“Maa when do I need to add the patali gur while making the Dudh Puli? Also, exactly when do I need to add the Puli so that those are both soft yet well cooked?”; Debjanir Rannaghar was a complete mess when I called maa last evening!
To celebrate the festival of harvesting on the day of Makar Sankranti I have decided to make just one dish. A family favorite, needless to say, and something my mother is an expert making with. I had little time, and little energy to make a complete platter for Poush Sankranti after a demanding day at work. Both Pasta and Mehebub (along with Rosie, Pasta’s nanny) helped me a lot. Pasta was responsible for handing over all the ingredients; Mehebub was responsible for grating the coconut and Rosie was responsible for making the dough for the Puli.
With their support, I ended on making not only the Dudh Puli but also some Koraishutir Kochuri and Notun Aloor Dum last night. I ended on writing the post at around 2:30 a.m. I clicked the pictures early in the morning and scheduled the post for the evening of Makar Sankranti.
Maa has given the pro-tip that I need to mix the Gur with little milk and then I need to add that mixture to the boiling milk to avoid curdling of the milk. Maa then told me to add the Puli while the milk is reduced to 2/3! I followed Maa’s instruction as it is and unlike every single time ended on making Dudh Puli as good as her.
I try to follow the customs (especially which has something to do with food 😛 ) as much as possible and Makar Sankranti is one of those festivals when I try to come up with a traditional Bengali delicacy at home. My last post was about a recipe of Pithe I learned from my MIL, Narkeli Jam Pitha. This one, however, is about Dudh Puli something I have grown up eating with. My mother and Aunts make amazing Dudh Puli and Dida used to make it equally good too.
Dudh Puli is a famous Bengali milk based Payesh/ Kheer/ Pudding prepared by slow-cooking milk with Puli (also known as rice flour dumplings) stuffed with cooked coconut.
Dudh Puli Variations!
I have grown up having with two different types of Dudh Puli. At my ancestral house, Dudh Puli was always and till date prepared with Notun Gur/ Patali Gur. Dida though used to make it with Sugar. Needless to say at my place Dudh Puli was always having a light brownish color and Dida’s was always creamy. Tastewise both were good however, I always liked the Dudh Puli prepared with Gur instead of Sugar.
In my ancestral house, Dudh Puli is a mandatory preparation on the day of Poush Masher Lokkhi Pujo. Jethima is responsible for the puja as well as for making the food inclusive of this winter delicacy.
Which variety of Rice to use?
One thing was common in both the houses. I never have seen ’em using store-bought Chaler Guro (Rice Flour) to make Dudh Puli. It was always prepared with homemade rice flour. Gobindobhog rice was the main ingredient for making the Rice Flour. I also do not use store-bought Rice flour to make the Dudh Puli. It is the Gobindobhog Rice that gives the amazing and distinct aroma to the dish. In my in-law’s place, they use Badshabhog rice to make the Rice Flour. Basically, most of the Pithe at ours are prepared with Shortgrain flavored rice.
Along with rice little Suji (Semolina) is used to give proper binding to the Puli aka dumplings. Grated coconut is slow-cooked with Patali Gur/ Date Palm Jaggery and this mixture is used as stuffing. This dish is all about slow cooking. Here I am going to share the recipe for making Dudh Puli with Gur. You can, however, use an equal quantity of Sugar or half and half of each to make this dish.
Here’s how I make Dudh Puli at Debjanir Rannaghar!
- Serves: 10 People
- Serving size: 230g
- Calories: 571
- Fat: 13.5g
- Saturated fat: 9.6g
- Carbohydrates: 109.5g
- Sugar: 90.6g
- Sodium: 87mg
- Fiber: 1.8g
- Protein: 8.6g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
- Full Cream Milk: 2 Liters
- Rice Flour: 200g
- Semolina: 2 Tbsp.
- Grated Coconut: 2 Cup
- Patali Gur: 800g
- Break the Gur/ Jaggeri slabs into small chunks.
- Take grated coconut in a pan and cook over a slow flame until the moisture reduces.
- Add ⅓ of the Gur and cook on low flame until the Gur dissolves and also the mixture reduces to ⅓.
- Keep stirring to avoid burning.
- Switch the flame off once the mixture started leaving the edge of the pan.
- Transfer the mixture in a bowl and keep it aside.
- Meanwhile, take Rice Flour and Semonila in a bowl and mix both.
- By adding hot water little by little make a soft dough.
- Cut the dough into 20 pieces and make small balls.
- Take a ball and flatten it using the palm and fingers as shown in the picture.
- place 1 Tbsp. of the stuffing in the middle and seal from both the side and give the puli a shape of Half-moon.
- Keep both the edges sharp and the filling will be there in the middle part. Refer to the picture for the shape.
- Make all the puli following the process mentioned.
- Take the Milk in a deep bottom vessel and start boiling it after adding one cup of water in the slow flame until the milk reduces to ⅔.
- Now take one cup of milk from the boiling milk and mix Jaggery with it.
- Add this mixture to the boiling milk and using a ladle dissolve the Jaggery.
- Now add Pulis one by one and keep cooking over low flame for around 15 minutes to reduce the moisture.
- The Milk will get thicken by then.
- Once the desired consistency reached, switch off the flame.
- Cover the Vessel with a lid and wait at least for One hour to serve Dudh Puli.
- To get the best of the flavor, serve it after at least 8 hours of cooking.
Instead of short grain rice, you can use Basmati rice to make the Rice flour or can use store-bought rice flour.
Instead of Gur Sugar can also be used or you can use a mixture of Gur and Sugar.
If you are using Sugar or normal rice it is better to add a few cardamoms and Bay leaves to give added flavor to the dish.
Instead of Full cream milk, you can use fat-free milk as well, however, that will not give the richness to the dish.
For added flavor, you can add condensed milk as well, however, in that case, reduce the sugar/ jaggery.
Bengali Pithe/ Puli/ Payesh Recipes from Debjanir Rannaghar:
- Bengali Soru Chakli Pithe Also known as Soru Chakuli Pitha)
- Narkeli Jam Pitha (also known as Jam pithe)
- Nolen Gurer Sandesh (also known as Date Palm Fudge with cottage cheese)
- Gurer Narkel Naru (Also known as Bengali Narkel Naru/ Nariyal ki Laddu)
- Patishapta (Also known as Bengali Patishapta Pitha)
- Taler Bibikhana Pitha (Also known as Taler Pithe or Sugar Palm Cake)
- Chaler Payesh (also known as Bengali Rice Kheer)
- Choshir Payesh (also known as Chosi Payesh)
- Khejur Gurer Payesh (Also known as Bengali Rice Kheer with Date Palm Jaggery)
- Rosh Bora (Also known as Bengali Sweet Fritters served with Runny Sugar/ Jaggery syrup)
Have you tried the Dudh Puli recipe from Debjanir Rannaghar!
Do let me know how it came out. Also, I would love to see a picture of the same which you can share here on dolonchttrj@gmail.com. Meanwhile, on Instagram, you can use my hashtag #debjanirrannaghar and in addition, you can tag me at @foodofdebjani.
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