A Pinch of “Mishti”-Love!

Food lovers, especially sweet lovers can swear-in with the taste of our ‘mishti-mishti’ sweets! So, here are the recipes of two of our traditional sweets by the renowned chef Sandeep Das! Hey, and don’t forget to try these recipes in this Diwali and Kali Puja and serve them to all!

Recipes of savory-sandeshs by chef Sandeep Das and a sprinkle of mishti (sweets)-story by Ananya Das

Traditional snacks go along perfectly with traditional festivals. However, we, East-Indians or Bengalis in general seem to find these ‘traditional snacks’ underwhelming, and add Sandesh to make up for that. Sandesh are the benchmarks for sweets; everyone likes it. Diwali? Incomplete without Sandesh. Bhai fota? Incomplete without Sandesh and the list goes on. Some people bear a certain dislike for sweets, but when offered to eat one from a plate full of ‘mishtis’, they WILL definitely pick up the Sandesh.

Sandeshs come in all shapes and sizes, and the variety of Sandesh recipes is no less than the cultural diversity in India. This glorious sweetmeat melts in the mouth, and creates one of the most enjoyable sweet-eating experiences. Amidst a wide variety, be it ‘jol-bhora sandesh’, ‘narkeler sandesh’, ‘abar–khabo sandesh’, ‘khirer sandesh’, ‘nolen-gurer sandesh’,  the list is unending,the authentic Sandesh recipe has undergone various transformations and experiments with time  but be it in any form, Sandesh appeals to all taste-buds.

So, let’s celebrate this Diwali and Bhai fota with a mouthwatering Sandesh-recipe ‘kesari sandesh’ and serve it to our near and dear ones. And one thing isfor sure that no one will be able to resist it……because it is pure temptation.

KESARI SANDESH

INGREDIENTS:

1. Preparation Time: 20 minutes

2. Cooking Time: 11-15 minutes

3. Serve: 4

4. Level ofCooking: Moderate

5. Taste: Sweet

6. Ingredients for Kesari Sandesh Recipe

7. Cottage Cheese – A large pinch (500gms)

8. Milkmaid- 1 cup (400gms)

9. Refined flour- 10 grams

10. Milk powder -300 grams

11. Powdered sugar- 20 grams

INSTRUCTIONS:

Step 1: Cut cottage cheese into small chunks and place in a food processor. Add 1 cup Milkmaid, refined flour, milk powder and powdered sugar and blend well.

Step 2: Heat a non-stick pan. Transfer cottage cheese mixture in it, mix well and cook till thick, stirring continuously.

Step 3: Transfer the mixture into an aluminium tray and spread evenly. Smoothen the surface with a spatula.

Step 4: Heat 3 tbsps. water till warm. Add saffron and let the flavors infuse. Add 4 tbsps. Milkmaid and heat further.

Step 5: Add saffron mixture in the aluminium tray and spread evenly. Cool to room temperature and refrigerate for 2-3 hours.

AND NOWWWWWW SERVE AND SAVOUR………..

During a festival or any gathering in a Bengali household, we like to welcome people with a wide range of sweets…..a  ‘rosogolla’ or a ‘gulab jamun’ or a ‘kajur barfi’ or a ‘lyengcha’……the list seems endless! But who can deny our very own ‘nariyalbarfi’ or ‘narkelersandesh’ which is loved by not only East-Indians but also by people from every corner of our country.

Festivals are to fill our hearts with happiness and also to fill our stomachs with various delicacies and sweets accompanied by the  joy of making homemade sweets made with love and affection! So let’s try yet another mouth-watering recipe by chef Sandeep Das…..the recipe of our very own ‘nariyal barfi’.

NARIYAL BARFI

INGREDIENTS

1. Desiccated coconut: 2 cup or 160 grams

2.  Full fat milk: 1 litre

3. Sugar: ½ cup or 100 grams

4. Ghee: 1 tsp.

5. Green cardamom powder: ½ tsp.

6. Garnish: with saffron

INSTRUCTIONS:

In a heavy bottom pan add milk and boil it on medium flame.

Scrap the sides of the pan and boil the milk till it becomes half in its quantity.

Meanwhile, in another pan, add ghee and coconut. Roast coconut on low flame. Do not change its color. Keep it aside.

See Also

INSV Triveni : Historic All-Women Global Voyage

When milk reduces its quantity, then add sugar to it and mix well.

Then add coconut and mix well.

Stir continuously and cook it for 10-15 minutes till all liquid evaporates.

Then add cardamom powder. Mix well.

Cook it for 4-5 minutes by stirring continuously. It should look dry and lumpy when done.

Grease plate or thali with ghee. Then transfer the white coconut mixture into greased pan and spread it evenly. Also, top with a white layer with pink coconut and spread it evenly.

Let it cool completely.

Top it up with saffron. Now the coconut barfi is ready to be served. It can be stored in the refrigerator for 5-6 days.

ENJOY THE UNMATCHED TASTE OF THIS MAGNIFICENT SWEET……..