Shudha Sindhu Recipe / Bengali Dessert Made With Almond Dumplings Simmered In Milk ~ Maha Shostir Subhecha / Durga Puja Maha Bhoj

Shudha Sindhu ~ Badam Bata(Almond Paste), Khoya / Khoa(Milk Solids), Gobindo Bhog Chaler Guro(Speciality Rice Grown in Bengal, India Powder) Dumplings are simmered in Full Cream Milk which has been reduced to half it's original quantity, is thick and creamy, finally finished off with a lavish shower of the finest saffron.

Shudha Sindhu Recipe ~

Author ~ Piyali Sekhar Mutha

Serves ~ 6

Cuisine ~ Indian / Bengali

Type ~ Dessert / Sweet Dish

Time ~ 30 minutes to reduce milk + overnight soaking of almonds + 15 minutes preparation + 20 minutes cooking

Ingredients ~

2 Ltrs Full Cream Milk 

1/4 th Cup Khoya / Khoa, milk solids, store bought or homemmade

2/3 rd Cup Sugar, you can increase or reduce according to taste

1 large pinch Saffron

For the Almond Dumplings ~

1 Cup (250 Gms approximately) Almonds, soaked overnight and skin removed

1/4 th Cup Khoya / Khoa, milk solids, available in your local sweet shop or homemade

1/2 Cup Gobindo Bhog Rice or any fragrant rice like jasmine rice etc. powdered finely

2 Tbsp Powdered Sugar

Let's Make Shudha Sindhu In Easy Steps ~

Step ~ 1

* Take a large pan. Pour 2 litre full cream milk. Bring the milk to a rolling boil and then simmer. Keep stirring the milk from time to time till it reduces to half the quantity.

Note ~ Before pouring milk into the pan, sprinkle water on the inner bottom of the pan. By doing this milk will not stick to the bottom and burn. Also if you coat the inner sides of the pan with 1/2 a tsp of clarified butter / ghee, then the milk will not overflow and the milk solids that gather on the wall will easily come out when scarped with a spatula or spoon.

* Take 2 tbsp of hot milk, from the large pan above (before putting it on simmer to reduce). Transfer to a small bowl. Add the saffron strands and leave it soaking in the hot milk till required. 

* Once the milk in the pan above is reduced to half it's original quantity, add the saffron strands along with the milk it was soaked in, leaving a few saffron strands to use as garnish right at the end.

* Next add Sugar and stir till it dissolves.

* Crumble and add Khoya / Khoa Kheer. Stir and mix well. Leave this on the flame for a minute and then remove from flame and keep aside.

Step ~ 2 

* Soak the Almonds covered in water overnight. Next day Remove the skin and keep aside.

Note ~ If you are running short of time. Microwave the almonds covered in water for 5 minutes on high. Leave them till they completely cool down and remove the skin. You can also soak the almonds in hot water for 15 mins and deskin them when the water cools down.

* Grind the almonds in a grinder to a coarse paste. Transfer to a mixing bowl.

* Add Khoya, Rice Powder and Powdered Sugar to the almond paste in the mixing bowl. Mix well and combine everything together to make a soft dough.

* Taking small pieces from the above dough shape them into small balls the size of marbles or slightly larger. Keep aside.

Step ~ 2

* Now put the large pan with the milk back on fire. Transfer the almond balls or dumplings into the milk. 

Note ~ If the milk has cooled down then put it back on fire for 5 minutes on high, before transferring the almond dumplings. Do not put almond dumplings into cold milk. The best thing would be to prepare the almond dumplings simultaneously while the milk is reducing, so that you do not have to reheat the milk. 

Also if you had reduced the milk earlier, then first make the almond dumplings and then heat the milk, next add saffron, sugar, khoya and finally the almond dumplings.

* Cook these almond dumplings in milk for two minutes.

Note ~ Do not move the almond dumplings in the milk vigorously, handle them gently.

Also while making for the first time, add one almond dumpling to the milk. If it disintegrates or breaks, then you need to add more rice flower. If it doesn't add the remaining dumplings and cook.

* Transfer into a serving bowl. Garnish with the remaining saffron strands. Serve hot. This can be served cold too. Tastes equally good both ways. Also you can keep it in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days max. Only take care that you remove as much quantity as required from the bowl, returning the bowl immediately back into the refrigerator. Seal the bowl with a cling wrap, aluminium foil or tight lid.