In Bengal, winter is synonymous with celebration. With picnics, parties, and Christmas and winter holidays, people in Bengal are in festive mode this time of year. And what adds to their joy is the spread of winter specials. Some dishes are in sync with nature and are purely seasonal. They taste delicious as well as good for the health too. Bengali cuisine is always surprising with its flavors, aromas, and versatility. When it is winter, every household celebrates winter with Pitha, sweets, notun gur (freshly made jaggery), Phulkopir Dalna, Gajorer Halua, and many other foods that make the season enticing. The first delight to tantalize my taste buds was Phool Pithe, looking like blooming flowers. Created from rice flour, coconut, and jaggery. Each bite of this intricately shaped treat offered a burst of sweetness and floral essence- awesome, I must say. Next on the tasting menu was Golap Pithe, aptly named for its resemblance to a rose. It has layers of rice flour dough filled with a heavenly combination of sweet coconut and jaggery. And this one was something about which great things should be written about. Seuli Pithe, with its mesmerizing spiral design, captivated both the eyes and the palate. Crispy on the outside and luxuriously soft on the inside, this pithe was a treat to just look at. Though it takes a lot of time to prepare, it’s worth the effort. And then, there was Nonta Pithe, a savory delight that stood out with its unique savory taste. Made from rice batter, this unconventional pithe offered a refreshing departure from the sweetness of its counterparts. And it left a lingering, tantalizing sensation on my taste buds.
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