Nolen Gurer Patishapta is one of the most popular home-made Bengali delicacies. I use the most authentic recipe, that has been local and seasonal to Poush Sankranti. I have been carrying over this recipe for the last 40 years and it has been a part of my DNA to feed every visitor with my home-made Patishapta.
Let us start by preparing the crepe batter. In a bowl, add 1.5 cups of maida, 1 cup of rice flour, 1 tbsp of sugar, 1.5 cups of milk and ½ tsp of salt.
Add the Nolen Gur and stir to make a smooth batter. Mix well for a few minutes, and ensure that there are no lumps and the ingredients are combined properly.
Cover the lid and set aside the batter for 1 hour.
While the batter is getting some rest, start grating the coconut in a grinder.
Once the grated coconut is ready, heat some ghee in the pan. When the ghee starts melting, add the grated coconut and 1 tbsp sugar to the mixture.
Take 1 cup of milk in a separate pan and set it to boil. Once the milk boils, add 1/2 tbsp of sugar. Keep stirring for 30-40 minutes on medium-low heat.
Combine this reduced milk with the coconut-sugar mixture and keep stirring the mixture over medium-low flame until all the moisture evaporates and you have a dry filling ready to go.
Now, you have both (1) Batter and (2) Dry Filling ready. Next, you simply have to fry the patishapta pithe. For this, heat a flat griddle pan or a tawa pan over a low heat and brush it lightly with oil or ghee.
Add a small ladle of batter to the pan, and swirl it into a circle to create a thin crepe. Once the crepe turns pale golden on the underside, and on the edges, roll a portion of the dry filling on the center of the crepe.
Switch sides, and fry until both sides are golden brown in color.
Transfer the patishapta from the pan to a plate & continue frying the rest. They are best when eaten hot. Top the patishaptas with some milk drizzle, pistachios & cherries. Patishaptas could also be stored in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.