Steamed Sandesh - Bengali Mithai

For Bengalis, any celebration is incomplete without the customary 'Sandesh' (a sweetmeat snack made from milk cream and sugar)... It is a chilled dessert which is very simple and easy to make.

So go ahead and make your celebration grand with Steamed Sandesh  or Bhapa Sandesh... 

I would recommend that you make the Chena or Paneer at home for making this dish.  I got the Chena from the market to make Paneer Tikka and I used a cup of Chena to make the Sandesh also.

I made this dish in just 15 to 20 minutes yesterday... my children were eagerly waiting for dinner time as I had kept it the refrigerator to cool and was to serve it after dinner!  My kids and I enjoyed this delicious dish... I missed my husband  as he was out of town and will definitely make it again when he is back as he has a sweet tooth and enjoys eating sweets:).

I had given this dish to my neighbour aunty who came home this afternoon and told me "Prema the sweet you gave us yesterday was awesome"!

So friends, you can make this dish instantly when you have a guest... no need to rush to the sweet mart for buying them.

Ingredients :

Soft Paneer or Chena - 1 cup

Powdered sugar - 2 tbsp

Saffron strands - 5 to 10

Condensed Milk - 2 tbsp

Cardamom Powder - 1 tsp

Rose water - 1 tsp

Almonds & Pista finely cut pieces - 2 tbsp

Method :

Mix the Paneer, sugar & condensed milk and rose water and grind this in mixer to make a soft mixture.  Transfer to a bowl and knead it well.  Take a vessel and apply some ghee and grease it well. Transfer this mixture in the bowl and the thickness of this mixture should be 1/2 inch thick.  To this add saffron strands, almonds and pista pieces.  I also added some black raisins.  Cover this vessel with a silver foil and steam it in the cooker for 10 to 12 minutes.  Remove from the cooker and allow it to cool.  Keep this vessel in the refrigerator.  While serving cut this into any shape of your choice and serve chilled... Bingo and you are done with this dessert!