Sandesh...

I'm not an expert when it comes to cook in microwave, I mean solely using the micro feature. Grilling and the convection mode are frequently used but the microwave mode is only used for re-heating food in my house. It works wonder when I need to dehydrate herbs or to blanch almonds.

So when Indrani a co-blogger and a member of Kolkata food blogger announced an event to cook something using microwave and solely microwave not the grilling or convection option, my first thought was  that I need to pass this. But before saying 'quit' I gave it a little thought and came up with this very simple easy idea of making sandesh in microwave. I make sandesh very often to lure my kid to eat homemade cottage cheese or chana, which is  usually  falls in her "reject" category.

I'm sure you all know about Sandesh. It is a a signature Bengali sweetmeat, commonly made from cottage cheese and sugar. No ocassion or festival is complete without a plate full of Sandesh. Sandesh can be of different shapes and sizes. And it can be flavored in many different ways, cardamom, saffron, rose water, chocolate, seasonal fruits, there is no limit.

A basic simple sandesh is made from homemade cottage cheese or chana. Milk is curdled and the whey is separated and cooled. The whey is then mixed with sugar or other sweetening agents and flavors cooked slightly and shaped into sandesh. Cooking in a pan makes the sandesh making very tiring, using microwave this can be made in 5 minutes.

Make the cottage cheese

Knead the cottage cheese well, add flavors and put it in a microwave safe bowl

Take it out and let it cool down

Cut into pieces

Things needed to make Sandesh:

• Milk (full fat): 1 lt
• Lime juice or vinegar: 3-4 tbsp
• Sugar as per taste
• Green cardamom (powder): 1/2 tsp
• Saffron (soaked in milk): few strands
• Pistachio (finely chopped) to garnish
• Dried rose petals to garnish

Steps of making Sandesh:

1. In a heavy bottom pan boil milk. when the milk rolls to boil add lime juice or vinegar to curdle it. As the milk curdles switch off the heat.

2. Place a cheese cloth on a strainer and strain the curdled milk, drain excess water from the whey. Let the curdled milk cool down. I place the cheese cloth with the curdled milk in a ice bath, that cools it down quickly as well as washes out any smell of lime juice or vinegar used for curdling the milk. When the water from the curdled milk is drained off the cottage cheese is ready to use.

3. Take the cottage cheese in a plate, add green cardamom powder, saffron (soaked in warm milk), sugar. Add sugar as per your taste. For 1 cup of cottage cheese start with 6 tablespoons of sugar, taste and add more if needed. Knead it well till smooth.

4. Take a microwave safe bowl, grease it with little ghee or butter. Put the cottage cheese in the bowl. Press with your finger to make sure the cottage cheese is evenly distributed.

5. Cook it in a microwave oven, in micro mode in high power for 5 min or till the cottage cheese starts to bubble up. Let it stand for few minutes, take it out of the oven and cool down.

6. Cut into square or any shape of your choice. Garnish with chopped pistachio, almonds or any other nuts and dried rose petals. Serve cold or at room temperature.

This post is going to the online event "Microwave Expedition" of Kolkata Food Blogger hosted by Indrani Dhar of Recipe Junction.

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