Eastern India

Bengalis—inhabitants of the Indian state of West Bengal and the Republic of Bangladesh—are famous for their love of mishti, or sweets, considered the apogee of the Indian sweet maker’s art. Most commercial sweets are made from chhana; khoa is used mainly as a secondary ingredient. Chhana’s popularity in Bengal may have come from the Portuguese who lived in the region in the seventeenth century and specialized in the preparation of sweetmeats, breads, and cheese. The French traveler François Bernier wrote in 1659: “Bengal is celebrated for its sweetmeats, especially in places inhabited by the Portuguese, who are skilful in the art of preparing them and with whom they are an article of considerable trade.”