Patishapta is the pitha every Bengali home makes for Poush Sankranti in January: thin, soft crêpes rolled around a sweet filling of fresh coconut and jaggery. Make it with nolen gur in winter for the best flavour.
Ingredients
For the filling
- 1 1/2 cups freshly grated coconut
- 1/2 cup grated jaggery or nolen gur
- 1/2 tsp cardamom powder
For the batter
- 1/2 cup maida
- 1/4 cup fine sooji (semolina)
- 2 tbsp rice flour
- 1 tbsp sugar and a pinch of salt
- About 1 cup milk
- Ghee for cooking
Instructions
- Make the filling. Cook the coconut and jaggery in a pan on low-medium flame, stirring, for 8 to 10 minutes, until the jaggery melts and the mixture turns sticky. Add cardamom and cool.
- Make the batter. Whisk the maida, sooji, rice flour, sugar and salt with milk into a smooth, pourable batter, a little thinner than dosa batter. Rest for 30 minutes.
- Cook the crêpe. Heat a nonstick pan on low-medium flame and brush with a little ghee. Pour a ladle of batter and swirl it into a thin circle.
- Fill. When the top looks set (about 1 minute), place a line of filling across one side.
- Roll. Roll it up gently with a spatula, cook for 30 seconds more and lift out. Repeat with the rest. Serve warm.
Siddhi’s Tips
- Patishapta should stay pale, not crisp. Keep the flame on low-medium.
- If the batter thickens while resting, whisk in a little more milk.
- For a richer version, add a spoon of khoya to the filling.
Serve it alongside nolen gur payesh for a winter dessert spread. More sweets are in the recipe index.
Prep time: 40 minutes (including resting) · Cook time: 25 minutes · Makes: 10 patishaptas