Monday, February 19, 2007

Sandesh...A Bengali Sweet

First of all, I would like to thank you all for keep on visiting my blog regularly and checking on me that why am I not updating my blog these days. Actually, now I am taking Wilton's Fondant and Gum Paste class at Michaels, The Art and Craft store and also, we are in the processing of buying a house, which is eating up all our time and most of the weekends. So time is a little short these days :) Another thing I wanted to share with you all is, I couldn't make it to the Chefs.com Treasured Recipe Contest, at the end they selected the finalists themselves after conducting an audit of votes, but I will always be greatful for all your help and support. Thanks a lot once again....

So, the recipe of Sandesh that I am going to share with you today is a quick-fix sweet and no cooking required, accept boiling milk for making fresh Paneer. This is one of the most famous Bengali sweets (all of which are my favourites :D), which is cooked in almost every Bengali family. I learned this recipe from one of my Bengali friends back in India. She used to live near to our home and also have a lot of interest in cooking. She told me that this sweet can be made in two ways, either by cooking the paneer or by not cooking the paneer. We will be making the "NO COOKING REQUIRED" method today. So, lets get started and fill our kitchens with the flavors of Traditional Bengali cooking......


Makes 15-18
Ingredients:
Fresh Paneer (made from 1/2 gallon of milk)
Powdered Sugar (3/4 cup, or to taste)
Small Cardamom Powder (1 tsp)
Pistachios (25 unsalted, 18 whole and rest sliced)
Small muffin cups (15-18, optional)


Method:
  1. Make fresh paneer from 1/2 gallon of milk and press it with something heavy for 45 minutes, so that all the water come out.
  2. In a large bowl, start mashing it with your hands until smooth and a ball is formed. The heat from your hand will help it in becoming soft and smooth, which is very important since we are not cooking anything.
  3. Now add powdered sugar and cardamom powder. Mix well with hands.
  4. Divide the prepared paneer into 15-18 equal portions.
  5. Roll one of them between the palms of your hands and flatten it.
  6. Put one pistachio in the middle and roll into a ball.
  7. Put each one of them in the muffin cups and garnish with sliced pistachios.
  8. Let them set for 3-4 our in the freeze, before serving.

48 comments:

FH said...

Looks divine Nidhi! Very white and fluffy.Thanks for the recipe!:)

TNL said...

Welcome back, I missed your posts....Sondesh is a nice treat..love that pic.

trupti

Hyderabadi's said...

Looks yummy!

Mishmash ! said...

Loved that white colour :)It was worth the wait :)

Shn

archana said...

Lovely !! Nidhi i am sure Chefs.com is just a begining,may many more good things come your way. Hope you are having fun with the classes. Happy house hunting !

Priya said...

WOW !! The Sandesh looks soo cute and yummy. These are one of my favs too...had no clue they could be made so easily !!
And don't you worry about the event, there will be many more on their way :-)

Annita said...

wow...wowo..wow is all i can say Nidhi..nice pic..:))And we're waiting to see more cake pics from u.

Viji said...

Nidhi, nice presentation and photos. Looks so yummy. The cakes are so professional. Very nicely decorated. Viji

J said...

Been waiting for you to post. And here's a treat to the eye! Nice and simple recipe. Good luck with your classes!!:)

Kavitha said...

Looks delicious. I love all Bengali sweets too.

Bong Mom said...

Hey Nidhi, looks white and pristine.
My Mom makes this often for my daughter, one more to get that milk into her system. But I personaly like the cooked version better :) maybe because I am not too fond of "chena" or uncooked "paneer"

best wishes for house hunting, do let us know when you settle on one

Mythreyee said...

Look really Awesome. thanks for the recipe. I never imagined it to be a very easy dish. Will try it for sure. The photo is very very nice.

swapna susarla said...

Hi Nidhi
very nice to see u back..i know about this sweet as my aunt is staying in KOLKATTA.i too love this.the pictures are wonderfull..!!!!!!!!!!
all the best for ur "new house mission"..:-)

Suma Gandlur said...

