Owen79097529716 at 19:21, 29 March 2025

2025-03-29T19:21:48Z

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{{short description|Indian sweet}}
{{more citations needed|date=November 2016}}
{{Infobox food
| name = Lyangcha
| image = Langcha - Saktigarh 2014-06-29 5576.JPG
| image_size = 250px
| caption = Langcha from [[Saktigarh, Bardhaman|Saktigarh]]
| alternate_name =
| country = [[Bangladesh]] and [[West Bengal]]
| region = [[Jharkhand]], [[Bengal]], [[Odisha]], [[Assam]], [[Bihar]], [[Tripura]]
| creator =
| course = Dessert
| served =
| main_ingredient = Flour, milk solids, ghee, sugar
| variations =
| calories =
| other =
|national_cuisine=[[Bengali cuisine]]}}
'''Lyangcha''', '''Langcha''' ({{langx|bn|ল্যাংচা}}), or '''Lemcha''', is an [[Indian sweet]] dish prepared in [[West Bengal]], [[Jharkhand]], [[Odisha]], [[Bihar]], [[Assam]], [[Tripura]] and also throughout [[Bangladesh]]. It is made from flour and milk powder by frying it and dipping it into sugar syrup for a long time. The origin of the sweet is in [[Bardhaman]], [[West Bengal, India]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Sweet spot: why everyone must pause in langcha land on the highway|url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/west-bengal/sweet-spot-why-everyone-must-pause-in-langcha-land-on-the-highway/cid/1282738|access-date=2020-10-16|website=www.telegraphindia.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=গাড়ি দাঁড় করিয়ে শক্তিগড়ের ল্যাংচা চাখার দিন শেষ! কেন?|url=https://eisamay.indiatimes.com/west-bengal-news/bardhaman-news/the-lancha-bazar-of-shaktigarh-will-be-broken/articleshow/63835048.cms|access-date=2020-10-16|website=Ei Samay|language=bn}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Sweets of Burdwan set for global plate|url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/west-bengal/sweets-of-burdwan-set-for-global-plate/cid/237215|access-date=2020-10-16|website=www.telegraphindia.com}}</ref> The [[Government of West Bengal]] has begun the process of registering [[Geographical indication]] (GI) for Lyangcha.<ref>{{Cite web|title=GI push for Burdwan’s langcha|url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/west-bengal/gi-push-for-burdwans-langcha/cid/1713410|access-date=2020-10-16|website=www.telegraphindia.com}}</ref>

== Preparation ==
Traditionally, lyangcha is made from [[khoya]] (a form of solid milk). But due to the unavailability of khoya at times, often milk powder is used instead of it.

Lyancha is made from flour, milk powder. The flour and milk powder is mixed thoroughly with soda and water and made into a dough. [[Ghee]] is added making the dough at constant intervals. Mixed well, the dough is kept untouched for few hours. Then the dough is divided into [[Cylinder (geometry)|cylindrical]] shaped pieces with hand. The [[Cylinder (geometry)|cylindrical]] pieces are then deep-fried in oil until a brown crust is formed around and they turn stiff and hard. The fried cylindrical pieces are then boiled into the sugar syrup. Once done, they are brought back to a tub containing cold rose-flavored or [[Cardamom (disambiguation)|elaichi]] flavored sugar syrup. Kept for few hours untouched, these hard pieces become soft and juicy, ready to be served on the plates.

== History ==
The origin of the delicacy is said to be in the towns of [[Bardhaman|Burdwan]], in West Bengal, India. The genesis of ''lyangcha'' actually goes back to a sweet maker in [[Bardhaman|Burdwan]] (a district in West Bengal) who used to make ''[[Gulab jamun|Pantua]]'' (fried [[sweetmeat]] made of flour and milk solids dipped in sugar syrup) of huge sizes. ''Lyangcha'' – a sweetmeat in popular parlance – was created by the sweet makers of the region in Bengal.

