Nolen Gud Sandesh layered with Edible Gum !!!
The artisan Gud travels all the way from Kolkata to Indore during winter months and gets ensconced into this delectable Bengali speciality adorning your table like a priceless artefact! Served warm, this dessert has a smooth texture which simply melts away in your mouth!
Sandesh, typically a low-calorie Indian dessert where the Gud substitutes Sugar is supposed to give solace to the health-conscious while the “Gond” or Edible Gum is great for joints and lactating mothers.
Celestial festivities like Diwali are a great time to serve this Queen of desserts!!!
Those of you who have also long pursued me for this recipe… it’s now on the blog! Do share
your feedback!
| Course | Deserts |
| Servings | 8 persons |
| Prep time | 10 minutes |
| Cook time | 15 minutes |
Ingredients for the Sandesh( 1 cup=200 ml, 1 tbsp=15 ml)
|
|
| 3 Litres | Full-fat milk (cow’s mild preferred) |
| ½ tsp | Citric Acid Crystals (dissolved in 2 tbsp water) |
| 1 cup | Nolen Gud melted (I used Biswa Bangla brand from Kolkata) |
Ingredients for Edible Gum layer( 1 cup=200 ml, 1 tbsp=15 ml) |
|
| ½ cup | Edible gum (gond) |
| 1 cup | Ghee for frying |
| A few | Strands of Kesar |
| A handful | Pista slivers and almond slivers |
| 1 tsp | Kesar elaichi powder |
Instructions for the Sandesh |
|
| 1. | Dissolve the citric acid crystals in water and stir well until they dissolve completely. |
| 2. | Keep the milk to boil. When it boils lower the flame. Slowly add the citric acid liquid bit by bit. When all the milk curdles switch off the flame..  |
| 3. | Collect all the curdled milk in a cheesecloth (muslin cloth). Take the four corners of the cloth and join together and squeeze the excess water out. (You could use this to make roti dough instead of discarding it). |
| 4. | Rinse the collected chenna in running water lightly, to remove the sourness. |
| 5. | Now mix in the liquid Nolen gud in the chenna and mash well with your palms. |
| 6. | Put the chenna jaggery mix in a vessel and warm over low heat. The chenna should cook a bit and when you see bubbles appear; take it off from the heat.   |
| 7. | Put this mix in individual ramekins or a large bake dish. |
Instructions For Edible Gum Layer |
|
| 1. | Take good amount (about 1 cup) of ghee and heat on the gas. The ghee has to be medium hot and not very hot; otherwise the gond turns bitter. You can check by putting one small piece of gond it should rise and puff well.  |
| 2. | In the same manner, fry all the edible gum (gond). Remove on a plate. |
| 3. | Mix the kesar elaichi powder and few strands of kesar to the gond.. |
| 4. | Top the sandesh with gond. Then garnish with pista and almond slivers. |
| 5. | Bake in a preheated hot oven @ 180° C. for 10 – 15 minutes and serve it hot. |
Note:
1. Use the Nolen Gud that comes from West Bengal. (I get mine from Biswa Bangla Stores in
Kolkata). It comes in a solid form which you can melt or available in liquid form in tubes.
2. Please adjust the quantity of sweetness as per your taste. I prefer my sandesh to have a golden
brown colour.
3. Always add the gond layer just before baking. You can make the sandesh and keep in fridge a
day prior. Gond topping also can be stored separately in an air-tight container.
