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West Bengal

Kamini Bhog was and still is reserved for those special occasions in many parts of India. Though not as popular as Gobinda Bhog, this glutinous rice originating in from the Sundarbans grows in deep water. This bold scented rice, is often parboiled or  made into rice flakes (chira) and are used extensively in rituals.

On February 10, 1904, Viceroy Lord Curzon visited Burdwan to confer the title of maharaja on then king of Burdwan Vijaychanda, says Niradabaran Sarkar, a historian of Burdwan. Vairabchandra Nag, a local sweet-maker, had made the sitabhog and mihidana to mark the occasion. Lord Curzon was surprised to have such unique sweets and praised and thanked Vairabchandra Nag in the certificate given to him saying he never had such sweet ever before.

Mihidana is today one of  the most sought after sweets from Bengal.  It is made from powdered Kamini Bhog, Gobinda Bhog and basmati rice, mixed with a small amount of besan and saffron for a golden colour. They are blended very well with water by hand till it turns light and the mix is poured through a brass ladle with tiny holes into a pot of ghee and deep-fried. The fine fried small rice-like grains are dipped in sugar syrup and drained once soaked.

Conserved and Cultivated by Swami Dayananda Farms, Manjakkudi

West Bengal

Brown

It is recommended to store rice in a cool, dry area. If it needs to be preserved for a long period, say over a month or more, dried neem leaves can be added into the pack/box. It is better to avoid storing in humid areas as this would cause pests to form faster. Since our heritage rice is purely organic, the husk is sweeter, which in turn could invite pests if not stored as suggested above.

Raw Rice

Soak the Kamini Bhog Raw rice for 2-3 hours before cooking. Cook it in the ratio of 1:4 (For 1 cup rice, add 4 cups water). Please adjust the water ratio according to your preference.

Raw Polished Rice

Soak the Kamini Bhog Raw polished rice for 10 minutes before cooking. Cook it in the ratio of 1:2.5 (For 1 cup rice, add 2.5 cups water). Please adjust the water ratio according to your preference.

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