Bengali hospitality and the tradition of pitha are closely intertwined. A spread of different pithas set before guests has always had a special appeal in Bengali food culture, and nakshi, or patterned, pitha even more so: its beauty is as captivating as its taste.

The main attraction of nakshi pitha is its neat shape, fine designs and artistic detail. Date-palm thorns, toothpicks, sticks or special moulds are usually used to make the patterns. With a little creativity, though, an ordinary hand fan from around the house can be used to make eye-catching "pakha pitha".

Bring milk to the boil in a pan. When it boils, add a little oil or ghee and salt to taste. Add flour and stir well to make a cooked dough, then cover the pan. When the dough has cooled a little, break in an egg and knead very well into a smooth, soft dough.

Cut small portions from the kneaded dough. Roll each between your palms into a ball and flatten it slightly. Place the flattened dough on a clean hand fan and press gently so that the fan's pretty ridged pattern is clearly printed on it. Then roll it up from the wide side towards the narrow side to make an attractive rolled fan design.

In another pan, boil sugar and water into a thick syrup and keep it lukewarm. Heat oil in a karai and add the pithas. Fry over a medium flame, turning, until golden, then take them out. Dip the hot pithas in the sugar syrup for five to ten minutes so the syrup soaks in and they become juicy. Lift them out of the syrup, arrange them on a plate and serve the delicious pakha pitha.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.