Wow! I just want a bite of it. I have to master the art of making paneer though.

Seema Bhat said...

Oh my god Nidhi Sondesh look so soft and fluffy. Just wanna gulp a couple of them. Yummy . Thanx for sharing girl...have been missing you posts
-
Seema

Lakshmik said...

Nidhi

Feel like grabbing the Sandesh from the photo itself. Yummy all the way!

Vini K said...

Hey Nidhi,I kept cheking your blog on and off for the last few days.sandesh looks soo nice.Like Asha said,white and spongy.

Don;t worry that you did not make it to chefs.com contest.For us,you are a superstar now,what with your appearance on no one less than Emeril's show with a quaintessentially Indian recipe!!Hope you are enjoying your classes.

All the very best in your efforts to buy a house.I wish you both sucess and goodluck all through your lives!

Sia said...

this is called coming back with a bang;) missed u girl... love gol matol sandesh and i didn't know its this easy to prepare:) thank u for the recipe.
i'm sorry to know u were not selected among top 5. take it as a stepping stone nidhi. i know u won't look back at things and move forward to achieve new horizons:) we all r with u:)
so house hunting. must be having a good time rt?;) he he he... take it easy and come back when u free:)
cheers

Anonymous said...

Hi Nidhi, Sorry you couldn't make it to the final list at the contest. But there is always another chance. Sandesh looks lovely. I didnt know it had no cooking involved. thanks for the recipe. I hope you find your new nest soon. It is a great feeling to move into you own home.

USHA said...

Hi Nidhi,

Looks awesome, with perfect white colour and pisto on the top...

Thanks for sharing

Anonymous said...

Looks Awesome Nidhi !
All the best for your house search..Hope you find a lovely house.

KF said...

Nice...I am fond of sweets..I am taking one from that...Oh tasty tooo........

Anonymous said...

Ohh the sandesh looks so tempting to be eaten right away...so white and fluffy...
didnt know they are so easy to make..thanxs for shaaring
-Sushma

Anonymous said...

Oh Nidhi you are sweeeeeeet girl.
Like your gulab jamun too. Great recipes.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for your encouraging comment on my blog, Nidhi. There's not much about you on your profile, but you seem to be a really nice person (your comment told me that :-))

BTW, lovely Sandesh recipe that even I can make. But you know that I wont be making it soon cos I have some other agenda on my mind !! I cant eat those for now :-(

Dr. Soumya Bhat said...

hey this looks awesome....Wish one of them could simply melt in my mouth.thanks for sharing

Menu Today said...

Hi Nidhi,
Lovely looking sandesh. Thanks for sharing.

Anonymous said...

These look and sound fantastic! I've never tried Sandesh but I think I would like it. I love the name too. :)

Congrats on the new house!!


Ari (Baking and Books)

jacob said...

wow nidhi, nice and simple. and good luck with the house! i'm sure you'll find a lovely place with a lovely kitchen:)

Anonymous said...

How come they are so white???!!!! My paneer becomes slightly yellowish :( Tried with all sorts of milk. :(

But your looks nice and white and fresh !!!!!!

Prema Sundar said...

Sandesh looks so pretty and white as a snow ball. Thanks for the recipe.

indosungod said...

Nidhi, Sandesh looks wonderful. I bet super tasty too.

Anonymous said...

nidhi plz reply soon
i'm planning to do sandesh for this week party for 20 people.
can i do 2 days in advance and shall i store them in air tight container in freezer or in normal rack of fridge.
plz reply ma

Nidhi said...

Thanks Asha, I am glad to know that you liked my Sandesh Recipe so much.

Thanks Trupti, good to know that you were waiting for me and liked my Sondesh. As I wrote in my post as well, that I'll be a little busy because of house hunting, but don't worry, I will keep on posting something or the other whenever I will get a chance. Thanks again... :D

Thanks Hyderabadi, Keep visiting.

