Patishapta

Poush Sankranti or Makar Sankranti is a special occasion celebrated all over India for the fresh harvest of the season. Bengalis celebrate this mainly by preparing pithey, a type of dessert made of rice powder, date jaggery, milk and coconut, typically.
This day brings back my childhood memories of the chilled mornings of Poush month(a month of Indian calender). That morning used to be an exciting one looking at the plate mom used to serve with varieties of pithey and my favorite was always kheerer patishapta(patishapta having a filling of thickened sweetened milk). That morning my mom used to do it in earthen oven using woods. We all siblings would flock around her to get the warmth of fire and also to get the pithey served hot from the griddle. And now it seems more than the warmth of fire it was the warmth of the mother that used to make us flock around. Good old childhood! 

"Koi lauta de mere beetey huye din".

Ingredients:

For batter

• All purpose flour                - 1 cup
• Rice flour                             - 1/3 cup
• Semolina(sooji)                  - 1/4 cup
• Sugar                                    - 2 Tbsp
• Milk                                      - 1 and 1/2 cup(or a little more if needed)

For filling

• Grated coconut                    - 2 cups
• Condensed milk                  - 1 can
• Green cardamom                - 3, (crushed and powdered, only seeds)

(Traditionally we use khoya which is prepared by thickening the milk over a long time. But I used condensed milk which "almost" serves the same purpose.)

Method:

1. To prepare the filling mix grated coconut and condensed milk in a pan. Put it on medium low heat.

2. Add cardamom powder and cook stirring continuously till it thickens. Remove from pan and keep aside.

3. In a mixing bowl add all purpose flour, semolina, rice powder, sugar and mix well. Add milk gradually and keep mixing till a batter of pouring consistency is formed. The batter should not be very thick, it should be thin enough to spread easily in the griddle. Adjust the milk accordingly. Keep aside for 30 minutes.
4. Heat a heavy bottomed pan or griddle.
5. Brush the pan with a little ghee.
6. Take a deep round ladle full of batter and pour it in pan. Swirl the pan to evenly distribute the mixture and to get a circular shape. 
(Be quick with this step as the mixture tends to set real quick.)
7. When the top is cooked put filling lengthwise.
8. Fold the crepe from one end and roll till it is fully folded.

9. Remove from pan. Serve with a drizzle of thickened sweetened milk(kheer in Bengali).