Kheerer Patishapta- Poush Sankranti Special

As far as my sweet tooth is concerned, it is always prone towards the chocolates and cakes. Being a true bong, people do laugh at me when they hear I don't like Indian sweets or maybe I am too much restricted to some. The most disgusting part my parents faced with me was during the festive times. My mom makes awesome Bengali sweet delicacies during each Bengali festival. Whether it is Puja time or Dol/Holi or it’s the Poush Sankranti, Mom never fails to take out time from her busy schedule to make some famous Bengali sweet bites. My Sister, my dad, the guests, the relatives would gobble them up and crave for more. But the only exceptional in the family was me. And I was so choosy about food during my girlhood that my mom really had taken a lot of pain only because of me. Mainly I can recall those days of Poush Sankranti where my mom had to make separate Kheerer Patishapta for me because I used to hate the coconut stuffing patishaptas. I have never shown any kind of interest to learn how to make Patishapta. After I got married I started liking all kind of foods and at the same time trying to make them too though my taste for the sweets remained the same. I guess the main reason is, I don't have much option to show my dislike and to be taken care of. More over I start trying new kind of dishes when I stepped in to the Food blogging world. Yes Food Blogging too compelled me to try out new new recipes and also that change my dislikes into likes.

 I started missing my mom. And a time has come when I eat almost everything and beg sorry to my mom for giving all the trouble to her (that revolution actually came after Lil K was born. I stepped on the same shoe of my mom and lil K on mine….:)...). I have never tasted anybody else's Patishatpa apart from my mom’s which I always pride to be especially made for me only and the best one. After my marriage I find my MIL celebrates each festivals more elaborate and delectable way. For each festival she will make ceremonious spread of sweets and that will be distributed to the neighbourhood. During the Poush Sankrati too she makes quite a lot Patishaptas to share with her neighbours. And the neighbours too literally wait for theses invites. After my MIL got to know about my likeness only for Kheerer Patishapta, like my mom she too made some for me only. And I was so overwhelmed by the sweet gesture. Now I am learning Patishapta from her. 
Patishapta is nothing but same like the crepe which is sweet in taste and also have sweet stuffing in it. We to do get many variations for the stuffing. But mostly the popular ones are the one made out of coconut and kheer. It is especially made during the Bengali Poush Sankranti or Poush Parban festival. This festival actually celebrates the hervest festival as  It is known as the 'holy phase of transition'.

Wish you all Happy Makar/ Poush Sankranti and the same time would like wish you all Happy Lohri and Happy Pongal....

So here is the recipe:

Ingredients:

For the Kheer:

Milk: 1 & 1/2 liter

Sugar: 1 & 1/2 cup (More or less)

For the Crepes:

 Flour/Maida - 1/2 Cup

Sooji/Semolina  - 1/2 Cup

Milk - 1 cup (More or less)

Kheer  - 1 Cup (more or less- the consistency should be runny)

Ghee or Oil -  Enough for frying.

Method:

1.   First make the kheer. Bring the 2 litres milk to boil and then keep on stirring until it the milk's consistency gets thicken but still runny. Add the sugar and then again keep on stirring for a while. Reserve 1 cup kheer from the portion. Bring the remaining portion to get thick. Remember to stir and scrap the dried milk from time to time. Now you have to take extra care from this stage. Since the milk tends to burn very fast if you’re careless watching it . So stir and scrap the milk solids very frequently and cook in a low flame. In this stage most of the water vaporizes from the milk turning it into a thick consistency with a granular texture. Take a bit in your hand and check if it is ready to stuff your crepes. If ready then cool it down and reserve.

2.    Now get ready to make the crepes. Take the milk and soak the Sooji/Semolina for an hour or so. Take the flour and keep on adding little bit of the runny kheer and keep on stirring continuously so that the flour does not form any lumps. Now slowly add the Milk and Sooji/Semolina mixture to the flour. Be careful to keep on stirring constantly to avoid lumps. (See note)..

3.   Now take a non-stick pan a heat Ghee or Oil (for each crepe you will need 1-2 tspns). Make sure that the pan and the oil/ghee is hot enough. Now pour enough batter (best to use an ice cream scoop) on the pan and swirl it to spread the batter all over the pan same like you make dosa/crepes. Give the batter to set for some time and when you feel that it is done take a portion of the dry kheer and line length wise in the middle. Then slowing take a turner/spatula and turn one side on the top of the stuffing and then turn the other side on the top. Let it cook for a couple of minutes and take it out from the pan and put it on the serving dish.

Note:

1. I always make Kheer in Kadai. That makes the cooking time less.
2. The batter consistency will be runny but not too runny. Just same like the Dosa or crepe battter.

3. You can always reserve more runny kheer  and coat each Patishapta with it. It will taste more better.