READY IN 1 hr
15 mins

Kalakand

Recipe by Mamtha Sunil Kumar

Kalakand (sometimes known as Qalaqand) is one of the most famous sweets for lord Krishna. He has great reverence amongst Hindu devotees in India. On the occasion of Janmashtami (Lord Krishna's birthday), the devotees prepare sweets and dairy items, because Lord Krishna was very fond of dairy products. Apart from the gods relishing it, this is a great recipe for a lovely dessert after a spicy Indian dish. It is made of solidified, sweetened milk and cottage cheese, so is not, perhaps, ideal for the calorie conscious!

Preparation Time: 45 Minutes

Cooking Time: 30 Minutes

Ingredients for Kalakand

If you are not familiar with any ingredients, please check our International Cooking Terms page.

Currently displaying quantities in US Imperial Measurements

to serve 6:

4¼ pints

milk

½ teaspoon

lemon juice

4 fl oz

water

5 oz

sugar

chopped nuts (to decorate)

How to Cook Kalakand

Heat half the milk (1¾ pints - 1 litre) in a pan and bring it to a gentle boil over a medium heat. Remove from the heat, stir the lemon juice into 4 fl oz (120ml) of water and add to the milk then stir slowly and gently until white curd forms on the surface and separates from whey.
Use a white muslin cloth to strain the milk. The solid remaining in the cloth (the curds) is called "chenna" (cottage cheese). Wash this cheese well under cold running water, then twist the cloth that was used for straining to extract as much water as possible.
Pour the remaining milk (1¾ pints - 1 litre) into a heavy pan and boil to reduce to half its volume (be sure to stir regularly since the milk can easily burn on the bottom of the pan). Add the chenna (cottage cheese) and continue to boil until the mixture thickens. Stir continuously for between 8 and 15 minutes until the mixture becomes like a soft dough, then stir in the sugar and continue to cook (stirring all the time) until the 'dough' stiffens into a soft lump that starts to separate from the sides of the pan.
Grease a plate with ghee (clarified butter or drawn butter) and spread the mixture to a depth of about ½" (1cm). Chill in the fridge for at least one hour, then cut into squares and garnish with chopped nuts. Serve as a dessert or just as a between-meal snack (if your waistline can handle it!).

MAMTHA SUNIL KUMAR'S HOT TIP:
Putting few spoons of water in the pan before adding the milk reduces the risk of burning the milk on the bottom of the pan. Also, if your Kalakand turns out too soft, cook it in a microwave oven for 2 to 3 minutes, making sure it doesn't become dry. Then chill again and serve.