I had almost given up on the remaining North East Dishes. I stopped cooking for the states when we started in April and I had about six states left. For over two weeks, I kept saying I still have six more to do and finally Konda asked how long will I keep repeating myself! Well that's how much it took me to understand and realize I hardly have time to procrastinate any more.
This weekend, I finally managed to make all six and the feeling was such a relief! I can't express in mere words the feeling I had when I finally clicked the pictures. Writing about it was altogether different story. I read so much about these states, read and reread again. However nothing came up.
At the last moment, I came across this video, that talked about Pukhlein, a breakfast bread from Meghalaya. I looked no further. The fact that it looks either like our Athirasam or Neyyappam, as a different story. I suddenly remember reading about it and wanting to make it. Of course we read so much that nothing stayed for long.
I know you think this is not a bread, however check out the video where the person says this is a breakfast bread that's sold in Meghalaya. So I have not deviated, even though this tastes much like our sweets.
The Meghalaya cuisine can be divided into three distinctive styles: Garo, Khasi and Jaintia. Out of the three styles, I thought the Khasi had some recupes I could do, of course that was more clear only after I saw the video and how it resembles what I think it does.
The Khasi recipes include a variety of rice preparations, such as 'Jadoh' (red hill rice prepared with pork), 'Jastem' (rice prepared with gravy of pork, ginger, onions and turmeric), etc.
Among other recipes of the Khasis are:
Mylliem chicken - It is prepared with the help of different condiments, especially the small round Khasi peppers and chicken.
Dohkhlieh - Dohkhlieh is a special kind of pork salad, made from boiled pork, onions and chillies.
Dohneiiong - This dish has gravy. In this preparation, pork is cooked with black sesame seeds.
Tungrymbai - It is prepared with fermented soyabeans.
Pumaloi - Pumaloi is a typical Khasi recipe prepared with powdered rice.
Pukhlein - This dish is prepared with the help of powdered rice and jaggery.
Pudoh - This item is prepared from powdered rice, with stuffed pork and then it is steamed.
Putharao - Putharao is made with steamed powdered rice.
All the above details are from different sites I happened to read. So it was clear I could only make Pukhlein.
Check this article and you will know what I mean.
I ended up reading and enjoying the scenic Shillong and how it is referred as the Mecca of authentic Chinese food. Kyat, the local brew made from rice, adds zing to all the local celebrations.
Anyway though I could have done what looked like a regular Rice pancake as seen in this picture, I was keen on the Pukhlein as I said.
From the video and this article, shows the Pukhlein nestled within cane baskets wrapped in banana-leaf packets. These honey-brown cake of ground rice, mixed with jaggery and deep-fried in lard. Best eaten warm, when the slightly tough exterior gives way to a sweet crumbly middle. Well it sounded very much like how we make and I ventured to make just that. To get more courage, I called in Amma to help me. She had recently made Neyyappam in the same texture as seen in the video. I showed her and we ventured into the kitchen. Imagine, my small kitchen was filled up with all. Konda was clicking pictures, Amma, Athamma and I were busy trying to understand how exactly we might end up getting the same texture.
We did it two times. First time, we did the jaggary syrup and went to 1 thread. When we started adding the rice flour, it got caked up. Only then Amma said, we should have used homemade rice flour. We kept it aside and proceeded again. This time we just about cooked the jaggary and started mixing it. This time it wouldn't hold up. We added the rice flour very carefully and finally were able to get a batter that held its shape.
We tried with both the batches, I personally felt the one with syrup was much better. Though in the end boys simply loved it and I had a risk of it getting disappeared very quickly. I had to quickly click pictures before I can afford for these to disappear.
Pukhlein | Rice flour Jaggary Bread
Ingredients Needed:
Rice flour - 1 cup
Jaggery - 1/2 cup
Water for melting jaggary
Oil for deep drying
How to make the bread
Dissolve the jaggery in water, strain this water.
