Indian cuisine is known for its fiery and bold flavours with scrumptious curries, flatbreads and the different types of chai across the country. But not only, Indian cuisine also has a great repertoire of desserts that are countless with each of them providing a delightful experience. One of those is the creamy, fudgy and popular Kalakand.
Indian desserts boast a rich history with many of these sweets dating back years and there are also some desserts which weren't created in India for the first time but are now common staples such as Gulab Jamun, which was invented in Persia and then brought to medieval India.
Kalakand is a sweet Indian confection which is often enjoyed at festivals such as Diwali, Ganesh Chaturthi and Raksha Bandha. It is made from full-fat milk, cardamom powder and sugar. It is so popular in India that you are very unlikely to find a mithai shop without this dessert. It is a traditional sweet which is among the primary sweets in Diwali celebrations and boasts a rich history of its own.
History Of Kalakand
It is firmly believed that Kalakand was invented in the city of Alwar in Rajasthan. Baba Thakur Das is the person who gave us the famous Kalakand. Kalakand is also popularly known as Alwar Kalakand by the people of Rajasthan. The Rajasthanis take great pride in their Kalakand.
Traditionally, making kalakand is a labour-intensive process as authentically preparing it may take many hours. There's also regular stirring so brace yourself if you planning to make Kalakand, which is why many people don't usually choose to make Kalakand at home due to the rigorous process of turning milk into solids. But as time went on, several hacks or substitutes have surfaced such as using paneer instead to reduce the preparation time of Kalakand. Here's how you can make this dessert at home.
Kalakand Recipe
Ingredients:
- 2 cups grated paneer
- 1 cup sweetened condensed milk
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder
- Chopped nuts for garnish
Method:
- Begin the recipe by oiling a tray using butter or ghee.
- Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat and add the grated paneer and milk. 5-6 minutes, or until the mixture thickens.
- Incorporate the condensed milk into the mixture and stir until it is completely mixed.
- Let it cook the mixture on low heat. Make sure to stir continuously to prevent lumps. Keep doing this until the mixture thickens. This procedure can take up to 15-20 minutes.
- Later, add the cardamom powder and mix it thoroughly.
- Spread the mixture evenly onto the greased tray or pan. If desired, you can top it with chopped nuts.
- Allow to cool to room temperature before refrigerating for a couple of hours to set.
- Once it has hardened, cut it into desired shapes and serve.