Kalakand: 2 easy recipes

Being a Bengali I can easily tell how our weakness for food, especially sweets can takeover our lives over anything. There is no credit for assuming why Bengalis are very often identified with food, spices and of course sweets. But Don't get confused with the type of sweets we love, it's mostly Roshogolla, Sandesh, Kalakand, Chom-chom, Pantua (not Gulab-jamun), Rasomalai, and the list goes on forever :D

Recipe for Roshogolla is attached in the link below:

https://spicesoflives.blogspot.com/2015/02/roshogolla-or-rasgulla.html


The primary ingredient for making Kalakand is khoya/paneer/cottage cheese/chhana. You can use store bought cottage cheese or khoya but I consider the homemade chhana is preferable as I have tried both. As per my explanation, the texture and taste of Kalakand made from homemade chhana cannot be compared with the readymade cottage cheese.

Although you are always welcome to try out if running late with guests coming over, and it will turn out pretty good. But you must try making Kalakand with chhana and that's when you will discover and magic and the heavenly taste.

Today I am going to provide my viewers both the recipes. For beginners, as in who have just started entering the kitchen and find everything super difficult :), cottage cheese or store bought paneer will be better. But for pro and who love doing experiments and keep the excitement on, homemade chhana will definitely work best.

Recipe 1: 

Ingredients:
1. Ricotta cheese or any kind of cottage cheese or khoya (from Indian Grocery Store): 500 gms
2. Sweetened Condensed Milk: 1 can/14 oz
3. Cardamom powder
4. Almond-pistachios or few strands of saffron for decoration

Preparation:
1. Take a mixing bowl and put together first three ingredients. Mix very well with a spoon evenly.
2. Take heavy bottom steel or non-stick pan. Heat it on medium flame and pour the sweet mixture. Now keep stirring frequently on medium to low flame, so that it won't stick at the bottom.
3. Keep stirring for 8-10 minutes or till the mixture comes together in a lump and comes out of the sides.
4. Grease a tray with ghee or butter and pour the mixture. Spread it evenly along the sides and the top part of course. Sprinkle chopped nuts or saffron strands or simply some cardamom powder (basically any flavor of your choice) and keep it in the room temperature for about an hour.

5. Cut into square pieces and enjoy the sweet creamy Kalakand. You can refrigerate and use for next 4-5 days.

Recipe 2:

Ingredients:
1. Whole Milk: 2 liters
2. 1 lemon or Vinegar half cup (for curdling the milk and making chhana)
3. Sugar (powdered): 3/4th cup (you can add less or more as per your sweet preference)
4. Cardamom powder
5. Almond-pistachios or few strands of saffron for decoration
6. Rose water (optional)

Preparation:
1. Boil the milk in medium heat. For curdling the milk you can either use juice of a whole lemon or half cup vinegar. Add slowly once the milk start bubbling and stir continuously.
2. Within few minutes the milk will separate from water and switch off the flame at this point. Wait for another couple of minutes and you can see the chhana will separate and whey comes in.
3. Strain the chhana in a cheese-cloth and squeeze out water as much as possible. Hang the cheesecloth for 45 minutes to strain any excess water.
4. Now take the chhana and put it in a heavy bottom pan. Cook the mixture for 7-8 minutes and add sugar, cardamom powder or rosewater if you want.
5. Cook for another 2 minutes till it comes together in a lump. Grease a tray with ghee or butter and pour the mixture in it. Sprinkle chopped nuts or saffron strands or simply some cardamom powder (basically any flavor of your choice) and keep it in the room temperature for about an hour.
6. Cut into square pieces and enjoy the sweet creamy Kalakand. You can refrigerate and use for next 4-5 days.