I am presently enjoying a lethargic phase in life; well not typically when it comes to my official work but obviously including of anything and everything related to my home. This means that no cooking (well almost) and as a result, I recently appointed a “Rannar Mashi” (cook) who fortunately is an amazing cook. With the help of the dose of lethargy, I didn’t make anything special or not so special during “Durga Pujo” and I didn’t even make Thakurer Sondesh (the Bhog I make for Durgastami every year) this time.
True blue Chotobelar Durgapujo!
Okay as I am a typical Bong, I can't pronounce or write Sondesh as Sandesh. However, mother goddess probably was not happy with the lethargy episode and she decided to make our evening a bit horrible with rain on Nabami! It was the evening of Nabami and my little goddess (read Pasta) suddenly started nagging for ice cream! She actually was unhappy as I did not give her permission to go the pandal.
After having ice cream almost every day during Pujo she already had developed cough and cold and naturally ice cream was not something her mother would prefer to give her and finally she decided to escape the lethargy and made something for the little goddess.
Two in one Ice cream memory!
I being an 80’s kid, Two in One probably is the all-time favorite ice cream to me; we used to have it during the marriage feast and even whenever there was something special and that includes securing good numbers in class or after winning a drawing competition. The decent and almost plain Two in One Ice cream was there all through the childhood of mine; when there were limited options when it came to ice cream especially in Kolkata. We used to have either plain vanilla or Two in one which was the Pink and the white beautiful thing with the special treat of strawberry; and sometimes chocolate.
My take on Two in One Sondesh!
Since Pasta was asking for ice cream, I decided to give that flavor to Sondesh. I madeTwo in One Sondesh which is nothing but a two flavored Sondesh with a dash of Vanilla and Strawberry. I, however, had another reason to indulge her with something sweet. My little pumpkin gracefully carried a Red Benarashi Saree all through the evening of MahaAstami and she even danced on a Mithun Chakraborty Number!
As much as I remember even Butterscotch came much later. However, coming to the Two in One Sondesh I made on Nabami, it was not ice cream Sondesh ( we refer Bhapa or steamed Sondesh as Ice Cream Sondesh) whereas it was simple Sondesh prepared from homemade Chana (Cottage Cheese) and flavored with Vanilla and Strawberry. While returning from Riyadh Mehebub came with 2 medium containers full of Strawberry Jam.
The Jam is having strawberry chunks within and it is more of Strawberry compote than Jam and I have used that instead of making Strawberry compote for the Two in One Sondesh. So naturally, if you are going to follow the recipe; either use store bought Strawberry Compote. You can also use a homemade one following the recipe I already had given along with the Panna cotta.
Coming to the Two in One Sondesh I made, it was not planned and naturally I opted for the ingredients readily available to me. I took around 2-litres full cream milk to make the Chana or cottage cheese and I used the extract from the vanilla bean instead of vanilla essence. As I already mentioned Strawberry jam with strawberry chunks was used and in addition, sugar and condensed milk were used. I also have used my traditional terracotta Sondesh mold to give proper shape to my Two in One Sondesh. My little goddess found the Sondesh quite interesting as it has given her the flavor of ice cream differently.
Here is how I make Two in One Sondesh at Debjanir Rannaghar:
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Two in One Sondesh; not the ice cream!
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 mins
- Yield: 20 Sondesh
Description
The Two in One Sondesh I made on Nabami, was prepared from homemade Chana & flavored with Vanilla & Strawberry & shaped using the traditional terracotta mold.
Ingredients
To make Chana or Cottage Cheese:
- Full Cream Milk: 2 Litres
- Lemon: 2
To Make Two in One Sondesh:
- Chana/ Cottage Cheese: prepared from two liters Milk
- Powdered Sugar: 5 Tbsp.
- Vanilla Essence/ Extract: 2-3 drop
- Strawberry Jam/ Strawberry Compote: 4 Tbsp.
- Condensed Milk: 6 Tbsp.
- Ghee: 1 Tsp. (to grease the mold)
Instructions
- [url href="https://kitchenofdebjani.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Making-of-Two-in-One-Sondesh.jpg"]
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[/url]To make Chana or Cottage Cheese:
- Boil milk in a deep bottom pan and reduce to ⅓.
- When the milk is reduced in quantity simmer the flame and add lemon juice to the milk to curdle it.
- Once the milk starts curdling, switch the flame off.
- Cover the pan with a lid and leave that for 10 minutes.
- Strain the water from Chana/ cottage cheese using a strainer.
- Pt the Chana in the middle of a muslin cloth and tie the edges of the cloth to close it.
- Place something heavy (I have used my “Shil Nora / Shil batta”) for this over the Chana filled cloth.
- Leave it for 30 minutes to throw away excess water from it.
- After thirty minutes remove the cloth and there should be a block of cheese as the end product.
To make the Sondesh:
- Take the Chana/ Cheese block and mash it using the hand to make it lump free.
- Start kneading the Chana to make it soft.
- Mix Condensed milk with the softened Chana.
- Now separate the Chana into two parts.
- Take one part of Chana in a pan and start cooking it on low flame by adding 3 Tbsp. of powdered sugar and vanilla essence.
- Cook until the Chana solidifies a bit and leaves the edge of the pan. It took me around 7 minutes in low flame.
- Take the vanilla flavored Chana out on a plate.
- Start cooking the remaining Chana along with 3 Tbsp. of Sugar and Strawberry Jam/ Compote in low flame.
- The Jam I have used was having strawberry chunks and I used that as it is to give a body to the Sondesh.
- This portion took me around 10 minutes of cooking as it involved the Jam as well.
- Take the Strawberry flavored Chana out in a plate.
- Now grease choice of the Sondesh mold using little ghee.
- Take a half portion each of the flavored mixtures and shape it as shown in the picture.
- Remove from the mold carefully.
- Two in One Sondesh is ready to serve.
Notes
Two in One Sondesh can be stored for 2-3 days in the refrigerator.
The the amount of Sugar can be increased or decreased based on preference.
What amount of flavored Chana to be used for making a Sondesh is based upon preference.
If mold is not available Sondesh can be prepared just by shaping like a ball.
- Prep Time: 40 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: Bengali
As I already mentioned about Pasta's dance on a Bollywood number it is indeed worth sharing the same!
https://youtu.be/qgiJ0dA0ZUY
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