West Bengal offers a wide variety of cuisines for all palates. The Bengali sweet tooth is astonishing as is the variety of sweets and desserts available in the region. While some of these quintessential Bengali recipes and items have now found their way to the rest of the country, there are still some Bengali sweets that have yet to reach their due potential and popularity.
Misti Doi:
One of the most popular and famous desserts in Bengali is the creamy and delicious Mishti Doi. A blend of rich milk and jaggery, this is a dish you should try at least once. Another variation of curd is Bhapa Doi, which is usually served with nuts and is a delicious finishing touch to any meal.For the best experience, chill this Bengali sweet and take it out of the refrigerator.
Rasgulla And Rajbhog:
One of the most famous Bengali sweets, Roshogolla is a soft round mithai made of Chena and dipped in sweet syrup. Rajbhog is the cousin of this famous sweet, with a delicious center filling made from dried fruit, saffron and cardamom. This dessert is hard to stop once you try it.
Shondesh:
Shondesh, a relatively dry Bengali mithai, comes in many variations. Made with condensed milk sugar or jaggery, this dessert can be molded into many different shapes and designs. We recommend the Nolen Gurer Shondesh, which uses special jaggery. Another variant you might like is Jol Bhara Sandesh. With the modern trend of fusion desserts today, you can also try recipes such as chocolate sandwiches.
Malpua:
Pancakes for dessert. Malpua is a syrupy concoction made from flour and sugar, with additional ingredients including coconut.These miniature pancakes are fried before being dipped in sugar syrup. Bengali sweets are also popular in some parts of North India and in Orissa.
Rasmalai:
Like many other Bengali sweets associated with Orissa, rasmalai is a big hit in India. It’s made with small sweet balls of malai-soaked chenna and a dash of cardamom, cooked in a mixture of sugar syrup, milk, saffron, pistachios and kheer. Small balls are soaked in creamy milk cream and baked. The final product is like a tiny rasgulla dip in a creamy, milky base. Not to mention, it’s absolutely delicious.
Payesh:
No list of Bengali sweets would be complete without including Payesh. Made with fruits and nuts. Variants include gurer payesh, made with jaggery, and chhanar payesh, made with chenna.
Pantua:
Pantua is made from a combination of milk, semolina, ghee, koya and sugar. As with gulab jamun, these pack a delicious punch, don’t miss this one.
Amriti:
The name amritti comes from amrita, which means ‘manna’ or food of the gods, and this dessert does not disappoint. Similar to jalebi, it has a spiral design with decorative swirls around the edges. This dish consists of ground dal, sugar and cardamom fried in ghee.
Langcha:
A dish popular in many parts of eastern India, Langcha is made from flour and khoya. It is fried before being dipped into the sugar syrup. This famous Bengali sweet is prepared during festivals and special occasions. Just like other Bengali sweets’ names, this one will have you after one bite!
Chhenar Jilipi:
If you’re a typical jalebi fan and want a new experience for your taste buds, try this one. It boasts a delicious taste.It is best eaten warm and fresh.
Patishapta:
Among the best Bengali sweets are Patti Shapta. This is a festival favorite consisting of delicious crepes encased in a mixture of coconut, cardamom, jaggery, koya and dried fruit. This is a festive favorite and is especially enjoyed at seasonal and harvest related festivals.
Chomchom:
A popular Bengali sweet made from wheat flour, coconut, cream, sugar and saffron. Sweets are oval and often have a brownish color. You can also use different bright colors. As a garnish, sweet potatoes are sometimes coated with mawa or coconut flakes.
Joynogor-er Moa:
Moa is a savory dry concoction made of jaggery, puffed rice and ghee, packed into round savory balls. We recommend the seasonal Joinergar Moa. This is probably one of the tastiest Bengali sweets I have ever tried. This particular type is also interspersed with dried fruits and nuts. Moa can be made from “Muri” and “Carp”.
Mihidana:
Mihidana can best be described as Bundi’s microscopic cousin. This dish is made by mixing powdered rice, wheat flour and saffron with water. This mixture is then poured into a sieve-like ladle and fried. These fried fine particles are then soaked in sugar syrup and drained.
