Makar Sankranti: Celebrate Paush Parbon with Gokul Pithe

All Indian homes cook festive dishes during Makar Sankranti celebrations. In the eastern part of the country, in Bengal, Odisha and Assam, several kinds of pithes are made. Sarika shares the recipe of Gokul Pithe. A Special Feature, exclusively for Different Truths. 

Bengalis love their festivals. That is why we are always into some celebrations, and it is rightly said about Bengalis, Baro mashe tero parbon, which means there is always some kind of celebration throughout the year. Winters are a perfect time when we have endless celebrations, like picnics, parties, Poush Parbon, and winter holidays. 

This January came with not a very good note, most of the family and friends were down under the weather. Worldwide covid and omicron swords are hanging on us. Any time we might face the monster. 

Irrespective of all the challenges, I made a small batch of Gokul Pithe this year. Our son is at home for his vacation. So, my kitchen is kind of busy now. Though nobody in the house is fond of sweets including me, just to keep the tradition alive, I prepared these sweet balls. 

Gokul Pithe, a sweet fried dumpling soaked in thick hot jaggery syrup. The filling is mostly made with fresh desiccated coconut and jaggery. Some also add khoya and sugar. Small balls are made from the filling mixture. 

Ingredients

1.5 cup freshly grated coconut

½ cup date palm jaggery (grated)

2/3 cup whole milk

1/3 cup suji

2/3 cup maida

1 cup milk

Oil for frying

For the syrup

2 cup water

1cup date palm jaggery

Method

Place a heavy-bottomed pan over medium flame, add the grated coconut and jaggery, cook with the stirring spoon, until the jaggery is well assimilated into the coconut. Maybe five to six minutes. Now add the milk and continue to cook till the point it dried up.

Keep aside to cool these.

For Syrup

Be ready with syrup: heat the water and jaggery in a cooking pot for about 15 minutes or so until it turns golden syrup. 

Assembling

Soak the semolina in 1.3 cups of milk, keep aside.

Now to the soaked semolina, add flour and the remaining milk. Whisk well to form batter, keep aside (it should be lump-free).

Heat oil in a deep bottomed pan, take a small portion of the coconut jaggery stuffing, make them into a small ball, dip carefully in the batter and release into the hot oil.

Fry them until golden brown. Keep these aside on a kitchen towel.

Soak the fried balls in the hot jaggery syrup for approximately 30 minutes.

Remove from syrup and serve.

Photos by the author