Love for bhapa

Did you know that we get a fresh set of cells every seven years? This means every seven  years, not only do we get brand new skin, but we get brand new taste buds as well. See, when I read this fact the first time, I experienced an epiphany; something I could not once stand the sight of started to taste good to me. In one moment of weakness, I fell in love with bhapa pitha.

The easiest thing to do was to enter the comforting land of denial. In fact, I tried to keep it a secret from my friends and family that I have finally realised what a godsend bhapa pitha is. But this love is no ordinary one, and thus, it's not one I could contain.

Since I have a sweet tooth, this new, pleasant tingling feeling I got from the piping hot bhapa pitha was immediately pinned on the fact that I liked it because it is sweet. This is the first winter when I have accepted that I fell for this Bengali delicacy I have spent my whole life running away from. But truth be told, it is not merely the sweetness that locked my heart.

To start with, bhapa pitha, I believe, is the most unique kind of pitha. Keeping consistent with the general concept of rice cake, one serving will fill you up – but will you stop eating? Probably not. The combination of ground rice, jaggery and coconut shavings is lethal. The most popular vendors are those who tend to layer on the stuffing. Cooked in steam, it does take longer to prepare than its winter companion, chitoi pitha, but it is worth the wait.

It is a wonder that the jaggery is never overpowering. Of course the ratio of jaggery to ground rice can vary as per your preference, but the natural ratio is one that makes the end product mellow and balanced. The crunch of the coconut shavings adds a variation to the overall texture while enriching the experience. Bhapa pitha has to be consumed while it is still hot because the softness evaporates into the atmosphere otherwise. This is yet another trait that sets it apart because sweet dishes are usually best served cold.

My grandmother taught me yet another fascinating characteristic of the bhapa pitha. Putting it in a bowl and adding milk to it makes it a completely different dish. Every spoonful just melts in your mouth. Who would have thought adding milk could make such a world of difference? 

I cannot believe how deeply I feel for bhapa pitha now and I do not really know why I did not like it before. I know this is an exception and that just makes my love for it to grow. I have never had bhapa pitha during any other time of the year – I wonder if I will like it just as much. 

Winter mornings are just so different from the rest of the year. When out for your morning walk you will find that on every street corner pithas are being made and sold faster than hot cakes. Seven in the morning and it still feels like dawn but an incentive for me to get out of bed is actually having bhapa pitha for breakfast. I am already looking forward to the next winter because bhapa pitha is what happiness tastes like to me.

By Maaesha Nuzhat Nazmul
Photo: LS Archive