Here's all you need to know about 'Bandel', a homegrown version of cheese

When we think of cheese Swiss versions usually come to mind but India has a few homegrown versions too and Bandel is one of them Crumbly like feta and salty in taste the cheese curd from West Bengal is made in two ways mdash salted and smokecuredOn May 10 this year chef Ranveer Brar posted a recipe titled mixed veg with cheese on his YouTube channel In it he featured the homegrown cheese variant A few weeks later he launched a petition on Changeorg titled Letrsquos get Bandel cheese its due In the petition Brar recounts his conversation with Palash Ghosh from Chak Chand village in West Bengal who belongs to the only family that is still making the 500yearold Bandel cheese from a recipe passed down by the PortugueseBrar is rooting to get the cheese a Geographical Indication GI tag by raising support to revive this indigenous dish ldquoBandelrsquos smoked version was also introduced by the Dutch who wanted to make it last longer and carry this delicacy down the many sea routesrdquo Brar addsBandel cheese roundelsSaurav Gupta of The Whole Hog Deli Kolkata has been working with the Ghosh family for the past decade trying to market the delicacy ldquoThe cheese is handmade without the use of machines It is made using only cowrsquos milk without including water or artificial ingredients Salt and smoked curing are its natural preservativesrdquo he says Gupta reveals that the family makes about 6000 pieces every month each disc weighs 25gm and costs R 20 each ldquoBefore consumption the cheese needs to be soaked in water to remove excess saltrdquo says Gupta adding that currently the West Bengal governmentrsquos Department of Science and Technology along with the Jadavpur Universityrsquos Food Technology Department are conducting research on it ldquoThe Hooghly District Administration has formed a committee to obtain the GI tag A few private investors are also forming a company with Ghosh as one of the shareholdersrdquo he saysChef Ranveer BrarBandel with the bestThe cheese has also been spotted on several food and beverage menus Asansolborn chef Sabyasachi Gorai who ran Lavaash in Delhi till the pandemic and currently curates popups and catering events recalls seeing it in bazaars ldquoI give all credit to chef Shaun Kenworthy for inspiring me to use it in commercial cooking We began cooking together in 2004 at popups where he used it extensively At Lavaash we served AngloIndian dishes that used cheese from Bandel and Kalimpongrdquo shares Gorai who consulted on the opening menu for Recca in Kala Ghoda where he introduced a pizza with Bandel toppingChef Sabyasachi Gorai Palash Ghosh Bandel cheese maker and Chef Ruchira Hoon Ek BarldquoAfter the roundel of Bandel cheese is soaked to remove excess salt we crumble it Salted cheese is used to flavour wraps rolls and sandwiches We also use it as a pizza topping Being extra salty we neutralise it with another cheese Itrsquos ideal for cheese sauce and cheese platters But we add lots of nuts sweeten it with jaggery or flavour it with kasundi mustardrdquo Gorai explainsCheese that crumblesHowever Bandelrsquos popularity is limited ldquoThe Portuguese taught the process to the Ghosh family But itrsquos not very accessible as they donrsquot share the recipe Itrsquos tricky for other cheesemongers to learn it and thus the cheese becomes expensive everywhere else except in Kolkata I wish more people knew the reciperdquo rues Ruchira Hoon brand chef of Ek Bar Delhi She uses plain Bandel because of its crumbly fetalike texture and salty taste in salads or in pies in cheese platters or to stuff in naans To enhance the flavour she pairs it with mango chilli dressing or grapes ldquoThe smoked Bandel variety is a must for Indian artisanal cheese platters especially if you want to showcase India It is much harder than feta but cuts better Texturewise it doesnrsquot resemble paneer or halloumi but a gruyererdquoTill date 17165 people have signed Brarrsquos petition the target is to reach 25000 From six families who made the cheese 40 years ago in West Bengal the number has dwindled down to the Ghosh family ldquoThe family moved to Bankura district and the cheesemaker had to take up a job as a security guard for a salary of 10000rdquo reveals Brar Thatrsquos when the chef sent his crew to Kolkata to shoot with him for a day The video grabbed the attention of the state government ldquoThe government is supporting us to shift things back to Bandel so the GI tag can be fasttracked Wersquore also checking if the other families in the area wish to return to their traditionrdquo Brar signs offSource Guidegtgt Buy it Cheese monger Mansi Jasani also sources Bandel cheese You can also order it from Saurabh GuptaLog on to thecheesecollective on Instagram Call 7042225800 Guptagtgt Eat it Pulled lambBandel is grated on the pizza which lends the pizza a smoky biteAt Recca Kala Ghoda Society K Dubash Marg FortCall 8433737366Cost Rs 675