Dakshin Dinajpur, West Bengal

Balurghat Bengali Sweets (Ras Malai, Mishti Doi)

Balurghat, the district headquarters, has a living tradition of Bengali milk sweets carried by families who came from Pabna across the border, with sweet shops in the town serving the local and border trade. The classic line-up is the familiar Bengali repertoire: ras malai, mishti doi (sweet curd), lalmohan, chenna-based sweets and mawa-based preparations, made with cow's milk, chenna and mawa. During fairs and festival seasons the town's sweet counters draw in buyers from across the district and from the Bangladesh side. Tourists leaving Balurghat typically take packaged mishti doi and chenna sweets as the district's edible souvenir.

Typical price: ₹50-500

Buying tip: Buy fresh from the town's sweet shops in Balurghat bazaar, especially in the morning for festival-grade stock. For travel, choose mishti doi and chenna sweets that keep a few days; avoid unsealed milk products on hot days.