Kalakhand | Milk Sweet

This post is in my draft for a very long time back. Now only giving the new look for it. My hubby took my Camera and coz of that, digging  my draft for posting the recipe. This Kalakhand is one of my favorite recipe. Never have the patience to try it. But one fine day, finally tried and came out very good. The final product was bit sticky n watery, but when it cools, it became thick and taste is awesome. I cut down the time, by using condensed milk.

Ingredients

For making paneer

• Milk - 1 litre + 1/2 litre
• Lemon juice - 3 tsp

For Kalakhand

• Condensed milk - 1 can
• Saffron - few strands
• Cardamom - a pinch
• Sugar - if necessary
• Pistachios - few crushed
• Almonds - few crushed

Method

• Bring milk to boil and add lemon juice.

                        

• Milk curdles.
• Strain the curdled milk using a muslin cloth or cheese cloth with running water so as to remove the lemon smell and leave it for 1 to 2 hrs.

                       

• Crumble this paneer and keep aside.

• In a heavy bottomed non stick pan, add the 1/2 litre milk and condensed milk and bring to boil.

  

• When the milk slightly thickens, add the crumbled paneer to it and keep stirring in medium flame, as it may stick to the bottom. (At this stage, if sugar is needed, add sugar)

• When the mixture thickens a bit  more, add the cardamom and stir again, till slight golden colour texture forms.

• Now grease a plate and transfer the mixture and flatten it.

• Add the crushed nuts and saffron and press bit.

• Leave it for 20 to 30 minutes and cut into squares and serve.
• Delicious kalakhand is ready. 

Kaju Katli/Cashew Burfi

Kaju katli is my favorite dish. I planned to try it for a long time and one fine day, finally did it. It came out very good and it was completed on that day itself. This is very easy and just we need to stand on the stove side itself and have little concentration on the sugar consistency. Here goes the recipe.

Ingredients

• Cashews - 2 cups 
• Sugar - 1 cup
• Water - 1/2 cup ( Just to immerse the sugar )
• Ghee - 2 tsp for greasing
• Milk - 2 tsp ( + or - ) (optional)

Method

• Grind the cashews just to powder it. Do not over-grind, since the cashews may leave oil.

• In a wide non stick pan add sugar and add water just to immerse it.
• Keep the flame in medium or low to medium.

• When the sugar gets dissolved, check its consistency.
• When the sugar syrup comes to a single string consistency (when you take the sugar syrup in your four finger and thumb, it should form a single string). Now add the cashew powder and stir continuously.

• Now reduce the flame to low and and check a very little portion of cashew paste and try to make a small ball. If you can make it, then that is the right consistency and you can switch off the flame.

• Grease a plate with ghee and transfer the cashew paste content. 

• Just leave for 5 min or until you can bear the heat and you can start kneading the dough to make it smooth.

• If the mixture is dry, you can add a tsp of milk to make it pliable and smooth. 

• Now with the rolling pin or chapatti roller, roll it to a thin layer and cut it in to diamond shaped pieces.

• Kaju katli is ready to eat now.

• Store in a box and can keep in fridge for a week.
• If milk is added, self life is less than a week. So it is good to consume soon.