SWEET POTATO (YAM) DUMPLINGS

It is an extremely delicious traditional dessert not only from Eastern India, but in Bangladesh also. Bengali sweets offer an unlimited choice. Among them, 'pithe-puli' (dumplings) are truely favourite among Bengalis. The speciality of this dumplings, made by rice flour, sugar, jaggery and coconut/khoya. Before serving, always they dipped into a sugar or jaggery syrup. This dumpling is closely associated with Bengali festival of 'Makar Sankranti'. 

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 lb Sweet potato/Yam (parboiled and mashed)
4 tbsps Rice Flour
1 Cup Grated Coconut
1/2 Cup Condensed Milk
3 Pods of Cardamom (coarsely pounded)
1/2 lb Date Palm Jaggery / Molasses
1 Cup Water
Oil for deep frying


METHOD:
Mix grated coconut, condensed milk and coarsely pounded cardamom in a frying pan. Heat on medium flame, stir continuously for 5 minutes. Switch off heat and keep aside this coconut filling.

Knead mashed sweet potato with rice flour well. Make a smooth dough.

Divide 16 equal portion from this dough. Give a round shape of each ball. Form a cup shape with a ball and stuff with the coconut filling inside. Finally, seal the edges and mould into half moon shape with your palms to form dumpling.

Make a syrup with 1 cup water and date palm jaggery. Keep it heating on low flame. When syrup gets slightly sticky. Remove from heat and set aside.

In the meantime, Heat sufficient oil in a wok for deep frying. When oil is enough heated, put few dumplings in it and fry on medium high flame. Fry till dumplings turn lightly brown.

Quickly and gently add all fried dumplings into jaggery syrup. Set as it is for a couple of  hours.

Refrigerate for 1 hour before serving.


TIPS: If date palm jaggery is not available, may add fried dumplings in sugar syrup. Though, it is
          not the trend.