8 mishtis from Bengal have GI tags now: Which of these delights have you tasted?

The Nolen gur sandesh just earned a place on the world food map with a geographical indication (GI) tag. But Bengal has a whole box of GI mishtis. How many have
you indulged in?

Nolen gur sandesh

This melt-in-the-mouth winter delight from. Kolkata made using a mix of chhena and nolen gur received the GI tag on March 31

Murshidabad Chhanabora
This dark-crusted delight with a soft core is made by dipping deep-fried chhena balls in sugar syrup. It bagged a GI tag on March 31

Burdwan’s Mihidana and Sitabhog
Created by Bhairab Chandra Nag of Burdwan, these sweets have
been sweet staples in Bengal for more than a century. They bagged the GI tag in April 2017.

Kamarpukur Sada bode
A delish mix of wheat flour, sugar and ghee, this white boondi from Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa’s birthplace received a GI tag
on March 31

Jayanagar Moa
This khowa-nolen gur delight is in such demand in winter that many fake versions flood the market. But if you want to taste the real moa, which got a GI tag in 2015, head to Jayanagar



Bishnupur Motichur laddu

This melt-in-the-mouth delight made with mihidana pearls fried in pure ghee hand-rolled into balls was given a GI tag on March 31.

Banglar rosogollaIt has so many variants now that it’s tough for anyone with a sweet tooth to pick a favouriite. So, the rosogolla, which bagged a GI tag in 2017, rules hearts in Bengal & beyond.

Bengal’s sweetmeat legacy
The original sweets in the Bengal region, which included Bangladesh back then, were primarily made with sugarcane molasses, coconut, milk, gur and sugar. Narkel naru, hard sandesh etc were some of the popular items back them. In the 16th century, the Portuguese introduced cottage cheese in the region, triggering a revolution of sorts in the way the people made sweets. Chhena became an integral part of most sweets, & in the decades that followed, all-time favourites such as the rosogolla, chenna sandesh and many chhena based sweets were created.

Quotes:
GI tags are more than marks of authenticity, they’re a tribute to our rich heritage. They honor traditional recipes and craftsmanship, preserving the essence of their roots. It’s a source of pride for us – Sudip Mullick, co-owner of Balaram Mullick & Radharaman Mullick

GI tags help put our traditional sweets on the map. Rosogolla and Sandesh aren’t just sweets, they are pieces of Bengal’s history. Take Nolen gur sandesh for instance. Its distinct flavour comes from the date palm jaggery sourced from the city outskirts – Garima Agarwal, partner at Gupta Brothers, CR Avenue





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