Joynagarer moa! It is one of the most famous traditional seasonal sweet dishes in West Bengal. Joynagar is a place which is located in South 24 parganas district, West Bengal, India. This joynagarer moa is originated from this place only. You will hardly find a Bengali who does not like this mouthwatering sweet dish during winter.
If you ever had this joynagarer moa in your life then you definitely feel that mouthwatering aroma of nolen gur (date palm jaggery) and soft khoi (popped rice prepared with sweet aromatic kanakchura rice). These two ingredients are seasonal items. Particularly date palm jaggery because you will never find this during offseason.
Joynagarer moa & nolen gur
Date palm jaggery is available in West Bengal from November to January. You may find this jaggery in February & March but those are either not fresh or as aromatic as it should be. Traditional shiuli community people make such jaggery in South 24 parganas but nowadays many small enterprises are also making nolen gur which are not as good as jaggery made with traditional method.
Also read: Bengali fruit chatni, khasta kachuri, Bengali stuffed poori – Radhaballabhi
Not only date palm jaggery but also khoi is a seasonal item because locally produced seasonal kanakchur rice is used to make khoi.
That is why you will notice joynagar er moa in the local market from November to January. Milk & dry fruits are also used what you have definitely realized if you have tried this. All grocery stores & sweet shops sell joynagar er moa during winter. Just after Diwali/Dipabali /kalipuja people when cold breeze start waiting, food lover Bengali people also start waiting for Nolen gur & Joynagarer moa, haha. Do you also belong to that category? Do you also start waiting one month earlier for having nolen gur made food?
I can still remember when I was 10-12 years old and I used to buy Joynagarer moa for Rs1/piece. Two moa used to sufficient for tiffin when I was at school. Now you will get one moa for atleast Rs 5 or even more. Some sweet shop owners sell this sweet dish in a tall clay made handi/haari. Nowadays you can even buy joynagarer moa online. If you are living outside Bengal or somewhere in Bengal where it is not easily available then you can do Joynagarer moa online purchase.
Jaggery milk & khoi made Moa recipe
- 1+1 cups full cream milk
- 100 gm date palm jaggery
- Handful roughly crushed dry fruits
- 100 gm khoi
- A few pieces of pistachio/cashew nuts for garnishing
- Heat 1 cup of full cream milk over low flame till it is dried up
- Add one more cup of milk and boil for next 5-7 mins over low flame
- Now add date palm jaggery and stir continuously
- Then add a handful of crushed dry fruits and khoi and mix all it absorb milk & jaggery mixture
- Make small balls with that and garnish it with pistachio/cashew nut pieces
Joynagarer moa is something special which is prepared with the traditional method by rural people. They use all fresh ingredients available in that rural area and definitely prepared in Joynagar, haha. I mean that is why it is called “Joynagar er moa” not “
But in case it is not possible then you can try this homemade moa also.
we are the oldest joynagar er moa manufacture gi certidied