PATISHAPTA (BENGALI SWEET CREPE WITH FILLING)
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Patishapta is a scrumptious Bengali-styled crepe with a special filling of coconut, jaggery, and condensed milk.
Winter in Kolkata is incomplete without the beloved Pithe. In case you are wondering what on earth is a Pithe, well, it is the most decadent dessert that Bengali Cuisine offers. Pithe is not just any sweet; it is an emotion for every Bengali out there. So, what is so special about Pithe? To answer this question, let me deal with the basics first.
WHAT IS A PITHE?
Pithe is a general term for a class of sweets prepared to celebrate Poush Sankranti. For those of you who are not aware, Poush Sankranti is the rice-harvest festival in Bengal. Traditionally, after the fresh harvest, women in the house would use the new rice to create the wondrous Pithe. Not just rice, Pithe also uses all-purpose flour, semolina, jaggery, coconut, milk, and kheer or mawa (milk solids). Interestingly, fruits and vegetables like jackfruit, palm, coconut, sweet potato, and banana are also used to make Pithe.
Pithe comes in all shapes and sizes and cooked in myriad ways. Some are steamed while some are fried, yet others are simmered in flavored boiling milk. The popular varieties of Pithe include Puli, Gokul, Sheddho, Patishapta, Choshi, Chitoi, and the list goes on and on.
WHAT IS PATISHAPTA?
Patishapta is probably the most popular variety of Pithe. It is much like a thin crepe that comes with a delicious filling. The crepe batter contains refined flour, rice flour, and semolina stuffed with coconut, jaggery, and milk solids. In a nutshell, it quite resembles the thin and delicate French crepe.
There are different versions of Patishapta. The filling of Patishapta can either be kheer (reduced milk) fillings or a mixture of shredded coconut and jaggery. In Bangladesh, there is a savory version of Patishapta that has fish or meat fillings.
While Patishapta is made during the harvest season, there is no harm in making it year-round. It is a delicious dessert that can be whipped up quite easily in no time. Make it whenever you are craving a sweet treat, or for entertaining guests, or for packing your kid's lunchbox. You can also prepare it for an exciting breakfast or snack.
ABOUT THE RECIPE
The recipe of Patishapta that I will be sharing is an heirloom recipe. During my growing up years, I had seen my grandmother making it this way. The tradition was later carried forward by my mother, and now I make it for my family. Times have changed, but the recipe remains the same with a few convenient changes. For example, the original recipe involved soaking the rice overnight and grinding it into a smooth batter the day after. As a shortcut, I have used rice flour that is readily available in the store. You could also grind the rice in a grinder for making the rice flour at home.
In the country that I live in today, it is quite a fete to shred a fresh coconut, so I have used shredded coconut that is available in Asian grocery stores.
This recipe has the following steps:
- Preparation of batter
- Preparation of the filling
- Making the Patishapta
The batter is made with rice flour, semolina, milk, and sugar. The batter should be runny so that it is easy to spread on the pan.
The filling is made with shredded coconut, jaggery, and condensed milk. You may also use Kheer or mawa, whichever is convenient.
The final step is making the crepes and stuffing them with the filling. For the best results, the crepe should be thin. Thick crepes may result in a chewy Patishapta. The amount of filling to be used should be optimum; too little or too much filling does not yield the best result. Folding the Patishapta is an art in itself and has to be done very carefully.
INGREDIENTS
For the crepe batter, you will need the following ingredients:
All-purpose flour
Rice flour
Semolina
Sugar
Milk
A pinch of salt
For the filling, you will need the following ingredients:
Shredded coconut
Jaggery
Condensed milk
Cardamom powder
For making the crepes, you may either use oil or ghee.
HOW TO MAKE IT?
Step 1: Make the crepe batter
In a mixing bowl, add the all-purpose flour, rice flour, semolina, sugar, salt, and milk.
Whisk the ingredients till they are combined. Do not over-mix to avoid your crêpes from turning chewy.
Cover the batter and set it aside for at least an hour. Meanwhile, prepare the filling.
Step 2: Make the filling
Cut the jaggery into small pieces.
Dry roast the shredded coconut until there is a nutty aroma.
Add the jaggery, condensed milk, and cardamom powder. Allow the jaggery to melt so that everything comes together easily to form a gooey mixture. Keep stirring continuously on medium-low flame. The process should take around 10-12 minutes. If you are adding mawa or kheer, then the process may take a little longer.
