Friday 5 February 2016

NOLEN GURER SANDESH / COTTAGE CHEESE JAGGERY FUDGE



This is an absolute nostalgia.The amount of happiness such posts give me is immeasurable. Many will agree with me. Post forty, revisiting childhood has become a favourite pastime. Every single memory I relish, I treasure and try to reconnect. I do not know why I am so keen on that, or whether it happens to others or not. I remember every thing how much of a foodie I was and how much pampered I was for been so. Rice and fish curry was my most favourite and for my love of it; I was always served the biggest piece. My adorable brother always sacrificed happily. Each memory gets me teary eyed. 

Sitting in the favourite corner of my couch and reliving memories is what I love doing most these days. Never that much of a social person, these days I have again retreated to my teen hood, to my quiet self. I remember neighbours telling my mom we fail to realise you have a daughter too. Mani would scold me; would ask to behave like a social being. Next day evening back from the school, I would sit in the verandah with my favourite book so that people believe our mother has a daughter too. I do not justify my actions but I am at loss of words after five minutes of talking. Of all that sari clad made up bejewelled face is a sunburnt, quiet, stubborn girl who loves her space and wishes to be accepted the way she is. My boy inherited this quiet, lone self from me! I keep telling him its good to be tough like your father but to an extent, that he must be nice to others all the time!

From nostalgia to self analysis and again back to food nostalgia, these are winter treats in our region. We have grown up eating them. Usually these sweets were made at home with cooked shredded coconut and jaggery/sugar mainly. This variety prepared with home made paneer[cottage cheese] is so much available in the sweet shops of West Bengal that we do not have to prepare them at home. We need very few ingredients to prepare this WINTER SPECIAL BENGALI SWEET; only DATE PALM JAGGERY, freshly made CHENA / PANEER / COTTAGE CHEESE.



INGREDIENTS :[for home made paneer]

Milk : 2 lt
Lemon Juice : 7-8 tbsp mixed with little of water 

INGREDIENTS :[for the sweet]

Paneer[Indian Cottage Cheese, Chena] : of 2 lt milk
Date Palm Jaggery[Patali / Nalen Gur] : 100 gm
Sugar : 2-3 tbsp
Rice Flour : 2 tbsp
Green Cardamom Powder : 1/2 tsp
Ghee[clarified butter] : 1 tsp



METHOD :

Let us prepare the paneer first. Pour the milk in a heavy bottomed pan and bring to boil. Switch off the gas stove and add the lemon juice added to little water. Stir and pass through a white thin cloth. Tie and hang the cloth for about 10-15 minutes. Squeeze & take down! Transfer the paneer to a bowl as below and knead for 5 minutes or so.


                          

                                 


                           

Place a wok on the oven. Switch on. Add the jaggery. . Sprinkle some water, let it melt. Boil it for 2-3 minutes, do not let it burn. Add the kneaded paneer. Fold in well. It looks as below.

                        

                                 

Now is the time for little patience. We have to constantly keep stirring the mixture until the sides come out smooth! Add the rice flour & green cardamom powder! Keep stirring for 3-4 minutes more! We should be done!

                                         

Transfer to a bowl. Let it cool a bit!


Apply the ghee on your palms.


I got those moulds from Kolkata, we would take some portions and shape with help of the moulds as per our choice! Cristine was doing along with me!



They taste the best when eaten fresh but we can refrigerate it for 2-3 days!





                                    

                                  


       








14 comments :

  1. Looks so tempting and interesting recipe to me...yum-yum :)

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    1. Thanks so much dear Jolly... you will like it....

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  2. I was reading through your childhood and the way you were and i realized it was me. I still get lost for words. Iam exactly the same type of person. Others complain for not being socially active. Me and my mom love to stay in our space and enjoy a quiet world and dad gets angry.
    Fudge is wildly tempting. I get to know more about north east cuisine by Interacting with you. Keep going

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    1. Thanks dear.... I love serenity. Yes these are a winter special among us....

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  3. Anything made with nolen gur makes me nostalgic too... whenever I go home or somebody coming from my native I always request to bring nolen gur during Winter

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    1. Thanks Amrita. I do the same. I will get it whenever I go

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  4. Soma dear, revisiting childhood memories keep us young at heart. Don't you think? I have never eaten sandesh after leaving India. Send me some date jaggery and I want to make it.

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    1. Thanks dear Balvinder, wish I could send the sandesh for you. This date jaggery you may finf in Bangladeshi shops.

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  5. Hi Soma nice dish great presentation thanks for sharing.

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  6. Soma, reading through your nostalgic stories make me feel I wasn't alone. I love my solitude too. And would rather say less than more :)) I didn't realize you were so too ! These days I make an effort, but when it all gets a bit much I stop abruptly....at the risk of being mistaken.....of course do not mean any vice towards anyone.

    Coming to your nolen gurer sandesh - makes my mouth water. the molds are a treasure to keep. Thanks for sharing :)

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    1. Me too... no grudge against anyone.... just my nature is such...

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