Dudh Puli / Coconut Stuffed Rice Dumpling

Bengalis have always associated winter with notun gur (jaggery); and during Makar Sankranti, a variety of sweets are made using notun gur. Dudh Puli is a popular one during this time. This can be made with very few ingredients. All you need is love and patience and a little bit of time — and Dudh Puli will surely become a sweet addition in your culinary journey.

 

Ingredients:

 

 

  • Stuffing:

 

 

  1. 1 cup of grated or desiccated coconut
  2. ½ cup of jaggery/ condensed milk / sugar

 

 

  • Outer covering or puli:

 

 

  1. 1 cup of Rice flour
  2. ¼ cup of Boiling hot water and extra (if needed)

 

 

  • Kheer:

 

 

  1. 1.5 litre of full cream milk
  2. 6 tbsp. of jaggery
  3. 2 to 3 crushed green cardamom pods

 

Preparation:

 

 

  • For the stuffing:

 

 

  1. Break the jiggery into smaller pieces, so that it can blend with the coconut faster.
  2. Heat a large pan on a medium flame and add the desiccated coconut.
  3. Dry roast it for about two to three minutes on a medium flame and then add in the jaggery/ condensed milk / sugar (the one you plan to use).
  4. Mix it evenly with the coconut.
  5. Keep stirring and when the mixture stops sticking to the pan, increase the flame and keep stirring for another one to two minutes without stopping.
  6. After that transfer the mixture immediately onto a flat plate and let it cool off.
  7. Make sure that the mixture is still warm, but can be handled, then take 2 tablespoons on your palm and turn it into an oval shape. Repeat this with the whole mixture and keep the oval shaped mixture on the side, covered.

 

 

  • For the shell or puli:

 

 

  1. Place the rice flour in a mixing bowl then add hot water to it. As you keep on adding water, keep stirring with a ladle.
  2. Keep stirring with a ladle, till the mixture is cool enough to knead by hand. Once it is cool enough, you need to knead quickly; otherwise the dough might dry out as the water cools down completely.
  3. Create small balls from the doughs as quickly as possible and cover them with cling film so that the smaller balls are not exposed to air and dry out.  
  4. Next, take out one ball at a time and press between your palms to form a thin circular disc.
  5. Place an oval shaped mixture in the centre of the disc and press the opposite sides together to form a half-moon shape. Seal off the edges by pinching with fingers.
  6. Shape the puli into a half moon or long oval shape. Once the process has been completed with the whole dough, cover it all with cling film. While making the pulis, keep the rest of the dough balls and mixture covered.  

 

 

  • For the kheer:

 

 

  1. Take a heavy bottomed pan and bring the milk to a boil.
  2. Next turn the heat down and let it simmer, till the milk boils down to half the volume.
  3. You could start this process before preparing the puli to save some time.
  4. At this point add the puli or dumplings to the milk. Continue cooking on a medium flame for around seven to ten minutes.
  5. Do stir gently in between, making sure that the pulis do not break.
  6. Once the pulis start to change colour and float to the top, it is time to put off the flame as the pulis are cooked to perfection.
  7. Remove from the flame and add jaggery to the milk very gently, while you keep stirring gently. Take care not to break the pulis.
  8. Once the jaggery is dissolved completely, put the pan back on the flame and sprinkle on top the crushed green cardamoms.
  9. Continue cooking on medium flame for another five to ten minutes, till the milk reaches the desired consistency.
  10. Turn off the flame and let it cool to room temperature.
  11. Serve it at room temperature or warm it up a bit before serving.

 

Tips:

  • It is traditionally cooked with a mixture of non-boiled rice flour (atop chal) and boiled rice flour (sedhho chal) in a ratio of 2:1, but cooking with rice flour makes the process convenient for all.

 

  • Never cook the jaggery and milk mixture on a high flame as the milk might curdle.

 

  • Doodh puli should not be served cold as it becomes hard.

 

  • Doodh Puli is best served when fresh, but it can be stored in a refrigerator for up to two to three days in an air-tight container. All you need to do is microwave it for around 30 to 60 seconds before serving.