Ranga aloor pithe or sweet potato dumplings. A sankranti special delicacy from Bengali cuisine. Sugar syrup soaked and stuffud with mawa/dried or thickened milk, coconut and khajur gur or date palm jaggery dumplings taste heavenly.
As I mentioned in my last year Sankranti post that in Bengal different types of pithe, puli, paesh or rice kheer/pudding are usually made to celebrate Poush Parbon or Makar Sankranti. On sankranti our lunch is Bhuni khichuri or khichdi with different types of vegetable fry or bhaja, Dum aloo , beguni, papad, tomato chutney or Khejur aamsotto or date mango bar chutney and for dinner different types of pithe puli, paesh or kheer, malpua, green peas stuffed kachodi, aloor nonta or savoury pithe. A day to enjoy all the traditional dishes. Here are some recipes that you can try to celebrate Poush Parbon or Makar Sankranti. Click on the name below for recipe.
2. Moong dal fried and baked pithe
4. Malpua
5. Nolen gur paesh or date palm jaggery kheer
6. Gokul pithe
7. Date palm jaggery and coconut barfi
8. Rice kheer
9. Narkol naru or coconut laddu
And not traditional as above recipes but absolutely delicious two innovative baked recipes with all the sankranti special ingredients.
2. Date palm jaggery oats dry fruits cookies
Monday again and our this week’s 280 #Foodiemonday bloghop theme is Sankranti Special.
To make these ranga aloor pithe or sweet potato dumplings you need rice flour and maida or refined flour for binding with mashed sweet potatoes. You have to mash the sweet potatoes really well. Dough should be completely lump free. Some sweet potatoes have fiber. Discard the fiber if any. And we don’t need thick sugar syrup for this pithe. Make a stuffing with khoya or mawa/dried whole milk, khajur gur or date palm jaggery, dry fruits and coconut. Cook the mixture on low heat until dried up. Keep stirring to avoid sticking to the bottom. Add little cardamom powder and remove from heat. Let it cool down completely before stuffing.
I always use homemade mawa. Get the method to make mawa here.
A closer look
Recipe
Sweet potato- 4
Rice flour- 3 tablespoon
Refined flour or maida- 1 tablespoon
Sugar- 1 cup
Water- 2 cup
Cardamom powder- 1 teaspoon
For Stuffing click here
Refined oil or ghee for deep frying
Method
1. First make the stuffing as we made for Moong dal bhaja pithe and keep aside.
2. For sugar syrup boil 2 cup water with 1 cup sugar till sugar completely dissolved. Let it boil on low heat for 5 – 6 minutes more. Add 1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder, mix and remove from heat. You can use half cup khajur gur or date palm jaggery and half cup sugar to make jaggery flavoured syrup.
3. Boil the sweet potatoes. Don’t make the potatoes mushy, boil till potatoes becomes tender. If you are using pressure cooker, cook for 2 whistle.
4. Peel the sweet potatoes when cool. Mash the potatoes well. Break all the lumps and make lump free dough. Discard the fiber if any.
5. Add rice flour, refined flour or maida and 1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder. Mix well and make a smooth dough.
6. Make equal size balls. I have made 13 – 14 balls. You can make small sized pithe if you want. Flatten the balls with your palm. Place one teaspoon stuffing in the middle.
7. You can use little more stuffing but be careful while sealing, stuffing should be remain inside. Seal the edges and give cylindrical shape.
8. You can also make round pithe just like gulab jamun if you want.
9. Heat sufficient oil in a pan or wok. Slide the stuffed pithe into the hot oil. Slide 3 – 4 pithe one by one. But don’t overcroud. Fry on low medium heat till pithe becomes golden brown.
10. Dip the fried pithe in warm sugar syrup. Let it soak in syrup for 30 – 40 minutes or until all the pithe soaked well and swelled.
11. Use a large vessel to soak the stuffed and fried pithe. Don’t place the pithe over each other. Serve warm or at room temperature.
If you tried my recipe, you can share your food pictures with me in the social network sites by using hashtag, #batterupwithsujata I would love to see your creations.
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The Girl Next Door says
A completely new recipe for me, and I think it’s very unique. Love the sound of these deep-fried sweet potato dumplings with a lentil filling. Hopefully, I get to try this out some time. 😊
Batter Up With Sujata says
Thank you so much Priya. Not lentil but its stuffed with khoya or mawa/dried whole milk, khajur gur or date palm jaggery, dry fruits and coconut.
preethi76 says
This traditional Sweet potato dumplings looks scrumptious. A new recipe for me. Would love to try it sometime.
Batter Up With Sujata says
Thank you so much Preethi. Please do try and let me know how it turns out!
poonampagar says
Love all your traditional Bengali sweets. This lentil stuffed deep fried sweet potato dumplings sounds lip smacking !
Batter Up With Sujata says
Thanks Poonam. But not lentil its mawa coconut stuffed sweet potato dumplings.
Priya Vj says
Wow what a delicacy !!! Sweet potatoes being used in a delicious sweet . I love all your traditional recipes from Bong cuisine
Batter Up With Sujata says
Thanks a lot dear!
vasusvegkitchen says
I love Bengali sweets a lot, your ranga aloor pithe and other Bengali collection is super delicious. Fried sweet potato soaked sugar syrup will melt in mouth, yummy.
Batter Up With Sujata says
Thanks a lot dear!
FoodTrails says
Never tried sweet potatoes this ay. love it and this another one from your treasure that I have to try now.. this sound sand looks so tempting.
Batter Up With Sujata says
Thanks Swaty 😊
Jayashree T.Rao says
This is such a wonderful sweet delicacy using sweet potato. It must be so flavoursome. Very nice post, so apt for any festival too.
namscorner18 says
Stuffed sweet potato dumplings look so delicious and I am always in love with Bengali dishes. Glad that I can learn from you.
Sasmita Sahoo says
sweet potato dumpling sounds so yum di ! I have never tried sweet potatoes in this way. Super tempting share for sure ….