Sitabhog

From Bengal's boisterous platter of dessert extravaganza, comes a delicacy that encapsulates the essence of Burdwan’s sweet magic. Though Rosogolla and Sandesh have become cultural icons of the Bengali sweet repository, a dish less talked about but truly resplendent in every melting bite is the pearl white Sitabhog. With the appearance of long-grained rice, this flavourful sweet has created a niche for itself among dessert connoisseurs.

A knowledge procured from the Portuguese, this sinful delight, much like other Bengali desserts, is made from chhena (cottage cheese). The milk derivative is combined with rice flour and sugar and grated through a sieve to gain broken strands that look like basmati or vermicelli. These are then fried in ghee (clarified butter) and dunked in sugar syrup to form the main base. On it, small deep-fried and sugar syrup-dipped sweet balls called Nikuti (tiny versions of Gulab Jamun) are added. It is the use of Sitashol rice in the traditional preparation that has probably earned the dish its name.

With its genesis during British colonialism in India, the creation of Sitabhog can be credited to a renowned "moira" (sweet-maker) of the times, Bhairab Chandra Nag. Our story of the Sitabhog goes back to 1904 when Curzon Gate was being made under orders of the zamindar Bijoychand Mahatab. Impressed with his actions, Lord Curzon decided to visit and garner him the title of ‘Maharaj’. Honoured by such an accolade, the Maharaja quickly called for his famous confectioner and ordered him to prepare a new sweet for the visiting viceroy.

While trying to recreate the Boondi, he mistakenly used a smaller sieve, which resulted in smaller balls leading to the creation of Mihidana. In his second attempt, Nag refrained from using any form of colour and trying out new ingredients, resulting in the Sitabhog. Awestruck with such a unique dessert, the Viceroy thanked him and issued him a certificate. Henceforth, both Sitabhog and Mihidana caught a lot of public admiration.

Though this might be the most popular opinion, renditions of the origin of sweetmeat remain contested. Twenty-five years prior to the visit of Lord Curzon, revered Bengali novelist Bankim Chandra Chatterjee had mentioned about the Sitabhog in Krishnakanter Will. On the other hand, Food historian KT Achaya compared it to the ancient Kshiraprakara, made with kneaded rice flour kneaded, coated in sugar. Some also believe that this dish might have been a favourite of Sita, wife of Lord Ram, taking the roots of the sweet delicacy to the era of the Ramayana.

Whatever may have been its history, the Sitabhog has become entwined with Burdwan’s illustrious past. It was in April 2017 that this coveted delicacy received the Geographical Indication of West Bengal.