Poush Sankranti may be over but a festival is underway that is providing an opportunity to taste sweetmeats that are synonymous with the last day of the lunar month of Poush. Pithe Puli Parbon is underway at Smart Connect, Hidco’s coworking co-living space located on the Major Arterial Road diagonally opposite Westside store in Action Area II. The festival will be on till February 18.
“This is the first time I am tasting chicken pithe. It tastes wonderful,” said Debashis Sen, managing director of Hidco, at the opening of the festival last week.
The facility’s ground floor dining hall has been regularly hosting food-related events since last July when a khichudi festival was held here. “Subsequently, we have held biryani, fish and sweets festivals at this venue. Each event saw substantial turnout. People come from Action Area II, the Chinar Park belt and beyond, from Dum Dum,” Sen pointed out.
The menu has been planned in such a way that the starters and main courses are mostly savouries while the traditional sweet patishaptas are served as dessert. The savouries have both vegetarian and non-vegetarian choices. “We want customers to have a full meal here. The dishes have been priced such that you do not need a deep pocket. A chicken or a fish starter, be it a mug puli or a satpura, can be tasted for just Rs 137. The vegetarian versions of the dishes cost even less-Rs 126,” said Snehasis Sinha, general manager, tourism, Hidco.
Gurer Tiler Bhaja Pithe
Some innovations have been introduced as well. While fillings of mocha and grated coconut or green peas are common, figs are being tried out too at the same price. “All three are fried items which you can enjoy with jaggery,” Sinha said.
The winter-special date palm tree extract is being used as a sweetener in every dessert, be it the puli pithe soaked in sweetened milk (Rs 52), Gurer Tiler Bhaja Pithe which tastes much like ananda naru (Rs 62) or kheer or grated coconut patishapta (Rs 62). Nolen gur occupies pride of place in the menu which even offers two items with the liquid jaggery in their names, nolen gurer baked Patishapta (Rs 62) and nolen gurer ice cream (Rs 156).
But there is also a section which has nothing to do with pithe puli. The non-vegetarian main courses star egg, crab, chicken and duck and include dishes like Murgir Kassa (Rs 262), Kakrar Jhal (Rs 314) and Hansher Mangsher Bhuna (Rs 419, the most expensive item on the menu). One can also order a plate of Radhaballavi (Rs 52 for four pieces) and notun aloor dum (Rs 83).
“No one makes pithe pulis at home any more. Pithe puli festivals may be happening in several housing complexes but nowhere will you get these innovative non-vegetarian variants and that too over such a long period,” Sen summed up.