Kalakand
Soft, slightly grainy milk cake made from fresh homemade chenna and condensed milk, scented with cardamom and topped with pistachios. A simple mithai for Eid, weddings or a sweet craving.
Published 1 Oct 2026Tested by Hina Ikram
Ingredients
Equipment: Heavy non-stick pan, muslin cloth, sieve, 15 cm square tray or dish, wooden spatula
Method
Bring the milk to a boil in a large heavy pot over medium heat, stirring now and then so it does not catch on the base.
Turn the heat to low and add the lemon juice a tablespoon at a time, stirring gently. The milk should split into white curds and pale yellow whey within a minute or two. Switch off the heat.
Line a sieve with a clean muslin cloth and pour in the curds. Rinse them under cold running water for about 30 seconds to remove the lemon taste.
Gather the cloth, squeeze out the water and hang or leave the bundle to drain until the chenna is moist but crumbly, not dripping.
Crumble the chenna into a bowl with your fingers until no large lumps remain. You should have about 300 g.
Melt the ghee in a heavy non-stick pan over medium-low heat. Add the chenna, condensed milk and milk powder and stir well.
Cook, stirring and scraping constantly, until the mixture thickens, turns a light creamy beige and starts to leave the sides of the pan as one soft mass. Stir in the cardamom and saffron milk, if using.
Spread the mixture into a greased tray in an even layer about 2 cm thick. Press the top flat with the back of a greased spoon and scatter over the pistachios, pressing them in lightly.
Leave to cool at room temperature for 1 hour, then chill for at least 1 hour until firm. Cut into 12 squares or diamonds with a sharp knife.
Cooking tips
- Add the lemon juice slowly and stop once the whey turns clear and yellowish; too much acid gives a sour chenna.
- Do not squeeze the chenna bone dry. A little moisture gives a soft, slightly grainy texture.
- Keep the heat low and stir constantly in the last few minutes, as the mixture can scorch quickly once thick.
- For a deeper, golden colour, cook a couple of extra minutes, but stop before it turns dry and crumbly.
Substitutions
- Use 300 g grated fresh paneer instead of making chenna from milk.
- Replace lemon juice with 2 tbsp white vinegar or 3 tbsp thick yogurt to curdle the milk.
- Use sliced almonds or a few drops of kewra water in place of pistachios and saffron.
- If you have no milk powder, leave it out and cook 2 minutes longer.
Serve with
Serve at room temperature or lightly chilled with hot doodh patti chai or kahwa. It also works well on a mithai platter beside other sweets for Eid or guests.
Storage
Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days, with baking paper between layers.
Reheating
No reheating needed. Take pieces out of the fridge 15 minutes before serving so they soften slightly.
Nutrition per serving, estimated
Not shown for this recipe because it can’t be estimated reliably (for example, oil absorbed during deep frying varies a lot).
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