According to local stories, the credit of lyangcha goes to a sweet maker named Lyangcha Dutta of [[Saktigarh, Bardhaman|Saktigarh]]. The noted novelist [[Narayan Sanyal]] in his novel ''Rupamanjari'' actually tells a story. Goutam Dhoni, a journalist and correspondent of ''Ekdin'' a Bengali Daily, tells another tale about ''Nikhuti'' (a sweet famous in [[Krishnanagar (Lok Sabha constituency)|Krishnanagar]]). In his latest article in ''Nadia Darpan (a local Bengali Daily)'' Dhoni brings to our attention how ''Lyangcha'' has travelled from Krishananagar ( a town in Nadia District) to [[Bardhaman|Burdwan]] and Shaktigarh. The genesis of ''Lyangcha'' actually goes back to the matrimony alliance between the two superpower kings in two different districts of present-day West Bengal. A matrimonial alliance between the royal families of Krishnanagar and Burdwan changed the genesis of ''Lyangcha.''

The story goes that the princess from the then Krishnanagar royal household was married to the prince of the Burdwan royal household. When she became pregnant she lost her appetite and refused to eat any food. She continued this for a long time even though she was requested to break her fast and even medical treatments were started. During this time, she expressed a desire to eat lyangcha – a sweetmeat that artisans from her maternal home used to prepare.

The then ruler of Krishnanagar made arrangements to find out who prepared ''lyangcha'' but none of the ''Modaks/ Moiras'' (The Bengali confectioner) in Krishnanagar were little familiar to ''lyangcha''. Apparently, even the lady did not remember the name of the sweet. She had mentioned ''Langcha'' because the sweet maker who used to prepare this specific sweetmeat could not walk properly (in Bengali, ''Langcha'' means the one who limps). Then the sweet maker was called forth to the ruler of Krishnanagar in Krishnagar court, he was immediately sent off to Burdwan. He was given lands and other properties to settle in Burdwan so that he could prepare delicacies for the royalty. Currently, Shaktigarh, Burdwan district of Bengal, is credited with huge ''lyangchas'', but the shops in Krishnanagar take a special pride in how ''Langcha'' has travelled from Krishnanagar to Burdwan.

== Places famous for the dessert ==
[[Bardhaman|Burdwan]], a town in West Bengal is extremely famous for its lyangcha. Dipped in sweet sugar syrup, this serves as one of the most popular items in the dessert list of common people. [[Tarapith]], a small village in West Bengal known for its Ma Tara temple, is also famous for its lyangcha. The large sized lyangchas made from flour and Khoya add to the sweetness of Bengal. Starting from 10 rupees to a hundred rupees each for the largest sized one (about 3 feet), these sweets are the second most attractive elements after the temples.

The most famous region of Lyangcha is [[Saktigarh, Bardhaman|Shaktigarh]], the birthplace of the sweet itself. There are many shops selling those sweets along [[National Highway 19 (India)|NH 19]].<ref>{{cite web|url = https://www.telegraphindia.com/1120621/jsp/calcutta/story_15638305.jsp#.WLBmh_l97IU |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120625001016/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1120621/jsp/calcutta/story_15638305.jsp#.WLBmh_l97IU |url-status = dead |archive-date = June 25, 2012 |title = Sweet spot: why everyone must pause in langcha land on the highway |publisher= The Telegraph, 21 June 2012 |accessdate = 24 February 2017}}</ref> Worldwide famous for its sweet, Shaktigarh has created its own name and history in the art of dessert making and Indian sweets. Lyangchas are of different taste there, black in color, fried more deeply and much sweeter than the ones found in any other parts of Bengal. These are also banana-shaped instead of cylindrical.

Places like Kolkata, the capital of West Bengal, are also famous for its lyangchas as like any other sweet in the metro city. Other cities like Bhubaneshwar the capital of Orissa is also famous for its sweets. Puri, Nimpada are other places in East India which is known to people for its lyangcha. The sweet is also known internationally, as cities of Europe and the US that have Indian sweet shops also sell it.

The government of West Bengal has considered creating a Lyangcha Hub in [[Saktigarh, Bardhaman|Shaktigarh]], the birthplace of lyangcha, to spread this to the world and make foreign exports to earn revenue.

== Similar dishes ==
* [[Gulab jamun]], [[pantua]], [[ledikeni]] and [[Chhena Jhili]] are similar dishes
* Nikhuti is a similar dish but smaller in size; it is often used as offerings to deities or to garnish another dessert

== References ==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Sweets of West Bengal]]
[[Category:Indian desserts]]

Lyangcha - Revision history

Owen79097529716 at 19:21, 29 March 2025