Want to try out Rabdigram’s Rabdi this winter?
Bengal is famous for its sweets. Be it Kolkata’s Rosogolla or Bardhaman’s Lyangcha, each region has a specialty of its own. The name of Rabdi (porridge) is pretty famous as well. Google shows that the best rabdi can be found in Mathura, later perfected in Varanasi (Benaras). But there is a quaint village in West Bengal, known as Aniya, Gangpur, where generations of sweet-makers have devoted their skills in making rabdi and can put Varanasi or Mathura to shame. Every household in this village makes rabdi, which is why this village is popularly known as Rabdigram. The village consists of 50 to 60 families approximately. To reach Rabdigram from Kolkata by car it takes 1hour 50mins or so depending on the traffic. Dankuni is close to Rabdigram. From Dankuni buses drop passengers at Bargachia or Moshat, from there most bus routes lead to Rabdigram.
People lead a simple life in Rabdigram. Aluminium utensils are still used in every family. In the winters old couples sit under the sunlight to feel the warmth. These practices show that Gangpur has retained its identity as a village without being affected by the fact that it is an industry-like entity. Most of the houses in the village have cowsheds, hence the milk that is produced always exceeds the need. As a result, it used to get wasted regularly. A villager, who worked in Jadubabu’s Bazar in Kolkata thus thought of a plan to use this leftover milk and introduced the art of making rabdi. He used to make rabdi at home and sell them to sweet shops in Kolkata. That’s how the long league of Rabdi makers dawned in the village.
The villagers are very friendly with the visitors or tourists. Once you are in the village, people will entertain you to home-made rabdis. They even show the route towards the house that has the best rabdi and one of them even accompany the visitors. On reaching the destination the visitors are served with some rabdi on a porcelain plate and a small plastic spoon. So if you are a foodie, you can very well take a journey to this place and be treated to delicious rabdis. In Rabdigram, the rule is to taste first and buy later. The taste may vary from one house to another but all of them are experts and satisfaction is guaranteed. They take orders and then produce as per the need so that they can deliver fresh rabdi. To buy, one has to place an order at least a day before. Every household makes rabdi but there is no competition between them. They live in harmony and treat the visitors dearly.
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Rabdi is made in a deep, spherical kadhai, while some also use a boat shaped kadhai. These kadhais are specially made for the purpose of making rabdi. These kadhais can make rabdi out of 6 litres of milk. Six litre milk makes two kilo rabdi. 1 kilo rabdi costs around 250 rupees.
The recipe of rabdi demands time and technique more than ingredients.
1. The milk is boiled on low flame. Above the kadhai the milk is fanned with a hand fan to cool the upper portion of the milk so that the cream floats on the top.
2. Immediately after that, the rabdi maker carefully takes the cream to one side with the help of an iron stick and sticks it on the side of the kadhai.
3. This is repeated and layers of cream deposit around the sides of the kadhai. The more the layers of cream deposit, the hotter the milk becomes.
4. Then the kadhai is carefully removed from flame. The residue of the milk (malai) is kept in a separate container. The kadhai containing the cream is kept in a cool place so that the cream dries over time.
5. Later, the thickened cream is cut with a knife from the sides of the kadhai. The dried cream gathers at the bottom of the kadhai. Sometimes they are cut into squares.
6. The pieces are added to hot condensed milk (malai), which is prepared by adding date palm jaggery to boiling milk.
7. The malai is removed from flame and the finely cut cream is added to it. Once they get soaked, the fresh and hot rabdi is ready to be served.
Rabdigram is a great example which shows that harmony in business is also possible. Visiting such a unique place should be in the bucket list of every mishti (sweet) lover.
