Easy Kalakand Recipe

Recipe: Easy Kalakand Recipe

Easy Kalakand Recipe requires only three basic ingredients, milk, paneer and cardamom powder. Kalakand is a fudge like Indian sweet and is commonly made during festivals like Diwali, Raksha Bandhan, Ram Navmi, Janmashtami, etc.

Traditional Method Of Making Kalakand

The traditional method takes a long time to prepare kalakand. Full fat milk is cooked till it reduces to almost half the quantity. Then the strained chenna or paneer is added. This is further cooked till the mixture becomes like a paste. All this process requires constant stirring so that the kalakand does not stick and burn at the bottom of the pan. It should be almost ivory white in colour. Sugar is added and the mixture is continuously stirred till again it comes together as a thick paste. A bit of ghee is added and stirred to give it a glossy look. It is then allowed to set and cool in a tray.  Then the set mixture is cut into square pieces and served.

History Of Kalakand

It is believed that the pioneer of the traditional Alwar ka mawa or Alwar Milk Cake was Baba Thakur Das. Alwar, at the foothills of the Aravalli Ranges, Rajasthan was much greener than other surrounding areas and a milk rich area. Baba Thakur Dasji came to India from Pakistan during the partition in 1947. He was a halwai (sweet maker) in Pakistan and settled in Alwar. Also known as Kalakand, this sweet quickly became popular all over India.

 Quick Method Of Making Kalakand

Nowadays, if kalakand is made at home, sweetened condensed milk is used, considerably cutting down the cooking time. This fudgy sweet comes together in a matter of 15-20 minutes when cooked over low to medium heat. Also it requires 3 basic ingredients, soft crumbled paneer, sweetened condensed milk and cardamom powder. Nuts and saffron are add ons. If good fresh malai paneer is available in the market then I use that as it cuts down cooking time.

The first time I tried making kalakand was in April 2013 for Ram Navmi celebrations. I was amazed at how easy this recipe is. I made the paneer or chenna at home as the paneer I get in market in Mombasa is not the best.

Since then, I’ve made this quick method often. I also have made Chocolate Kalakand which my kids love. Ready made cottage cheese has the texture of soft paneer so I’ve also made Kalakand using cottage cheese in Canada.

Sharing This Recipe With Foodies_Redoing Old Posts

When I wrote the post way back on 21/04/2013, I had clicked only one image. Also the write up was not well structured. So redoing the old post but the recipe remains the same. Have also added a video for easy guidance.

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Ingredients Required For Easy Kalakand Recipe

Paneer

Make the paneer at home or buy ready made. If you use ready made paneer make sure it is soft, fresh and not smelling. Best to go for malai paneer. To make paneer at home, heat 3 litres of milk till it becomes hot. Add about 1-2 tbsp of lemon juice to it. Give it a gentle stir. Take the pan off the heat. Allow the mixture to rest for 5-10 minutes. The lemon juice will curdle the milk. Gently heat the milk again and the milk solids should clump up.

Drain the mixture through a muslin cloth that is draped over a colander to catch the curdled milk solids. Wash the milk solids gently under running water to remove the lemon juice. Squeeze gently. Cover the paneer or chenna with the cloth. Place something heavy on it like a mortar and pestle or a brick. This will help to remove the excess water or whey quickly. After 10-15 minutes check to see if the paneer is dryish. Crumble it up.

Sweetened Condensed Milk

Most sweetened condensed milk cans weigh about 397g. Use good quality milk. We will be using the whole can of sweetened condensed milk.

Cardamom Powder

Add according to your taste. Some like the flavour of cardamom, some don’t. We need about ½ -1 tsp of cardamom powder. Generally, if you crush fresh cardamom pods, then less is required. If you use ready made or stored cardamom powder you may require more.

Pistachio

I have used ready slivered pistachios. You can easily cut whole pistachios into slivers or slices with a sharp knife.

Almonds

Here too I have used ready slivered almonds. Cut the almonds into slices or slivers using a sharp knife. I find that a paring knife works well for this task.

Saffron

Optional. I like to add a few strands of saffron on top.

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