‘Sandesh’—translating into ‘news’ or ‘message’—is beloved to most Bengalis. As a staunch believer of cooking from scratch, Swapna Mazumder makes the sweet home during festive occasions, preparing the chhana, or homemade paneer, and flavouring it with saffron from her home garden or with some cardamom or pistachio paste. Traditionally, khejur gur (date palm jaggery) is used as the sweetening agent.
Growing up, Swapna spent a lot of time with her naani. She vaguely recalls her naani having two black, marble paisley-shaped moulds (shaach) to make sandesh. These moulds were inscribed with the words: “bhulo na” (don’t forget) and “abar esho” (come again).
Swapna perfected the sweet through trial and error, even pestering her friends for their recipes. Since everyone had their own method of preparing sandesh, Swapna had to make several attempts before she got it somewhat right. She emphasises that making sandesh is all about technique. “If you can make chhana you are off to a good start. The challenge lies in draining the chhana, kneading it to the right consistency, and cooking it just until it will hold shape after moulding,” she says. For the past two decades, Swapna has proudly been using a mould handed down to her by her mother-in-law. Read more about her sandesh mould here.
| Chhana | 1 cup |
|---|---|
| Fine castor sugar or khejur gur | 6 tablespoons |
| Green cardamom, ground | ¼ teaspoon |
| Saffron, crushed or powdered | 3-4 strands |
What You Will Need
Sandesh mould or any shaping mould; non-stick pan; mixing bowls; thermometer
Instructions
Lightly grease a sandesh mould and set it aside.
In a clean mixing bowl, combine the chhana and sugar (or khejur gur) evenly. Then turn the mixture out on a clean countertop.
Using the heel of your hand, mash this mixture until it is fine and well blended. Its texture should not be grainy.
Heat a non-stick pan over low-to-medium heat, then add the chhana mixture while stirring constantly to prevent it from sticking.
Initially, as the sugar melts, the mixture will soften and spread in the pan but will then start coming together, at which point, it can be removed from the heat.
Once the mixture is cool enough to handle, add the cardamom and saffron, mixing until the saffron distributes evenly and gives the mixture a yellowish-orange hue.
Divide the chhana mix evenly into small balls and press into the desired mould design to make the sandesh.
Tips:
If the chhana is being made at home, it is good to use a thermometer to cool the milk once it is boiled. It should reach a temperature of 80-85ºC so as to obtain the maximum quantity of chhana while avoiding any chewy texture.
Swapna Mazumder is a retired chemist living in Victoria, BC, Canada. Her interests include birdwatching, gardening, and fishing. She also collects kitchen gadgets, and cooks traditional foods, while sharing her culinary knowledge in a community kitchen where she volunteers.
The cover image has been sourced from Wikimedia Commons.
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