If you feel like matching the veracity of the northward-bound Makar Sankranti Sun tomorrow, in the kitchen, this traditional Pootharekulu recipe from Andhra Pradesh's Atreyapuram is a rather sweet and very gratifying culinary challenge. Spotlighted by online gastronomical encyclopedia Taste Atlas ahead of the auspicious occasion of Makar Sankranti set to commence on January 14, the Pootharekulu is believed to be the ultimate ode to the harvest of rice, typical to the season. An excerpt from their profile reads, “Known as the paper sweet, this delicacy originates from the village of Atreyapuram. Artisans use a cloth to swipe liquid rice starch over a blistering hot earthen pot to instantly create sheets as translucent as tissue.”
If you're up for the sweet challenge, follow the recipe below.
Pootharekulu
Ingredients: Raw rice - 2 cups, powdered sugar or grated jaggery - 1/2 cup, ghee - 1/4 cup, cardamom - 1tsp, water, oil
Method: #1 Soak two cups of raw rice in water for around six hours. After the stipulated time, drain the water and grind them. Keep adding water sparsely till it grinds down completely into a super thin mixture.
#2 Separately, dry roast the nuts until they turn light brown and grind them into a coarse powder. Mix one teaspoon of cardamom powder to this and keep aside.
{{/usCountry}}#2 Separately, dry roast the nuts until they turn light brown and grind them into a coarse powder. Mix one teaspoon of cardamom powder to this and keep aside.
{{/usCountry}}#3 Once the batter is ready, heat a flat-surfaced tawa, wiping it with a few drops of oil and letting it heat. Transfer the prepared batter to plate one ladle-ful at a time.
#4 Let it fill the plate evenly as you take a slightly wet piece of cloth, long enough to fit the tawa. Spread and dip the cloth in the plate and cover it with the batter. Now spread and pull this cloth on the hot tawa, it will leave a thin trace of batter on it and let it cook. If it is not thin and transparent enough mix more water into the batter and try again.
#5 If done correctly, you can expect the layer to start blistering over the heat and once it's completely cooked the sheet will lift up. Remove and keep aside delicately, repeating the process for the remaining batter.
#6 Once the sheets are done, prepare for the stuffing. Take a sheet or two and spread a few drops of ghee on it. Using a filter, sift the powdered sugar or sprinkle the grated jaggery evenly on the sheet. Sprinkle the coarsely ground powder of cashews, almonds and pistachios as the final layer. Now fold and roll the sheets. Another layer of stuffing can be done after the first fold before rolling. Repeat the same process for the remaining sheets.
Notes: The quantity of ghee, sugar and nuts you use are as per preference. The prepared Pootharekulu can stay fresh for a week if stored in an airtight container.
(recipe from Kandra Foods)
If you aren't too sure of your culinary skills and the fair amount of precision needed to pull this recipe off - but still feel that itch to make it from scratch, a hack from food blog Sid the Wanderer, suggests replacing ready made rice sheets instead of the original starch bricks blistered over the tawa.
We wish you a joyous Makar Sankranti ahead!