Chocolate Sandesh Recipe

How to prepare cottage cheese

• In a large saucepan, pour the skimmed milk, and place over medium heat.
• Remove from the heat and add some vinegar.
• Stir at least two minutes. The curd will separate from the whey.
• Cover mixture and allow to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
• Pour the mixture into a strainer lined with a tea towel.
• Once again let sit and then drain for 5 minutes.
• Gather up the edges of the cloth and rinse under cold water for about 5 minutes or until the curd is completely cooled.
• Keep squeezing and moving the mixture.
• Once the mixture completely cools down and dries, transfer to a mixing bowl.

How to prepare chocolate sandesh

• Knead the prepared cottage cheese for atleast 10 minutes.
• Add powdered sugar, cocoa powder and knead for another 5 minutes.
• In a wide shallow pan, heat ghee and add the kneaded cottage cheese mixture.
• Cook on a low flame. You will notice that the mixture will let some moisture out.It will also get mushy and sticky.
• Keep stirring and let the mixture form like a dough.
• Do not let it get crumbly or too dry. Turn off the flame.
• While the mixture is warm, knead the cooked cottage cheese mixture gently for one minute.
• Prepare small balls of the mixture and gently flatten them.
• Garnish the spread with pistachios.
• Serve them chilled or at room temperature.

Trivia

A sweet dish by the name ‘sandesh’ is mentioned in medieval Bengali literature.
Richard Nixon, 37th U.S. president (1969-1974) usually had cottage cheese and a pineapple ring for lunch. He had the cottage cheese flown in from Knudsen's Dairy in Los Angeles.