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 keen about it, 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 that. 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 our 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 it is 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, this is winter sweet treat 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 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 litre 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 stove top and switch it 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 and fold in well. It looks as below.

                        

                             

Now is the time for a little of 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 the 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 them for 2-3 days!