Thanks Mishmash, Good to know that you liked the color of my Sandesh, infact that is my favourite color too! And ya, Thanks a lot for waiting and keep visiting.. :D

Thanks Archana, for your kind words and encouraging me so much. I am having lots of fun in my
classes, thats what I really wanna do. Lets see for how long can I continue with that...

Thanks Priya, so we have the same liking about Sandesh. Its indeed a tasty and simple sweet, which I make very often. Thanks for you soothing words too!

Thanks Annita, I am so happy to know that you liked my Sandesh so much. And I will soon post some
more of my cake pictures. Keep visiting.

Thanks Vcuisine, It makes me very happy, to know that you liked my creations so much. Thanks again
for stopping by. Keep visiting for more.

Thanks Jyothsna, I am glad to know that you liked my Sandesh so much. And thanks again for waiting for my post. Keep coming for more recipes.. :D

Thanks Spice Lover, Bengali sweets have everything to love about and I think thats the reason why most of us (Indians) love them, right... Keep visiting!

Thanks Sandeepa for your wonderful comment. You are right, Sandesh is a very good way to make kids eat their milk instead of drinking it :D and they enjoy it as well. Will let you know when we will
finalize a house for us....OH! its long process..

Thanks Mythreyee, this recipe is indeed very simple yet full of flovours of Bengal. Try it and let me know if you have any questions.

Thanks Swapna, Good to know that you liked my recipe of Sandesh and ya KOLKATA is the place to look for some great Sandesh. Keep coming for more and thanks for waiting too!

Thanks Suma, I am so happy to know that you liked my Sandesh so much, you can definitely have a bite of it :D . As far as making paneer is concerned, Please click on Fresh Paneer in the Ingredients of Sandesh, and it will take you to my recipe of making paneer.

Thanks Seema, for appreciating my recipe and waiting for my posts. You can definitely Gulp them
whenever you feel like ;D

Thanks Lakshmi, I am happy to know that you liked my Sandesh so much, please grab them....all yours!

Thanks Vini, your comments are very touching and wonderful. Thanks a lot for waiting for me as well. I am enjoying my classes too! Keep visiting, Vini...!

Thanks Sia, for your, as ever, inspiring words and showing so much of faith in me and being there. I will definitely not look back and will keep on moving forward, till I achieve my goals. Thanks a lot for waiting and keep visiting for more!

Thanks Hema, for your comforting words and I am glad to know that you liked my Sandesh. It is indeed a great feeling to have your own home..

Thanks Usha, I am so happy to know that you liked my Sandesh. Keep visiting!

Thanks Jasmine, Keep visiting!

Thanks Kitchenfairy, Please have as much as you like...all yours!

Thanks Sushma, They are very easy to make.....try it if you like to and let me know if you have any
questions!

Thanks Just For Fun, I am so happy to know that you are enjoying my recipes. Keep trying and let me
know if you have any questions.

Thanks NZ, Welcome to my blog... its a pleasure to have you here and appreciating my recipe for
Sandesh. I know your goal but once you achieve it please give my recipe a try! Keep visiting for
more...

Thanks Dr. Soumya, I am gald to know that you liked my Sandesh so much. Keep visiting!

Thanks Menu Today,Keep visiting!

Thanks Ari, please do try it and I am sure that you will love it. Let me know if you have any questions..

Thanks Jacob, I am really looking forward for a nice and beautiful kitchen in my new home which is a
big criteria for me and my hubby! Lets see what we get...

Thanks Coffee, I am happy to know that you liked my Sandesh. try making paneer by White vinegar
instead of Lime or lemon and it will become super white! If you want my recipe for making paneer,
just click on the link 'Fresh Paneer' in the ingredients of Sandesh.

Thanks Prema, good to know that you liked my Sandesh. Keep coming for more!

