Nolan Gurer Sandesh- A Gastronomical Delight

by Sreelekha Chatterjee

Spinning a yarn of sweet promises,

softest melt-in-the-mouth sandesh,

clings to the tongue like pleasant memories

archived in the pages of the mind.

At first, fresh homemade cottage cheese

is kneaded with the heel of the palm, made into a dough.

The wok with clarified butter is nested

on the flame, a jubilant gold;

stirred patiently the dough, watching like a hawk.

Dark brown, molten date palm jaggery—

peerless flavor, fragrance, texture—

added, mixed, till incorporated into the cottage cheese,

tinting it gentle, pale brown,

lending its smoky sweetness.

Once they unite like the rain and parched earth,

the out-of-the-world aroma of jaggery

wafts through the environment,

rings a mellifluous symphony.

Black stone molds of different shapes and sizes—

rose, butterfly, fish, conch shell—

remain prearranged like the boats

that ferry excited passengers

to an altogether different world.

A mold is greased with clarified butter,

hot mixture gently pressed over it

to transfer the design,

hardens once cooled, and consumed.

Its unforgettable flavor harbors

a permanent place of favorites in the mind—

energizing, oozing warmth—

like grandma’s timeless tales that

remain evergreen, forever opening

new avenues of the old classics.

A delicacy of the winters

is savored till the season lasts,

with an uncontested yearning,

giving reasons to await the next one.

Note: Nolen Gurer Sandesh is a Bengali sweet dish made with cottage cheese and date palm jaggery.