Lyangcha facts for kids
Langcha from Saktigarh
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| Course | Dessert |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | West Bengal |
| Region or state | Jharkhand, West Bengal, Odisha, Assam, Bihar, Tripura |
| Associated national cuisine | India |
| Main ingredients | Flour, milk solids, ghee, sugar |
Lyangcha, also called Langcha (Bengali: ল্যাংচা) or Lemcha, is a yummy Indian sweet. It is popular in West Bengal, Jharkhand, Odisha, Bihar, Assam, and Tripura in India. You can also find it in Bangladesh.
This sweet is made from flour and milk powder. First, it is fried until golden brown. Then, it is soaked in sweet sugar syrup for a long time. Lyangcha first came from Bardhaman, a place in West Bengal, India. The government of West Bengal is working to give Lyangcha a special tag called a Geographical indication (GI). This tag helps protect its unique origin.
How Lyangcha is Made
Lyangcha is usually made from a solid milk product called khoya. But sometimes, milk powder is used instead. This is because khoya is not always easy to find.
To make Lyangcha, flour and milk powder are mixed well. A little soda and water are added to make a soft dough. Ghee (a type of clarified butter) is mixed into the dough bit by bit. After mixing, the dough rests for a few hours.
Next, the dough is shaped into small, long pieces, like cylinders. These pieces are then deep-fried in oil until they turn a nice brown color and become firm. After frying, they are put into hot sugar syrup. Once they have soaked up some syrup, they are moved to a tub of cold sugar syrup. This syrup is often flavored with rose or cardamom. After soaking for a few hours, the hard fried pieces become soft, juicy, and ready to eat!
The Sweet Story of Lyangcha
The story of Lyangcha began in Bardhaman, a town in West Bengal, India. People say it started with a sweet maker in Bardhaman. He used to make a sweet called Pantua, which is similar to Lyangcha but often bigger.
One popular story gives credit to a sweet maker named Lyangcha Dutta from Saktigarh. Another story, told by a journalist named Goutam Dhoni, says that Lyangcha actually came from Krishnanagar. It then traveled to Bardhaman and Shaktigarh.
This story involves a marriage between royal families from Krishnanagar and Bardhaman. A princess from Krishnanagar married a prince from Bardhaman. When she was expecting a baby, she lost her appetite and did not want to eat anything. She kept refusing food for a long time. Then, she said she really wanted to eat a special sweet. This sweet was made by an artisan from her home in Krishnanagar.
The ruler of Krishnanagar tried to find out who made this sweet. But none of the local sweet makers knew about it. The princess herself could not remember the name of the sweet. She only remembered that the sweet maker who made it had a limp. In Bengali, "Langcha" means someone who limps. So, the sweet got its name from him!
The limping sweet maker was found and sent to Bardhaman. He was given land and other things to help him settle there. This way, he could make his special sweets for the royal family. Today, Shaktigarh in Bardhaman is very famous for its large Lyangchas. But people in Krishnanagar are proud that the sweet originally came from their town.
Famous Places for Lyangcha
Bardhaman is a town in West Bengal that is very famous for its Lyangcha. These sweets, soaked in syrup, are a favorite dessert for many people. Tarapith, a small village known for its temple, also makes delicious Lyangcha. The large Lyangchas made there are a sweet treat.
The most famous place for Lyangcha is Shaktigarh. Many shops sell these sweets along NH 19. Shaktigarh is known worldwide for its unique Lyangchas. They are often darker in color, fried more deeply, and sweeter than those found elsewhere. They can also be banana-shaped instead of cylindrical.
Other cities like Kolkata, the capital of West Bengal, also have popular Lyangchas. In East India, places like Bhubaneshwar, Puri, and Nimpada are also known for this sweet. Lyangcha is even sold internationally in Indian sweet shops in Europe and the US.
The government of West Bengal is thinking about creating a "Lyangcha Hub" in Shaktigarh. This would help share this sweet with the world and export it to other countries.
Similar Sweets
- Gulab jamun, pantua, ledikeni, and Chhena Jhili are sweets that are quite similar to Lyangcha.
- Nikhuti is another similar sweet, but it is smaller. It is often used as an offering to gods or to decorate other desserts.
