Pista Sandesh

 Ingredients:

 Chhana (made from 1/2 gallon of milk)

 Powdered Sugar (3/4 cup, or to taste)

 Small Cardamom Powder (1 tsp)

 Pistachios (25 unsalted, 18 whole and rest sliced)

 Small muffin cups (15-18, optional)

 Method:

-Make fresh Chhana from 1/2 gallon of milk and press it with something heavy for 45 minutes, so that all the water comes out.In a large bowl, start mashing it with your hands until smooth and a ball is formed. The heat from your hand will help it in becoming soft and smooth, which is very important since we are not cooking anything.Now add powdered sugar and cardamom powder. Mix well with hands.Divide the prepared Chhana into 15-18 equal portions.Roll one of them between the palms of your hands and flatten it.Put one pistachio in the middle and roll into a ball.Put each one of them in the muffin cups and garnish with sliced pistachios.-Let them stand for 3-4 our in the freeze, before serving.

 Zafrani Sandesh

Ingredients:

1/2 gallon (8cups) milk

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/2 cup sugar 

1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom

1 teaspoon saffron dissolved in 2 tablespoons warm milk

Method

 In a big heavy bottom pot on high heat, bring the milk to a boil and reduce the heat. Reduce the heat to low and add the lemon juice, stirring occasionally.Let it rest for 2 to 3 minutes, until the milk solids have been separated. Strain the water out and reserve the solids. This will be your 'chhana'.Add the sugar to the chhana and mix gently.

Add the cardamom and saffron and cook the mixture on a very low flame in a heavy bottom skillet, stirring continuously with a flat wooden spoon.

- Remove the skillet from heat at regular intervals so as not to overheat the mixture. This avoids the mixture to become grainy, and fat will separate.

- The sandesh is ready when it leaves the sides of the skillet and is neither too dry not too moist. It should have the consistency of a very soft dough.

- The sandesh should be cast into mould soon after.

Malai Cham Cham (another sandesh variety)

Ingredients:

2 liters full cream/ whole milk

2-3 tbsps lime/lemon juice

5 tsps flour

4 cups water

2 cups sugar

2-3 tbsps rose water or a few strands of saffron

A few drops of yellow food color (according to your preference

200 gms fresh thickened/ heavy/ double cream

Method:

- Bring the milk to a boil over a medium flame. Stir occasionally to ensure the milk does not burn. When the milk begins to boil, add the lime juice and mix well. When the curds begin to separate from the milk, turn off the fire and leave the milk aside for 10 minutes to let the curdling process finish.

- Strain the cheese and wash it well under running water - to remove all the lime juice from it. Now put the cheese in cheesecloth and hang for 1 hour to completely drain all the liquid from it.

- Put the drained cheese into a mixing bowl and begin to knead it. Continue till all the lumps are removed and the cheese is absolutely smooth. When this happens the cheese will begin to release its fat and your hands will feel greasy. The smoother you knead the cheese, the better the Cham-Chams. This is the time to add the yellow food colour and mix well.

- Now sprinkle the flour over the surface of the cheese and work it into the cheese to mix thoroughly.

- Mix the sugar and water in a pressure cooker and bring the mixture to a boil (without covering the pressure cooker). Make sure the cooker is large enough to accommodate the finished Cham-Chams, as they will expand to double their size while cooking in the syrup

- While the sugar syrup boils, divide the dough into small marble-sized balls and roll between your palms till smooth. Now gently press them into an oblong shape and then flatten a little.

- Gently add the balls to the sugar syrup and cover the pressure cooker. Add the cooker weight and wait for the first whistle. Once the whistle blows, wait another 8-10 minutes and then turn off the fire.

- Release the steam from the pressure cooker and allow the Cham-Chams to cool completely before touching them. They will have expanded to almost double their original size and will be delicate when hot.

- When cool, pour the rose water or saffron syrup (made by soaking the saffron strands in a little warm water) on the Cham-Chams and chill for a few hours. When chilled, remove the Cham-Chams from the syrup and arrange in a platter.

- Whisk the fresh cream till thick and fluffy. Fill into an icing bag and pipe a swirl out (with a thick nozzle) onto each Cham-Cham. Or to give a rose flavor into it, you can also add some gulkand.

- Garnish with slivers of your favorite dried fruit and serve.

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