In my childhood days, during the evening time, whenever dad and I are to some restaurants, the first thing we order is ‘Paal Halwa’ (Milk fudge). I’m talking about Milk Halwa, especially from Madurai ‘DelhiWala’ Sweets. When it comes to the quantity and cost of this paal halwa, they’re totally contrary. So we’ll order just a few grams of this milk sweet and enjoy it in the restaurant. When our family is to some restaurants for lunch, after the meal, dad and I order for ‘Paal Pasandhi’ (Layers of thick milk-solids soaked in sweetened condensed milk). Whenever my aunt visits us, she gets ‘Milk Cakes’ from this shop in Trichy – ‘Archana Sweets’. When this box of milk-cake is opened, we pick the cakes like hungry crows emptying the whole box. Whenever Jeevs visits Srivilliputtur he gets a big parcel of fresh Paal kowa (Sweetened milk khoya). Okay, what I wanted to confer in this paragraph is that – we are a big BiG fan of any sweet made of condensed or solidified milk, because we’re Deshis :)
If one starts to list down the Indian sweets made of milk, am sure they’ll sit typing the list for hours. So many varieties of desserts (which can even make a serial killer to surrender) are made using dairy products in India. Be it the Rasagullas that are sandwiched between sweetened khoya or the Jamuns which hide thick-sweet-mawa inside their dark glamorous body… when I see these guys showcased in any sweet shop I literally drool. All these milk sweets and desserts, why even many Indian curries which are rich and creamy are made by adding this milk product – Khoya/Mawa (Kova in Tamil language) - formed by condensing milk to certain consistency depending on the recipe to be made.
Recipe for this Khoya/Mawa is just a one liner – ‘Heat milk, stirring often until they become thick’. But you guys know that I do not know to write any recipe crisply. I add details after details even for the simplest of recipes and make them sound like a ‘Juggernaut’. I think I won’t be able to change this (good? bad?) habit of mine. The khoya recipe which I’ve written here is more of a firmer khoya. That means… be ready to make Khoya Jamuns with me.
[Click each image to view an enlarge picture]
Step 1. Take the 5 cups of milk in a heavy bottomed wide mouthed vessel. In Medium-High heat bring it to boil (Takes 10 minutes) [Stay near the stove and be watchful if you work with medium-high heat. If you have a non-stick vessel you can use since milk will scorch in later stages of cooking.]
Step 2. Once the milk boils, reduce flame to Medium-Low. Scrap the sides of the vessel and stir the content from time to time.
Step 3. In next 20 minutes, the milk reduces to half (you see in the picture below?). Remember to stir and scrap the dried milk from time to time.
Step 4. In next 15-20 minutes, the milk again halves changing into a pale yellow color. Take extra care from this stage since the milk tends to burn/scorch very fast if you’re careless watching it. So stir and scrap the milk solids very frequently. In this stage most of the water vaporizes from the milk turning it into a thick consistency with a granular texture (as shown in the picture to your Right). [If you wish to make paal kova, add 2 tbsp. sugar and 1/8 tsp. cardamom powder in this stage and mix well and continue with Step. 5]
Step 5. In next 10 minutes, the milk starts to solidify. Turn flame to Low since the solidifying milk can quickly get burnt if overlooked. Do not forget about stirring frequently.
Solidifying milk – close-up shot.
Step 6. In next 10 minutes the color of the milk changes to creamy yellow and thickens more. [Be watchful. Stir. As milk gets firmer and firmer it might burn quickly if you do not stir frequently] 
Step 7. In next 5-10 minutes, almost all of the water content evaporates from the milk and solidifies the milk completely. Now, when you stir, the content stir together firmly into a single mass. Switch off the stove. Bring it to room temperature. Fresh, Homemade Indian Khoya/Koa is now ready! Khoya/Mawa thickens more when it reaches room temperature (Takes around 15-20 minutes). Transfer the khoya into a dry container. Close it and refrigerate the koya if not using immediately.
Guys, would you mind sharing the recipe?
3Ts [Tips | Tricks | Tactics and Secrets] behind Indian desserts and Curries
- When it comes to making Khoya/Mawa, your presence and frequent stirring is the tip. If you forget about them, the khoya which has to be beautifully colored in creamy yellow might turn brown and burnt leaving ugly smoky smell to your milk solids. Take care.
- Another main factor to make khova successfully is preparing it in a heavy bottomed vessel. Thin vessels will burn the milk solids very quickly.
- Khoya/Khoa is the secret behind many Indian desserts and sweets. It also is the factor to bring in the rich and creamy texture for some curries. However the Khoa consistency will differ based on each variety of sweet/dessert/curry. [CookingJingalala will bring you many of such curries and desserts in the upcoming recipe posts.] My Khoya recipe is more of a firm consistency.
- 5 cups of whole milk yielded 200 grams of khoya/Khoa for me. I refrigerated my khoya after bringing it to room temperature. [Picture below is scooped milk solids (khoya/Khoa) from refrigerator]. Soften the khoya before using it in any recipe.
[Yeah, I got this cute kitchen scale, so that I can give you the right measurements for each recipe
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As I was composing this post I remembered how I used to intentionally forget about the boiling milk on the stove during my childhood days. Meet the pot of boiling milk after half-an hour, you get yellow tinged thick condensed milk. Compensate the loss of milk by adding sugar, then spoon it and enjoy. Yummmmm!!!
Mind to STUMBLE?
Khoya(Mawa-Milk Solids) Recipe
- PREP TIME: 15 min
- COOK TIME: 1 h 30 min
- TOTAL TIME: 1 h 45 min
- DIFFICULTY: easy
- RECIPE TYPE: Basis for Dessert or Curry
Ingredients:
- 5 cups – Milk [1 ltr approx] (I used whole milk)
Mangala from Cooking.Jingalala.Org Eat Well !