Thanks Indo, I am glad you liked them. Try making these at home and you will know that they are really tasty too :D

Thanks Suja, you can definitely make Sandesh 2 days in advance and keep them in the fridge, in an air-tight container. Thanks a lot for visiting my blog and trying my recipes for your guests. Please let me know if you have any other questions and how much did you and your friends liked it...waiting for your reply!

Viji said...

Hi Nidhi,
The Sandesh lokks yummy...and fabulous.Taken the picture very well.I will defenitly try it out.
And ur cake decorations r very good.Impressive,keep it up.

Unknown said...

Wow mily white Sandesh, truly delite to eyes and taste buds.
I never knew that one can make Sandesh at home. Thanks for sharing this wonderful recipe here.
chk out a similar milk sweet - Rasagulla:
http://www.indusladies.com/forums/10951-post111.html

Anonymous said...

nidhi,
i'm suja again,thanks for reply.
i did sandesh for get together party y'day(saturday),i did with 1 gallon of milk,it yielded 30-32 sandesh all regarded it as too good,they even said taste is similar to the one which we get in good sweet shops.thanks again,u got good name for me.thanks,thanks,,,
i did one day before and kept in fridge.i wanted to take photo of my sweet and send but i forgot to take sorry......i even tried ur kadhi some days back,,my hubby who doesn't like curd/buttermilk ,ate kadhi 4-5 servings.as per the recipe i kept for 2 hours not 3-4 hours......thanks.nidhi u replied the below one for me,i have cut paste just to recollect who i'm ....thanks

Thanks Suja, you can definitely make Sandesh 2 days in advance and keep them in the fridge, in an air-tight container. Thanks a lot for visiting my blog and trying my recipes for your guests. Please let me know if you have any other questions and how much did you and your friends liked it...waiting for your reply!

Mallika said...

Great recipe, which as a pukka Bengali I can really appreciate. Nice to have you back!

Ayesha Seerin said...

Wow looks heavenly ..

Namrata said...

I dint know Sandesh can be even made at home.I tried them yesterday with 1/2 Gallon milk..turned out good.Though I used store bought cardomom powder,I guess because of that my sandesh were not as whoite as your look..powder was very very fine.Next time will grind the whole cardomom and then use..Thanks for the recipe :-)
Namrata

Madhumita said...

Hey Nidhi ... visiting your blog for the first time. Was looking for an easy Sondesh recipe and found it here! Tx - these look delicious as well.

Madhumita said...

Visiting your blog for the first time - this recipe was just what I was looking for :) Tx, seems easy to do and the sondesh looks delicious.

Anonymous said...

hI Nice recipe! i will certainly try it.I just wanted to let know that those of us interested in sugarcraft may look at my site from a beginner's perspective. Its quite an interesting art

Anonymous said...

Sandesh is sweat of heaven,Almost everybody loves Sandesh sweat.

Anonymous said...

Sandesh sounds great. Sooo simple and delicious sweet recipe. Beautiful photo.

Kanwal said...

Hello nidhi...

Whas "small cardomom powder" ?
Do you mean a small cardomom powder powdered ??
Can v use toned milk.. o my slightlyt thickened milk ?
Waiting 4 yur reply..
Envy yu 4 yur cooking talent.
Buhye

Knorr Soup said...

Nidhi, that’s a lovely recipe for sandesh! Cooking everything from scratch, using only the freshest ingredients available makes a lot of difference to our well being and health! We all know that a healthy lifestyle with healthy eating can contribute towards much more quality in our living, what with the lifestyle diseases rampant today including obesity and heart problems. For some expert tips on healthy eating habits check out our blog at http://knorratseven.blogspot.com/

Anonymous said...

Hi! this is Manashi...I tried to make sandesh according to ur recipe...the paneer was fine, I made it smooth by mashing the same continuously with my palm...but when I mixed the powdered sugar into it, it became too runny to form a ball!...So, I cud not make sandesh! I really dont know why such thing did happen!!! can u please help me out????