Pukhlein Of Meghalaya Is A Must Try Sweet Treat

In India, winter cuisine uses jaggery profusely in many dishes. It's not just the regular jaggery; an array of indigenous variants and special produce of the season are employed in making unique delicacies. One of them is pukhlein, a deep-fried snack from Meghalaya. The locals also refer to it as rice flour bread. It is a popular delicacy, especially among the state's Khasi tribe. This simple yet delicious dish follows a minimalistic recipe. Pukhlein is made of only a couple of ingredients, i.e., rice flour, jaggery and oil to fry. A close look at this sweet treat's basics reminds of malpuas, but it has a different flavour. Likewise, Adhirasam, a dish from Southern India, might feel like a distant cousin of it. Yet, pukhlein is one of the famous foods of Meghalaya and has a signature touch to it.

Also Read: Garo Cuisine, The Tribal Taste Of Meghalaya

Meghalaya got its moniker abode of clouds because it's one of the wettest places on earth. Megh means cloud, and Meghalaya was appropriately given this name. Akin to its unique scenic beauty, its cuisine has a distinctive character. Three Mongoloid tribes reside in this northeastern state. Rice with spicy meat and fish preparations is the central cuisine of the population. Pukhlein is a testament to the state's love for rice. 

Pukhlein

Ingredients

• 1 cup rice flour
• ½ cup jaggery
• Enough water to melt the jaggery
• Oil for deep frying

Method

• Heat a heavy-bottomed pan, and dry roast rice flour, keeping the flame low for 5 minutes
• Once it is evenly roasted, keep it aside. You can omit the preceding step if you are using handmade rice flour.
• Heat a heavy-bottomed pan and pour the water and add the jaggery
• Cook it on simmer until both ingredients dissolve and turn into a thick syrup.
• Once the syrup has thickened, gradually add the rice flour and stir until completely smooth. Ensure there are no lumps
• Turn off the gas and take the pan off the stove
•  Put a damp cloth over the mixture and set it aside
• Now, preheat the oil in the deep-frying pan
• Create tiny balls from the mixture, flatten them with your palm
• Deep fry them in oil over a medium flame until both sides are golden
•  To remove extra oil, place them on a kitchen towel
•  With the remaining mixture, repeat the procedure.
• The delectable, crispy Pukhlein is ready to devour

Make Pukhlein, three ingredients based culinary fare from Meghalaya and relish it with a cup of tea.