Indian cuisine · Desserts & Sweets

Sandesh

Bengali confection made from fresh milk cheese, only lightly sweetened, flavored with cardamom and pressed into molds.

Ingredients · for 6 servings

• 1.5 l whole milk
• 3 tbsp lemon juice
• 120 g powdered sugar
• 5 cardamom pods
• 1 pinch saffron threads
• 40 g pistachios
• 1 tbsp ghee

Instructions

1. Bring the milk to a boil, remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice diluted with a little water until the whey separates clear; pour the mixture through cheesecloth, rinse with cold water and let drain for 30 min.
2. Press the chhena out well and knead it on the work surface with the heel of your hand for 8 min. into a silky-smooth mass with no grains left.
3. Remove the cardamom seeds from the pods and crush finely, soak the saffron threads in 1 tbsp hot milk from the leftover pot and finely chop the pistachios.
4. Warm the chhena, powdered sugar and cardamom in a nonstick pan over low heat for 6–8 min., stirring constantly, until the mixture holds together and comes away from the bottom – it must not brown.
5. Let the mixture cool slightly, divide into two halves, tint one with the saffron and press both portions into small molds or chocolate molds greased with ghee.
6. Sprinkle with the chopped pistachios, chill for at least 2 hours and serve the sandesh unmolded.