Kheer Kadam:
Imagine eating a little rasagora wrapped in a sundae. You may be able to get a little closer to the taste of Kir Kadam. An exotic and totally Bengali sweet, it is made of small chenna balls wrapped in koya and powdered sugar. Also known as Ras Kadam, this Bengali mithai is a must try.
SarBhaja:
Also known as shawl bhaja, this delicious dessert is made with fried milk cream. It takes time to create the recipe, but the end result is worth it. One of the sweets. In another variation, layers of cream milk are baked to make a dessert called salpria. Deep-fried or grilled foods should be dipped in sugar syrup at the end before eating.
Goja:
Goja is not a small piece of maida fried and soaked in sugar syrup.
You can find modern variations of these sweets in these days sweets shops such as sundaes in different flavors, sugar-free steamed sundaes, and ghoul-free mishti doi.Next time you visit a Bengali sweet shop , it would be difficult to choose from such a diverse collection of sweets.
Kolar Bora:
Kolar Bora is a Sankranti specialty dish. Khola is the Bengali word for banana and bola means fried pakora. Ripe banana fritters are placed on rice and fried. Hot inside and crispy outside. It is often enjoyed with tea or snacks, or eaten chilled. Relatively easy to make, but very delicious.
Sitabhog:
Sitabhog is a popular dish from the Vardaman region of Bengal. Sita Bhoj is a very delicious and very interesting dessert to look at. It looks like pulao (a savory dish) but tastes sweeter. There are many variations of this, but traditionally it was made with white rice and gulab jamun. Then mix white rice flour, cottage cheese and sugar.
Ledikeni:
Lady Kenny or Lady Kenny is a popular Bengali dish since British rule. The dish is named after Lady Canning, wife of Charles Canning, the 19th-century Governor General of India. It is a light brown sweet ball made of chenna that is fried and then soaked in sugar syrup. It has a sacred taste and is made on auspicious days.
Labong Latika:
Labong Latika is one of the traditional sweets my grandmother prepares for special occasions. Lavon, which translates to cloves in English, is used abundantly in this dish.Pockets of labon laticais are made of all-purpose flour filled with sugared squirts and a crusty pastry sealed with cloves. The sweet is then fried and cooled in a bowl of sugar syrup. So delicious and addictive!
Rabri:
A sweet and savory dessert made with condensed milk, loveli is made by slow-cooking and thickening milk. Desserts are served with dried fruits and nuts. Add sugar and spices to taste the dish. Keep in mind that this is a very heavy and hearty recipe. Make sure you have enough space for this dessert.
Naru:
Small spherical dry sweets that can be made from a variety of ingredients, including coconut and till. Made with ingredients like cardamom, jaggery, and grated coconut, these sweet, slightly sticky orbs are delicious to devour and crave again.
Nikuti:
Nikti is an elaborate dessert made from a combination of chena, flour and cardamom and deep-fried into long strips. Dip the fried balls in sugar syrup, then add condensed milk and cool.
Kalo Jam:
A distant cousin of the famous gulab jamun, kalo jam is made from flour, milk, cardamom, etc. and fried. Shaped into small spheres, these fried dumplings are soaked in sugar syrup before being served.The dessert is dark, almost black, and is considered delicious by most people.
Chandrapuli:
A distant cousin of the famous gulab jamun, kalo jam is made from flour, milk, cardamom, etc. and fried. Shaped into small spheres, these fried dumplings are soaked in sugar syrup before being served.The dessert is dark, almost black, and is considered delicious by most people.
Kacha Golla:
A soft dessert that melts in your mouth. It is made from pure milk and can be prepared in many different ways. Kacha Golla is one of the healthiest desserts and is often enjoyed during religious ceremonies and festivals.
Darbesh:
The Bengali version of laddoos is very similar but very unique when compared to the rest of the country. In Bengali, Boondi Laddu is called Darbesh. It has a different taste and texture than traditional laddu, and is often eaten during festivals.