Transfer the mixture to a plate and allow it to cool down.
Step 3: Make the Patishapta
Set a non-stick pan on a medium-low flame and allow it to heat.
Brush the pan with some oil or ghee.
Take a ladle of the batter and drop it in the center of the pan. Swirl around to form a thin crepe.
Roll some filling and shape it like a flattened cylinder. Place it carefully on one end of the crepe and fold it into a roll with a spatula. Flip and cook for another minute. Transfer onto a plate.
Repeat until all the batter is used up.
Serve hot or cold.
You may garnish with some condensed milk and chopped nuts of your choice.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Why is my Patishapta sticking to the pan?
Adding too much sugar to the batter may result in your Patishapta sticking to the pan. The other important thing is to check that your pan is hot enough. If the pan is not hot enough, the batter may stick.
Why is my Patishapta so chewy?
Patishapta can turn out to be chewy because of the following reasons:
- Overmixing the batter - When you mix the batter longer than required, the gluten develops and makes the crepes rubbery and chewy.
- Using an incorrect ratio of flours and semolina - Too much semolina or too much rice flour can result in a chewy crepe. Watch out for the correct ratio, use proper measuring cups and spoons to avoid making errors.
Is it compulsory to dry roast the shredded coconut?
Dry roasting the coconut results in a nutty aroma that I like but, you may skip this step if you like the smell of raw coconut.
How can I make this recipe vegan?
For a vegan Patishapta, substitute the milk in the batter with water. You can skip the condensed milk in the batter, use jaggery, coconut, and sugar mixture instead. Use oil for greasing the pan instead of ghee.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Patishapta may be served hot or cold. Top it with some condensed milk and chopped nuts to make it more interesting. You may also serve it with Nolen Gur (date-palm syrup) or Rabdi for a delicious treat.
STORING SUGGESTIONS
Patishapta can be cooled and stored in the refrigerator for up to 7 days when kept in an airtight container. Thaw before serving so that it does not turn hard.
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PATISHAPTA (BENGALI SWEET CREPE WITH FILLING)
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup Semolina
- 1/4 cup Rice flour
- 1 1/2 - 2 cups Milk
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- Oil or Ghee for cooking
- 2 cups shredded coconut
- 1 cup jaggery
- 1 cup condensed milk
- 2 tsp cardamom powder
Instructions
- Step 1: Make the crepe batter
- In a mixing bowl, add the all-purpose flour, rice flour, semolina, sugar, salt, and milk.
- Whisk the ingredients till they are combined. Do not over-mix to avoid your crêpes from turning chewy.
- Cover the batter and set it aside for at least an hour. Meanwhile, prepare the filling.
- Step 2: Make the filling
- Cut the jaggery into small pieces.
- Dry roast the shredded coconut until there is a nutty aroma.
- Add the jaggery, condensed milk, and cardamom powder. Allow the jaggery to melt so that everything comes together easily to form a gooey mixture. Keep stirring continuously on medium-low flame. The process should take around 10-12 minutes. If you are adding mawa or kheer, then the process may take a little longer.
- Transfer the mixture to a plate and allow it to cool down.
- Step 3: Make the Patishapta
- Set a non-stick pan on a medium-low flame and allow it to heat.
- Brush the pan with some oil or ghee.
- Take a ladle of the batter and drop it in the center of the pan. Swirl around to form a thin crepe.
- Roll some filling and shape it like a flattened cylinder. Place it carefully on one end of the crepe and fold it into a roll with a spatula. Flip and cook for another minute. Transfer onto a plate.
- Repeat until all the batter is used up.
- Serve hot or cold.
- You may garnish with some condensed milk and chopped nuts of your choice.
Notes:
- Coconut tends to burn easily so, be very careful while dry roasting it.
- The batter should be a little runny but not too thin.
- You may use nuts and raisins in the filling if you prefer.
- If you are not too comfortable with swirling a hot pan, simply spread the batter with the back of the ladle.
Calories
368.38Fat (grams)
9.42Sat. Fat (grams)
5.74Carbs (grams)
64.17Fiber (grams)
1.71Net carbs
62.46Sugar (grams)
40.02Protein (grams)
7.90Sodium (milligrams)
165.01Cholesterol (grams)
19.56The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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