Sweets and Bengal go hand-in-hand. Each creation of chhana, when skillfully mixed with sugar syrup, transports foodies to a heavenly world with just one bite. Harsh Goenka, chairman of RPG Enterprises, recently opened up about his love for two such traditional Bengali sweets. In an Instagram post, he shared a collage of Sitabhog and Mihidana, which are known for their rich cultural significance. He is known to often post about his love for food on social media. He described Sitabhog and Mihidana as “Bengal’s sweetest illusion,” and wrote, “It looks like pulao, tastes like paradise. A melt-in-the-mouth creation of chhana, rice flour, sugar, and possibly tiny gulab jamuns. Extremely tasty with a very refined taste- a food for the kings.”

Harsh Goenka also walked down memory lane and revealed, “We used to make it at home regularly- a bowlful of nostalgia, heritage, and sweetness!” Take a look at the post here:

History And Cultural Significance Of Mihidana And Sitabhog

Both Mihidana and Sitabhog, the fine-grained Bengali sweets from Bardwan, have already been recognized with a Geographical Indication (GI) tag. Their history is quite fascinating. In the early 1900s, when Maharaja Vijaychand Mahatab of Burdwan invited the then-Viceroy Lord Curzon to inaugurate Curzon Gate, he was honored with a special dessert prepared by a local confectioner, Bhairab Chandra Nag. During preparation, the sweets seller accidentally created tiny granules of batter, paving the way for the twin delights of Burdwan: Sitabhog and Mihidana. This has now become a staple in various celebrations.

What’s The Difference Between Mihidana And Sitabhog?

The two sweets are often served together, but also have their own character. While Mihidana is comprised of tiny, golden grain-like structures made of gram and rice flour, dipped in sugar syrup, Sitabhog is a white, pulao-like dessert made from chhana and rice flour, mixed with small, sweet nikhutis (mini gulab jamuns). Is talking about these desserts making your mouth water? Here’s how to make them at home:

Mihidana Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 cup gram flour (besan)
• 1 cup rice flour
• Water (as needed to make a smooth batter)
• A pinch of saffron or yellow food coloring (optional)
• Ghee or oil for deep-frying
• 1-2 cups sugar
• 1 cup water
• Cardamom powder (optional)

Method:

1. For the batter, gradually combine the gram flour and rice flour together with water to get a semi-liquid mix that is smooth and free-flowing.
2. Add a pinch of food color or saffron for the traditional golden colour, and allow the batter to absorb the color for a few minutes.
3. For the sugar syrup, boil water in a separate pan with sugar and cardamom powder until it becomes slightly sticky.
4. Now, gently pour a small portion of the batter through a perforated ladle (boondi jhara) over the hot ghee in a deep frying pan, so that it forms tiny, rice-like drops.
5. Fry the tiny grains for about a minute until crispy and cooked. Drain them into a separate container.
6. Later, add the tiny, golden-coloured boondis to the warm sugar syrup and let them soak for at least 15-20 minutes to absorb the syrup. The Mihidana is ready to be served hot or can be kept to cool down for later.

Sitabhog Recipe

Ingredients

For the Sitabhog (vermicelli):

• 1 cup, crumbled chana
• 1 cup Govind Bhog rice powder/flour
• Milk (as per the requirement to form the dough)
• Ghee/Oil for deep frying

For the Nikhuti (mini gulab jamuns):

• 1 cup milk powder
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour (Maida)
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 tablespoon ghee
• 2 tablespoons curd (yogurt)

For the Sugar Syrup:

• 2-3 cups of sugar
• 1-2 cups of water
• 1 teaspoon of cardamom powder
• Few saffron strands (optional)

Method

1. For the sugar syrup, boil sugar and water in a pan with cardamom powder and saffron until the syrup is light and non-stringy.
2. For the Nikhuti, mix milk powder, maida, baking soda, ghee, and curd to form a soft dough.
3. Shape into tiny, oval balls and deep-fry in hot ghee until golden brown.
4. Soak the fried Nikhutis in the warm sugar syrup for at least 15 minutes.
5. For the Sitabhog vermicelli, knead the chhana and Govind Bhog rice powder/flour together. Add a little milk to the vermicelli batter to achieve a smooth, firm dough.
6. Now, using a sev (vermicelli) maker or a wide-holed grater, push the dough through it to form thin strands/strings.
7. Fry those thin strands in hot ghee/oil until they are lightly golden/white.
8. Then, transfer the fried chhena strings to the sugar syrup and let them soak for about an hour. Drain the Sitabhog strings from the syrup and place them in a serving bowl.
9. Finally, mix in the soaked nikhutis and Sitabhog stings together. That’s it, the desserts are ready to be savored.

While serving, you can garnish the sweets with chopped dry fruits for a regal and festive look.