Patishapta is a significant Bengali sweet dish,which is made mainly during Makar Sankranti. Now Makar Sankranti is one of the major harvest festival in India,which is celebrated on 14 January every year. This festival is celebrated to mark the beginning of spring season in India. The movement of the Sun from one zodiac sign into another is called 'Sankranti' and as the Sun moves into Capricorn Zodiac it is called 'Makar' and so the festival is called Makar Sankranti. This festival is celebrated all over the country with great fanfare. Different part of the county celebrate this day with different rituals and has different names,like in Assam it is called Bhogali Bihu,in Punjab and Himachal Pradesh it is known as Maghi and Khichdi in Bihar.

In West Bengal Sankranti is known as Poush Sankranti,named after the Bengali month on which it falls. On this day farmers offer freshly harvested paddy and sweets made of date palm syrup (Pitha) to the God Dharma and a hotpot of rice is offered as Bhog.

Patishapta is one of the traditional Pitha which is made of rice flour, maida, milk, coconut and sugar or date palm jaggery known as Gur. Here is my recipe of Patishapta.

Recipe Of Gurer Patishapta

Ingredients:

For the crepes-

• 1 Cup Sooji
• 1 Cup Rice Flour
• 1 Cup Maida
• 3 Cup Milk
• 1/2 Cup Nolen Gur/Liquid Jaggery

• Flour 1 cup
• Baking powder 1(1/2 ) tbs
• Salted Butter 1/2 cup
• Orange rind 2 tbs
• Powdered Sugar 3/4 cup
• Eggs 2
• Orange Squash 1/2 cup
• Soda Bi Carb  3/4 tsp

• Sieve the flour,baking powder and the soda bi carb.
• Beat butter,rind and sugar till tight and fluffy.
• Add eggs one by one. Beat till well blended.
• Add orange squash and mix well.
• Add flour in 2-3 batches.Mix with a spoon to get a soft dropping consistency.Add 1-2 tbsp milk if needed.
• Line a muffin pan or tray with paper cups.Grease the paper cups.
• Spoon mixture into them,filling them 3/4 only. Bake at 180 degree C for 15 mints till well risen and light golden.
• Let them cool in the pan for 2 mints and then remove.

Orange Muffins

For The Gravy :

• 2 large onions,chopped
• 2 large Tomatoes,Chopped
• 6 Cashew nuts Chopped
• 4 to 5 Raisins Chopped
• Whole garam masala,2 each
• 1/2 tbs Shah Jeera
• 1 Bay leaf (tej pata)
• 2 tbsp of ginger and garlic paste
• 1/2 tsp of Turmuric
• 1/2 tsp Red chilli powder
• 1/2 tsp Cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp Coriander powder
• 1/3 tsp Garam masala powder
• 2 tbsp Cream
• Salt and Sugar according to taste.

Recipe Of Paneer Pasanda

• In a pan or kadai,take the chopped tomatoes,cashew nuts and the whole garam masalas. Add 1 cup of water,stir and simmer the mixture till the Tomatoes soften.
• When the Tomotoes soften,ladle the mixture in a bowl and allow to cool completely,grind the mixture.
• Your Tomato paste is ready.
• Now for the Onion paste,take a pan and add 2 tbsp of oil and saute the chopped Onions with a pinch of salt.Once the Onions turns light golden,switch off the flame and ladle the Onions in a bowl,allow to cool and then make a smooth paste of it.
• For the Paneer Stuffing, in a bowl mix chopped Coriander,crumbled cheese,chopped cashew nuts,raisins and green chillies.Add turmeric,salt,red chilli powder and cumin powder.
• Mix everything and keep aside.
• Now slice the paneer into triangles or into squares,the slices should be thick enough so that you can cut them into two halves.
• Gently stuff the paneer with the mixture.
• Next make a paste of corn starch with water,adjust the quantity of water to get the required consistency.
• Dip stuffed paneer slices into the corn starch and shallow fry them in a pan.
• Now drain the fried paneer slices and keep them aside.
• For the gravy,heat a pan and add bay leaf and cumin,next add ginger and garlic paste,saute for a while then add the Tomato and cashew nut paste. Stir well and add the onion paste,again saute for a while on medium flame.
• Add turmeric,coriander powder and kashmiri lal mirch,add a cup of water and stir very well.
• Let the gravy simmer for some time,once the gravy became thick add the paneer slices,coat the slice well in the gravy.
• Add the garam masala powder and stir well.
• Switch off the flame and garnish with coriander leaves.
• You can enjoy your paneer pasanda with any Indian bread,jeera rice or pilaf.

Recipe Of Paneer Pasanda