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Sandesh also known as Sondesh, is a Bengali sweet dish prepared using the milk solids obtained by curdling the milk. The milk solid, called paneer, is cooked with sugar and the mixture thus prepared is shaped using moulds.
Yields: 12 small pieces
Ingredients:
Whole Milk – 8 cups
Lemon Juice – 1/4 cup
Rose Essence – 1/8 teaspoon
Cardamom Powder – 1/2 teaspoon
Powdered Sugar – 1/2 cup
Saffron Strands – 12 (optional)
Hot Milk – 1 tablespoon (if using saffron)
Pistachios, slivered – 12 pieces or more
To Aid:
Muslin Cloth (I use a piece of perforated cotton cloth)
A deep pan for collecting whey
Mixing Bowl
Mould of desired shape
Clarified butter/ghee to grease the mould
A tray or a plate
Method:
- Soak saffron strands in hot milk.
- Take whole milk in a deep pan. Heat the milk. Turn of the flame before the milk starts boiling.
- Pour lemon juice. Stir gently. The milk will now start curdling. Allow it to stand for 2 minutes. Now stir gently until the clear liquid (whey) separates from the mixture. The whey which will be collected can be used for making vegetable stocks, protein shakes or while kneading the dough for chapati.
- Place the muslin cloth on top of a deep pan. Pour the milk mixture into the muslin cloth. Pour 1-2 cups of water at room temperature into the mixture to remove sourness of lemon.
- Carefully bring the sides of the cloth together and hold/hand it above the deep pan. Hold/hang it until whey stops dripping from the cloth. Do not squeeze the mixture in the cloth as it will remove all the moisture too.
- The cottage cheese or paneer is now ready.
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- Transfer the cottage cheese into a mixing bowl. With your palm, knead it thoroughly to get a smooth and soft mass. It is very important to knead while the cheese is still hot to get a smooth mixture.
- Add cardamom powder, rose essence and powdered sugar. Mix thoroughly. The mixture at this point might seem a little sticky. Transfer it into a pan and cook it on medium flame, stirring continuously but gently, for 3-4 minutes. Allow it to cool down little bit and knead it thoroughly again.
- Depending on the size of the mould you are using, divide the prepared mixture into equal portions that will fit in the mould.
- Roll each portion between your palms so make balls. This is will help in getting smoother surface and neater designs while you use the moulds.
- Press each ball into the mould, carefully unmould. Place them on tray/plate.
- Once all the balls are pressed in the mould and placed in the plate, decorate them with saffron stands and slivered pistachios.
- Serve immediately. This can be refrigerated for 2 days.
