105. Bardhaman Sitabhog

Bardhaman Sitabhog is a dessert from West Bengal with exotic flavour that looks like white rice or vermicelli served with small pieces of Gulab Jamuns. Sitabhog often gives the appearance of pulao, which is albeit sweet in taste.

“Sitabhog” has the distinctive and naturally occurring organoleptic characteristics of taste, soft mouth feel and aroma which have won the patronage and recognition of discerning consumers all over the world.

It is introduced first in honour of the Raj family many years back, but its reputation, recognition and prominence had spread around only after arrival of Lord Curzon in 1904 and his appraisal for this scrumptious sweet of Bengal.

Sitabhog is a made of Gobindobhog rice flour and “Chenna” (cottage cheese) are used as the base material, Ghee is added as the binder, Pulao plant leaves, Sugar, Currant (kismis), Cashewnut etc are some of other ingredients that are used in its preparation. 

The preparation of the delicious sweet dish Sitabhog involves the production of the vermicelli like tiny chenna threads along with small dumplings of gulab jamun which are added to sitabhog to enhance its appearance and taste. Uniqueness lies in human skill in preparing the sweet in each step. 

The cottage cheese and rice flour are rolled into a smooth dough using ghee. The dough is then passed through a ‘sev mould’ so that it strains like thin threads of vermicelli and is deep fried in a pan of ghee. 

These strips are fried until they are cooked properly and then soaked into sugar syrup that has been flavoured with bay leaf, cloves and saffron essence. When the strips become soft, it is taken away from the syrup with a ladle.

The small dumplings that are added to Sitabhog are known as ‘Nikhuti’ which are made up of flour, milk powder and ghee. Dough is formed out of the ingredients and shaped in the form of small oval balls. 

These dumplings are deep fried in ghee till it gets deep brown in colour. These balls are then dipped into sugar syrup. After some time the Nikhuti is taken out of syrup and then added to the fine vermicelli and chenna strips.

GI Tag Registration Date         : 29 April 2017

GI Tag Number                         : 525

Certificate Number                  : 289

Geographical Area                  : West Bengal

Special Cover Release Date   : 27 August 2021

Cancellation                             : Burdwan 713 101

Type                                          : GI Tag Cover

Cover Identification Number  : WB/12/2021

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