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With the Govardhan Puja around, the first foods that come to mind are Indian malai or milk cream and makhan or butter. And their mentions pointed towards the Indian cuisine having an element of malai or makkhan. A further scratching below the surface led me towards Makhan Malai, also known as Nimish, Malai Makkhan, or Malaiyo. It is a wintertime frothy and foamy treat made from milk cream. The texture has a similarity with whipped cream. The cities of Kanpur, Varanasi, and Lucknow are among those in Uttar Pradesh, where this dessert is popularised. This exotic culinary fare is an intriguing demonstration of how fragile dew drops play a substantial role in this forgotten dish.
Its recipe is a tedious method. The preparation of the dessert takes eight hours. The process begins the day prior by boiling the cow milk in a huge pot and keeping it on a slow cooking process over a chullah or clay oven. A good amount of fresh cream goes into the milk and is boiled once again. Then it's left to cool down naturally and hang under the open evening sky. It remains in this state for five to seven hours. It is possibly the most essential stage when the milk is exposed to dew, and nature adds its essence to this unique dessert. Since butter gets dissolved in heat, it's the only reason Malaiyo cannot be prepared during the summer. The dew-exposed mixture is stirred once more for a couple of hours during dawn. After that, sugar is added, and Nimish gets ready to devour.
Nimish of Varanasi, Image Source: sunnysidecircus
A few believe that it originated in Mathura. It subsequently travelled to Lucknow and was presented to the Nawabs, who were very fond of it. The seasonal sweet delicacy covered with a top layer of pistachio is well-known for being served in Banaras' serpentine alleyways. The extra saffron used in this city's malaiyyo or nimish suffuses a golden hue and sets it apart from other versions found in different parts of North India. One may get to taste this at Lanka Gate, BHU, Varanasi or Banaras.
Nimish of Lucknow, Image Source: Facebook
The Lucknowi variant dissolves in the mouth in a few seconds. This incredibly flavorful creamy treat is created by sweet makers using rich milk, dew drops, saffron, cardamom, pistachio, and rosewater. Every winter afternoon, the procedure begins with boiling the milk over a low fire. The milk is then mixed with fresh cream before being cooked once more. After the combination has completely cooled, it is let to hang in the night in the open area for nine hours to absorb all the essences. The concoction gets slightly frothy as the morning dew falls on it. As the final step, Makhan Malai is adorned with dry fruits and edible silver foil. During winter you may come across it at chowk, Lucknow.
