese on a large plate and add semolina
• Knead well until it is smooth and is leaving oil on your palms
• Heat sugar and water in a deep container to make sugar syrup that is not too runny or too thick
• Add the jaggery and bring to one full boil
• Make small, smooth and round balls of the cottage cheese
• Add one ball in the syrup to check if the tightness and sponginess is perfect. In case the ball breaks, add some more semolina and knead again
• Cover and cook for 15-20 minutes or until the rosogollas have doubled in size. Keep the flame medium
• Turn off the heat and serve warm or cold

Patishapta

A delightful mix of coconut and jaggery is in each bite of these sweet delights.

Ingredients:

• Maida: 2 cups
• Semolina: ½ cup
• Grated coconut: 1 large cup
• Nolen gur: 1 large cup
• Ghee

Recipe:

• Add grated coconut in a nonstick pan and fry till golden brown
• Now add the jaggery and cook for 10-12 minutes on low flame
• Mix maida and semolina and make a lump free slightly runny batter. Please use lukewarm water for best results
• Now add some ghee on a nonstick pan or tawa and grease the surface well
• Take a dollop of batter and spread well. Cook for 2-3 minutes on medium heat
• Add filling at the centre of the pancake and press from top to spread vertically
• Wrap from both sides and press gently to seal the sides
• Turn the patishapta to fry the other side and cook for 1-2 minutes or until golden

Doodh puli

One of the traditional pithes that still reign on the winter menu.

Ingredients:

• Rice flour: 150gm
• Full fat milk: 2 and ½ litre
• Grated coconut: 1 large cup
• Nolen gur: 1 large cup
• Semolina: 1 and ½ tablespoons
• Salt: A small pinch

Recipe:

• Add coconut on a nonstick pan and cook on low flame until golden
• Add half of the jaggery, mix and cook until it has filling-like consistency with no liquid residue. Turn off heat and set aside to cool
• Take semolina, salt and rice flour and made a soft dough using warm water
• Make small balls, flatten with a rolling pin to make mini rotis
• Add the filling, fold and seal each roti into a crescent shape
• Meanwhile, boil the milk until it has started to thicken
• Add jaggery and mix, keeping the flame low
• Drop the doodh pulis and cook on low flame for 10-12 minutes
• Turn off the heat and cover. Bring to room temperature and serve preferably after 2-3 hours or overnight for best taste

Bhapa pithe

Easy to make, and best enjoyed with a generous dip or trickle of jhola gur or liquid jaggery.

Ingredients:

• Gobindabhog rice powder: 2 cups
• Salt: ½ teaspoon
• Grated coconut: 1 medium cup
• Grated nolen gur: 1 medium cup
• Cardamom powder: ½ teaspoon
• Ghee: 2-3 tablespoons

Recipe:

• Mix rice powder and salt in little quantities with lukewarm water to get a thick batter that will hold its shape and it not runny
• Add ghee in a nonstick pan and heat well
• Add grated coconut and cook on low heat until golden
• Now add nolen gur and cardamom powder. Mix well and cook until the consistency is sticky with no liquid residual on the pan
• Cool the gur and coconut mix
• Add a dollop of the rice powder in a greased steel bowl
• Add some coconut and jaggery mix to the centre and cover with more of the mix. Press gently from top. Repeat process
• Heat water in a nonstick pan and place the bowls in the water. Make sure the water comes up to half the height of the bowl
• Cover and steam for 5 minutes
• Serve warm or cold with a drizzle of jhola gur