Go Back
+ servings

Tota Puli | How to make Bengali Tota Puli

Tota Puli is a traditional Bengali Sweet that is stuffed with Khoya and deep fried and soaked in sugar syrup. This is served with nuts garnished on top. This traditional sweet is slowly losing its mark and not so commonly prepared these days. So learn to make it at your home with this recipe.
Course Sweets
Cuisine Bengali
By Cook Method Deep Fried, Stovetop
Occasion Diwali, Festival Meal
By Diet Protein Rich
Dish Type Deep Fried Dishes, Paneer Dishes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 4 pieces
Author Srivalli

Ingredients

For the Paneer Layer

  • 1 cup Paneer / Chhana / Cottage Cheese
  • 2 to 3 tsp All Purpose Flour / Maida
  • 1 tbsp Ghee
  • A Pinch Baking Soda

For the Khoya Layer

  • 1/2 cup Khoya
  • 1/2 cup Sugar powdered
  • A Pinch Red Food Colour

For the Sugar Syrup

  • 1 cup Sugar
  • 2 cups Water
  • Few Cardamom

Other Ingredients

  • Cooking Oil for deep frying
  • Mixed Nuts for Garnish

Instructions

For the Paneer Layer

  • Make the fresh soft chhana for making Bengali Sweets
  • Knead till you get tiny granules.
  • Take the portion required to make Tota Puli and add baking soda and flour by a teaspoon and start kneading it. Flour should be added by small quantity as it depends on the moisture of the chhana on how it would require retaining the shape.
  • Knead till you get a dough that's soft and can hold the shape. Remember you will be making a puli to the size that's almost 2.5 to 3 inches in length and half inch width. Once you have kneaded, keep it aside.

For the Khoya Layer

  • In a bowl, take the khoya, sugar and food colour. Mix well and make small balls.

Assembling the Tota Puli

  • Divide the paneer dough into equal balls.
  • Divide the Khoya dough into equal balls. If it is difficult to handle, refrigerate for a while till the khoya is easy to handle.
  • Now flatten the paneer dough into a disc, place the khoya over it and enclose completely as you would do any stuffed balls.
  • Then gently roll over the plate to get a thick rope of about 1/2 inch width. Make the ends pointed as a puli. Complete the rest.
  • Heat the kadai with oil and gently drop in the pulis and deep fry on all sides.

Making the Sugar Syrup

  • Melt the sugar with water and make a syrup that is not very thick like Jalebi or too thin as Rasagullas. The syrup will have to be little thicker similar to Danadar, as it's not let to soak for long and is served as a separate sweet on its own.

Serving the Tota Puli

  • Once the syrup is done, drop the deep fried Tota Puli and let it soak for a couple of hours.
  • Then drain the tota puli, garnish with nuts and chill until serving.

Notes

The original recipe asks you not to soak in sugar syrup for long as it might break. Mine was intact after a couple of hours as well.
The Tota Puli is juicy and oozes out sugar syrup when you bite into it.
Tried this recipe?Mention @spicingyourlife_ or tag #spicingyourlife_!