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Sandesh ( bn, সন্দেশ ''Shôndesh'') is a dessert, originating from the
A sweet dish by the name ''sandesh'' is mentioned in medieval Bengali literature, including Krittivasi Ramayan, Krittibas' Ramayana and lyrics of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Chaitanya. However, the ingredients of this original dish are not known. This dish was most likely different from the modern chhena-based sandesh, which is made of solidified kheer.
It is hard to determine when exactly ''sandesh'' started referring mainly to the chhena-based sweet instead of the kheer-based sweet. However, it is known that by the second half of the 19th century, sandesh commonly referred to the chhena-based sweet.
''Sandesh'' can be made with the use of chhena or paneer. The simplest kind of ''sandesh'' in Bengal is the ''makha sandesh'' (makha, meaning 'kneaded'). It is prepared by tossing the chhena lightly with sugar over low heat. When shaped into balls, it is called ''Kanchagolla'' (''kancha'', meaning 'raw' and ''golla'', meaning 'ball'). For more complex and elaborately prepared ''sandesh'', the chhena is dried and pressed, flavored with fruit, and sometimes even colored, and cooked to many different consistencies. Sometimes it is filled with syrup, blended with coconut or kheer, and molded into a variety of shapes such as conch shells, elephants, and fish. Another variant is ''nolen gurer sandesh'', which is made with gur or jaggery. It is known for its brown or caramel colour that comes from ''nolen gur''.
Sweetmeats
in Banglapedia {{Cheese dishes Bengali cuisine Indian desserts Sweets of West Bengal Bangladeshi desserts
Bengal
Bengal ( ; bn, বাংলা/বঙ্গ, translit=Bānglā/Bôngô, ) is a geopolitical, cultural and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the eastern part of the Indian subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal, predom ...
region in the eastern part of the Indian subcontinent
The Indian subcontinent is a list of the physiographic regions of the world, physiographical region in United Nations geoscheme for Asia#Southern Asia, Southern Asia. It is situated on the Indian Plate, projecting southwards into the Indian O ...
, created with milk and sugar. Some recipes of ''sandesh'' call for the use of chhena or paneer
Paneer (), also known as ponir () is a fresh acid-set cheese common in the Indian subcontinent (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka) made from full-fat buffalo milk or cow milk. It is a non-aged, non-melting sof ...
(which is made by curdling the milk and separating the whey from it) instead of milk itself. Some people in the region of Dhaka
Dhaka ( or ; bn, ঢাকা, Ḍhākā, ), formerly known as Dacca, is the capital and largest city of Bangladesh, as well as the world's largest Bengali-speaking city. It is the eighth largest and sixth most densely populated city i ...
make a form of ''sandesh'' called ''pranahara'' (literally 'heart stealer') which is softer and made with Khoa, ''mawa'' and yogurt. The Gupo/Gufo style of ''sandesh'' from Guptipara is considered by some to be the "first branded sweet of Bengal".
History
A sweet dish by the name ''sandesh'' is mentioned in medieval Bengali literature, including Krittivasi Ramayan, Krittibas' Ramayana and lyrics of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Chaitanya. However, the ingredients of this original dish are not known. This dish was most likely different from the modern chhena-based sandesh, which is made of solidified kheer.
It is hard to determine when exactly ''sandesh'' started referring mainly to the chhena-based sweet instead of the kheer-based sweet. However, it is known that by the second half of the 19th century, sandesh commonly referred to the chhena-based sweet.
Preparation
''Sandesh'' can be made with the use of chhena or paneer. The simplest kind of ''sandesh'' in Bengal is the ''makha sandesh'' (makha, meaning 'kneaded'). It is prepared by tossing the chhena lightly with sugar over low heat. When shaped into balls, it is called ''Kanchagolla'' (''kancha'', meaning 'raw' and ''golla'', meaning 'ball'). For more complex and elaborately prepared ''sandesh'', the chhena is dried and pressed, flavored with fruit, and sometimes even colored, and cooked to many different consistencies. Sometimes it is filled with syrup, blended with coconut or kheer, and molded into a variety of shapes such as conch shells, elephants, and fish. Another variant is ''nolen gurer sandesh'', which is made with gur or jaggery. It is known for its brown or caramel colour that comes from ''nolen gur''.
References
External links
Sweetmeats
in Banglapedia {{Cheese dishes Bengali cuisine Indian desserts Sweets of West Bengal Bangladeshi desserts