Purba Medinipur, West Bengal

Mihidana of Tamluk & Mahishadal

Mihidana is a fine-grain sweet - the micro-cousin of boondi - made from a rice-flour and besan mix, deep-fried into tiny grains and soaked in saffron-cardamom sugar syrup, and it is a festive special of the Tamluk and Mahishadal bazzars, served on terracotta plates or brass thalis. The GI-tagged 'Mihidana' is registered to Bardhaman, where the sweet was invented, so in this district it is sold as a traditional district speciality rather than under the GI name. Sweet lovers visiting the region count mihidana among the must-try sweets of the Midnapore area. It is a delicate, syrup-soft sweet that dissolves on the tongue.

Typical price: ₹150-500

Buying tip: Mihidana is fresh and delicate, so buy it the same day you plan to eat it from a Tamluk or Mahishadal sweet shop and eat it within a couple of days; it does not travel well.