5 recipes using nolen gur, a Bengali winter delicacy
What's the story
Date palm jaggery or nolen gur is an important part of Bengali cuisine during winter. The sweet shops across West Bengal prepare lip-smacking and fragrant nolen gur moya, sandesh, and rosogollas during the winter season. It is a healthier alternative to refined sugar and is rich in essential vitamins and minerals. Here are five recipes using nolen gur that you must try this season.
Popular Bengali sweet
Nolen gurer moya
Also called Joynogorer moya, it is a popular Bengali sweet available during winter. Add Nolen gur, refined sugar, and water to a pan and stir well. Add pistachios, cashews, and cardamom powder and stir again. Gradually, add puffed rice and mix well. Make small balls out of the mixture. Garnish with cashews and raisins, refrigerate for two hours and serve immediately.
Staple winter sweet
Nolen gurer sandesh
A staple winter sweet in Kolkata, nolen gurer sandesh is made with paneer, date palm jaggery, and dry fruits. Mash homemade paneer for 10 minutes. Add nolen gur and sugar and mix well. Cook for five-seven minutes. Make round balls out of the mixture, grease them with ghee, and shape them using molds. Garnish with raisins, refrigerate for 30 minutes and serve.
Healthy and sweet
Nolen gur payesh
Made with gluten-free gobindo bhog rice and naturally sweetened with nolen gur, this mouth-watering payesh is healthy and will satisfy your soul. Soak rice for an hour and cook soaked rice with ghee. Boil milk while stirring it continuously. Add the ghee-coated rice and cook well. Add nolen gur and a little salt and stir well. Garnish with cashews and almonds and serve warm.
Bengali dessert
Patishapta
Mix together grated coconut and nolen gur and stir the mixture in a pan. Add cardamom powder and stir again until sticky. Combine together maida, rice flour, and semolina in a bowl. Add milk and mix well. Pour a thin layer of the batter into an oil-greased pan, spread it, and cook well. Put the jaggery filling inside and roll it. Serve hot.
Soft and delicious
Nolen gur rosogolla
Boil milk, and add water to cool it down. Add lemon juice and stir to let the milk curdle. Rinse the cottage cheese under water and hang it in a cheesecloth for 30 minutes. Knead the cheese to make a soft dough. Make small balls and dip them in boiled Nolen gur-water syrup. Cook rosogollas for 15 minutes, and serve hot with syrup.