GAJAR HALWA KA PATISHAPTA / SWEET EGGLESS CREPES STUFFED WITH CARROT PUDDING

On the 26 October 2011, Wednesday we celebrated the festival of light - Diwali or Deepavali, it is celebrated on the New Moon Day after Dashera. This festival brings immense happiness and joy to one and all. There are so many wonderful things about Diwali celebration - the puja done at home, the lighting of the diyas - small clay lamps filled with oil, bursting of crackers and the special homemade sweets. There are lot of significant mythological events associated with Diwali. It marks the return of Lord Rama with his brother Lakshman and wife Site to Ayodhya after 14 years of Vanvas. The subjects of Ayodhya decorated the entire city with diyas. The day is associated with Pandavas returning from 12years exile as they were defeated by Kauravas. The people of Hastinapur celebrated their Kings' return by lighting diyas. The Goddess Kali is worshiped on this day. It depicts the victory of Good over Evil, so the dark night is illuminated with diyas and crackers. Diwali is very special for me - I get to be a kid for a day :) . It’s been 7-8 years that I celebrate Diwali away from my family and with my friends. Although I miss my family but I always enjoy this festival. I start planning from morning, there is shopping for lights to be done and the last minute cracker to purchase. I love decorating my house with diyas and lighting and this is something I do every year, these small diyas always bring a lot of smile. Then the final part - burst crackers as much as I can, I really feel like a kid -- literally jumping with joy as they burst and then laugh out loud :) But this year I did one thing different--made some sweets at home :) - one of them was Gajar Halwa ka Patishapta (Sweet Egg-less Crepes stuffed with Carrot Pudding) . Patishapta is a very common Bengali sweet, its sweet egg-less crepes stuffed with sweet coconut or sweet khoya filling. This sweet is made is almost all Bengali house to celebrate Makar Sankranti which is mostly in the between (January to February). India being a predominantly agrarian country the harvesting season is joyfully celebrated throughout the country. However I can have Patishapta anytime....it’s mine and Baba's favourite sweet...so Patishapta in Diwali. As you know me by now I love to experiment with foods and so I decided to stuff my Patishapta stuffed with Carrot Halwa rather than Coconut or Khoya and called it Gajar Halwa ka Patishapta and served it with Rabdi Sharing the recipe with These Chicks Cooked Link Party - Featuring Your Recipes from All Around Blogland #25

FOR GAJAR HALWA
Carrot	7-8 medium sized
Ghee	2 tablespoons
Milk	3 cups
Condensed Milk	1/2 cup
Cardamom powder	1/2 teaspoon
Sugar	2-3 tablespoon

FOR PATISHAPTA
Maida/All Purpose Flour	2cups
Semolina	1/2 cup
Sugar	1 & 1/4 cup
Water	2-3 cups
Salt	As per taste
Oil	2 tablespoon

FOR RABDI
Milk	2 cups
Condensed Milk	1 cup
Almond	4 numbers
Pistachio	7 numbers

    GAJAR HALWA/CARROT PUDDING:-

1. Grate all the carrots finely.
2. Heat ghee in a pan, add the carrot and fry till the carrots soften and are properly fried (see that the color is kept intact).
3. In a separate pan, add milk , condensed milk and sugar. Bring it to boil .
4. Add cardamom powder to the sweet-boiled milk and simmer it in low flame for 5 min
5. To the frying carrot add the milk and keep cooking in low heat till the milk is completely absorbed.
6. Remove it in a bowl and set it aside. Let the pudding cool slightly.

    PATISHAPTA/SWEET EGG-LESS CREPES:-

1. In a large pan add water and sugar and let them boil till the sugar dissolves completely
2. In a separate bowl , mix maida/all purpose floor , semolina and salt.
3. Pour the sugar syrup to the dry mix and whisk well till a batter of crepes consistency is formed. 
4. Let the batter stand for at least half an hour.
5. In a flat non-stick pan, brush oil. The oil should be very less, so I used the head of the brinjal to spread the oil .
6. Using a ladle pour the batter to the pan and evenly distribute the batter in a circular shape.
7. When it can hold the shape and the bottom is partially done, put a little amount of the carrot halwa lengthwise on one side.
8. Using a spatula start folding the sides like an omelet. 
9. Fry for 3-4 min more, see that the color is not changes.

   RABDI:-

1. Dry roast pistachio and almond. 
2. Grind the nuts very finely.
3. In a pan, add the milk and condensed milk. Bring it to boil.
4. Keep stirring occasionally till the sweeten milk is slightly thicken.
5. Add the grounded nuts to the milk and stir them well till it gets a smooth consistency.
6. Let the rabdi cool down

       
Plate the patishaptas in a flat dish , garnish with toasted pistachios. Serve with the Rabdi.