Nolen Gur Sandesh (Sandesh Made With Gur or Date Palm Jeggery)

Today is Pohela Boishak, first day of Bengali New Year.The traditional greeting of  Bengali New Year isশুভ নববর্ষ "Shubhô Nôbobôrsho" which is literally means Subho-Happy,Nabo-New,Borsho-Year.


It is the beginning of all business activities in Bengal. The Bengali Hindu traders purchase new accounting book called 'Halkhata'.

Poila Boishakh is the day for cultural programmes. Tradinionally young women wear white saris with red borders and men wear  dhuti and kurta.Wearing new clothes people  go for socialising.Younger people touch the feet of elders and seek their blessings for the coming year.

All the household kitchens exude the aroma of freshly prepared Bengali delicacies, especially sweet dishes.Though I am far away  from my home town Kolkata,but being a Bengali  how can I stay away from the celebration  of Poila Baishakh?

To celebrate  this auspicious  occasion, I am going  to share Gur Sandesh.  Sandesh  (Shon-Daesh) is a sweet  treat that can be made at any festival  in a Bengali  Household .Sandesh is made using chena or homemade paneer or ricotta  cheese and sugar or gurh/jeggery.Here we use Bengal special  Date Palm Jeggery or Khajur Ka Gur.We Bengali  call it 'Nolen Gur' .

Ingredients  of making chena or paneer or ricotta  cheese.


Milk-2ltr

Lemon juice or Vinegar-3tbsp (if required, add more lemon juice or vinegar to curdle the milk)


Method of making chena or paneer or ricotta cheese 


Take a heavy bottomed vessel, add milk


Bring it to  boil and keep stirring to avoid burning of milk..


Once the milk comes to boil, simmer the gas, start adding the lemon juice and keep stirring( if required,add more lemon juice) cook for few seconds until the milk solids gets separates from the whey. Switch off the heat.
Pour this curdled milk to the already lined muslin cloth over a strainer,squeeze out all the whey water then  rinse   chena under the tap water  as much as possible....if you do not rinse the chena or paneer  properly. .you will  get the smell  of lemon while having it.


Now hang the cloth covered  chena or paneer tap for 30 minutes. It will help to squeeze  more water from chena or paneer.


Ingredients  of making  Gur Sandesh

Chena-from 2 ltr milk
Nolen or Khejur Gurh or Date Palm Jeggery-8 tablespoons (add more if required,adding gurh or jeggery depending  on your tastebuds)
Rose Essence -few drops

Method of making Gur Sandesh

Now take a plate,put the chena or paneer and mash the chhana with your palm for at least 10 to 15 minutes to get to smooth  texture.

Add rose essence and knead the chhana again for few minutes. Now add the  gur,mix with the mashed chena.

Knead it well  with your palms for  8 to 10 minutes to get smooth texture.

This kneading process is very important and it decides the texture of Sandesh.

Place a heavy bottomed  non-stick pan and heat it on low flame.

Add the chhana mixture and stir with a spatula for 5 minutes.  Mix and continuously stirring until chena would begin to dry up,remove the pan from heat and allow the mixture to cool.

If you have sandesh making molds,then brush the inside of the molds with little ghee ( clarified butter ) and shape with molds. If you don't have any molds just toss into balls. Serve warm or at room temperature.

You can make shape of Kalash  watching  the below mentioned  video,pour little  bit jeggery or gur on top of the Kalash.In that case,before giving shape of Kalas,you have to knead the chena for two minutes.

Your Gur Kalash Sandesh is ready to serve

Want to try more sweet recipes, click Here

 PICTORIAL RECIPE

Add milk in a pan  and bring it to boil

Add lemon juice or vinegar to curdle  the milk

See the texture of chena or paneer

Drain the water through a strainer 

Put the chena into a soft cloth and rinse under tap water 

Tie the cloth and hang it for 30 minutes 

After 30 minutes,take the chena into a plate

Knead the chena

You have to knead the chena until you get this smooth texture

Add rose essence  and date palm jeggery

Knead  it again

Heat a non stick pan on low heat,stir the chena and gur mixture for 5 minutes 

Put the chena into a plate,allow to cool little bit

Video of making the  shape of Kalash Sandesh