Cook this to a thick syrup. Slowly add the rice flour and make a thick batter.
Heat a kadai with oil, make balls and pat them flat. Deep fry on both sides.
Drain them on kitchen towel.
Notes:
You can use homemade rice flour for better result.
If you want to use store bought flour, lightly roast it.
Pukhlein ~ Rice Jaggary Bread from Meghalaya
Tried this recipe?Mention @Cooking4all or tag #Cooking4all!
Priya Suresh says
Am sure today is going to be puklein day, coz i did the same too..But seriously loved munching these deepfried rice cake.
vaishali sabnani says
This is so cool..now people who are going to search for Meghalaya will be happy to see step by step pics ..I made my own recipe after reading about it.
Suma Gandlur says
Valli, I saw a youtube video of a man mentioning that it is breakfast bread and trust me I searched so intensively but couldn't come up with a recipe link. 🙂
One more sweet dish I was interested turned out to be ASsamese tekeli pitha that i laready tried.
Now Have to try out your version. It sounds like simple version of athirasam.
Amrita Roy says
something different that I would love to have
Usha says
This does look like arisi. Glad you finally found a vegetarian recipe to do for this state.
I can imagine how it felt once you finished all the cooking! I am almost there and can't await to reach the finish line! I need to cook one more and I will be done! there 2 more I wanted to redo but might just forget about the redoing.
Harini-Jaya R says
I saw those videas about pukhlein too , Valli. In fact I tried to make them but after 2 attempts where the flour wasnt holding shape, I just gave up and looked for other options!
You have made them very well, Valli. Shall try these out.
Varadas Kitchen says
When I cooked for Meghalaya I was in the no deep fried foods mode so I passed on this one. You got nice texture and color. But I think the most important thing was the memories you made of 4 generations in the kitchen and the boys enjoying it.
The Pumpkin Farm says
easier version of of anrase ai feel, this is nice and worth trying
Nivedhanams Sowmya says
Making all 6 NE states in one weekend - hats off valli!!! and this pukhlein is looking awesome!!
Jayanthi Padmanabhan says
team effort has paid off. these rice jaggery deep fried balls look great.. i am wary of these one string, 2-string details.. they can make or break the dish
Gayathri Kumar says
This is so much like the appam we get in tea stalls. Looks so nice...
Pavani N says
Sometimes it means a lot to have mom or MIL in the kitchen for moral support. right?? You are so lucky to have them around. I wish I get that chance more often.
Pukhlein sound delicious.
Archana Potdar says
I love this teamwork you have done. I envy you Valli how I wish I had both my MIL and M. These pukhlein look delicious.
Chef Mireille says
these look so good. thanks for all the links to read up on. your step by step pics also make it seem so easy to follow
Nalini's Kitchen says
Such a nice team work,phuklein looks awesome and perfectly made...
Padmajha PJ says
Once again similarities in cuisine across the country! The color looks nice Srivalli and it has come out so well..
Sandhya Ramakrishnan says
Such a lovely recipe! It is wonderful to have an experienced person in the kitchen not only to point out the problems, but also give an alternate.
Priya Srinivasan says
My favourite state!! I made these too, was not happy with the pictures so made putharo! Would definitely do this again for the yumm taste! !!
Manjula Bharath says
wow your pukhlein is just killing me now , wud love to grab them right away 🙂 Happy to see lots of infos about other foods in this state 🙂 Kudos on your researching valli 🙂
Sapana Behl says
Rice Jaggery bread looks so tatsy !
Manasvi says
I tried this recepie word by word and sadly while frying the rice cake dissolved. Not sure what did I goof up in the process. 🙁
Srivalli says
This is a tough recipe and I have tried my best to capture with step by step. However the cake can dissolve if the flour is too dry. I mostly make the flour at home and the rice is wet. The store bought flour tends to be very dry and it can result in it. Hope you can try it again with homemade flour.