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Puli

পুলি / পিঠেপুলি
PEE-thay POO-lee

Puli (পুলি / পিঠেপুলি) is a Bengali-origin word used in Indian English, meaning a collective Bengali term for traditional rice-based cakes and stuffed dumplings, especially associated with winter harvest festivals. Common examples are Dudh Puli and Chandra Puli. In crosswords it is the 4-letter answer PULI (4).

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Meaning & usage

Pithe Puli refers to a wide variety of traditional Bengali sweets and snacks made from rice flour, coconut, milk, sesame seeds, and jaggery. While pithe is the broader category of rice-based cakes and pancakes, puli refers to stuffed dumplings, often filled with coconut and sweetened with jaggery. The phrase is especially associated with the winter harvest season and festivals such as Poush Sankranti, when families gather to prepare and share these seasonal delicacies.

In a sentence

Every winter, the family comes together to make pithe puli using freshly harvested rice and date-palm jaggery.

Puli as a crossword answer

Puli is a 4-letter answer. A typical clue:

“A collective Bengali term for traditional rice-based cakes and stuffed dumplings, especially associated with winter harvest festivals. Common examples are Dudh Puli and Chandra Puli” (4)

Category: Food Origin: Bengali Script: Bengali

Related words

  • Pulikaaichal — It's made from tamarind, green chillies, ginger and jaggery
  • Radhaballabi — A stuffed deep-fried bread from Bengal, often filled with spiced lentils.
  • Pongal — Tamil four-day harvest festival, also the name of the sweet rice dish cooked for it.
  • Kora Pak — A traditional Bengali sweet made from rice flour and jaggery.
  • Ilish — A popular fish in Bengali cuisine, also known as hilsa.
  • Pichutan — An emotional pull toward one's roots, loved ones, or the past.

Related crosswords

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