Saturday 18 October 2014

Kalakhand

Kalakhand is a basic sweet recipe from nothern part of India..but now available in and out of India.
There are different ways of making it..or atleast I know three different ways.
One is completely reducing the milk , until it becomes thick and grainy and pour on a greased plate, and cut into squares.
The Second is half reduced milk and half fresh home made Paneer and again reduce to thick and grainy.
The Third method is using milkmaid and paneer.
Today I am following the second method, which is very easy, but a bit time consuming.
But all the worth, when you taste the melting in the mouth this kalakhand.
I sometimes use this left over kalakhand in my halwas, instead of khoya/mawa.
But since this is a milk based sweet, of course the shelf life is short, I would say 2-3 days if stored in fridge.

Ingredients:
Milk - 2 liters,
Sugar - 2 tablespoons,
Cardamom powder - a pinch,
Juice of 1 lemon,
Chopped pistachios - 1 tablespoon,
Saffron stands - few.



Method:
Grease a plate with ghee and set aside.
Boil 1 liter of milk, continuously stirring, once it boils, keep adding the lemon juice, until the milk curdles and whey separates from water.
Alternatively you can use yogurt or vinegar to curdle the milk.
Pour this curdled milk on a cheese cloth and add 10-15 Ice cubes to cool it.
After few minutes wash this paneer in running cold water to remove any sourness in the panner caused by lemon.
Drain the water very well, tie in a cheese/muslin cloth and hang it to drain water completely and keep aside.
In a thick bottomed pan, heat remaining 1 liter of milk and boil by constantly stirring, until it is reduced to half its original quantity, that is milk is reduced to 1/2 liter.
I literally measured  and then proceeded further.
Once the milk is reduced, add paneer and sugar and keep stirring in low flame.
After say 8-10 minutes the mixture starts to leave the sides of the pan, comes together like a mass.
Pour the mixture into the greased plate, and pat with back of spoon to smoothen the surface and even it.
Let it cool for sometime, until it is warm.
Sprinkle cardamom powder, saffron strands and pistachios.
Cut into squares and enjoy!!!

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