Dudh Puli is not just a dessert for me; it is a bowl full of memories, warmth, and emotions. I am deeply fond of this recipe because it reminds me of my childhood winters, when the kitchen would be filled with the sweet aroma of jaggery and simmering milk. I still remember sitting beside my mother and grandmother, watching them shape the soft rice pulis with great care, while sharing stories and laughter. Those moments made Dudh Puli special long before I learned to cook it myself. This recipe represents comfort and togetherness. Every time I prepare Dudh Puli, it feels like recreating those precious family moments. The slow cooking, the gentle stirring of milk, and the softness of the pulis bring a sense of calm that modern life often lacks. It is a recipe that teaches patience and love. Dudh Puli is perfect for the winter season, especially during Poush Parbon, when fresh date palm jaggery is available. The warmth of the milk and the richness of coconut filling make it ideal for cold evenings. Served hot or cold, it soothes the body and soul. For me, Dudh Puli is a celebration of winter, tradition, and timeless Bengali heritage.
For the Puli dough: Govindobhog rice flour – 1 cup, warm water – as required, a pinch of salt.
For the coconut filling: grated coconut – 1 cup, date palm jaggery – ¾ cup, cardamom powder – ½ teaspoon.
For the milk: full cream milk – 1 litre, date palm jaggery – to taste, bay leaf – 1, green cardamom – 2–3 lightly crushed, cashews and raisins – as needed.
To make the puli, start with the coconut filling by heating 1 cup of grated coconut and ¾ cup of date palm jaggery in a pan over medium heat, stirring until the jaggery melts and the mixture becomes dry. Add ½ teaspoon of cardamom powder, mix well, and let it cool. Shape the mixture into small, elongated portions. For the dough, take 1 cup of Govindobhog rice flour in a bowl, add a pinch of salt, and gradually mix in warm water to knead a soft dough. Divide the dough into small portions, flatten each piece, place the coconut filling in the center, and carefully seal to form pulis. In a heavy-bottomed pan, bring 1 litre of full cream milk to a boil. Add a bay leaf and 2–3 lightly crushed green cardamoms, then simmer until the milk slightly thickens. Sweeten with date palm jaggery to taste. Gently drop the prepared pulis into the simmering milk and cook for 10-15 minutes until they are soft. Finally, add cashews and raisins as needed, simmer for 2-3 minutes, and remove from heat. Serve warm.
My Food Story is a collection of stories and recipes that celebrate India’s traditional plant-based ingredients sourced from local biodiversity. You can see these recipes on our interactive dashboard (https://www.cseindia.org/page/myfoodstory).
Mousumi Das is a housewife from West Bengal