Crowd-Pleasing sweets made from milk to prepare on National Milk Day

National Milk Day deserves celebration with the best of dairy desserts to make the day even sweeter. So, we bring you a trio of crowd pleasers – cham cham, kheer, and Makhane ki Kheer, all of which are rich in cow milk and oh-so-delicious. If you are lactose intolerant you can make minor substitutions and try coconut milk instead of cow milk.

1. Cham Cham

(Serves 8)

To make chenna

• 1 liter milk
• 15-30 ml lemon juice (diluted with 20 ml water)

For the sugar syrup:

• 315 gm sugar
• 780 ml water
• ¼ tsp cardamom powder or elaichi or rose water

For garnishing:

• 60 gm desiccated coconut
• 60 gm milk solids – mawa or khoya
• 15 gm sugar (powdered, adjust to suit your taste)
• 60 gm pistachios chopped finely

Instructions

1. Pour the milk into a heavy-bottomed pot and heat on medium flame bringing it to a boil.
2. Keep stirring continuously, and add the diluted lemon juice a little at a time as the milk starts to split into chenna and whey. Keep at it until completely curdled; you may not need all of it.
3. Immediately add several ice cubes to stop the curdling process, then line a colander with muslin cloth and pour the curdled mixture through it.
4. Rinse the chenna under cool running water to remove the lemon flavor.
5. Then gather the muslin cloth edges and squeeze firmly to remove excess water. Tie and hang it for 45 minutes to drain completely.
6. Transfer the chenna to a clean surface and knead for 3-4 minutes until it becomes smooth.
7. Divide and shape into 8-10 uniform oval-shaped balls, ensuring no cracks
8. In a wide pan, combine sugar and water for the syrup, and bring to a steady boil. Add cardamom powder or rose water to the boiling syrup.
9. Carefully slide the chenna balls into the boiling syrup, then cover and cook on medium heat for 8-9 minutes.
10. Transfer the cham cham carefully to a plate and let them cool completely. Then make a lengthwise slit in each piece, being careful not to cut all the way through. Set aside.
11. Mix mawa and powdered sugar until well combined for the stuffing and fill each slit generously with the mawa mixture.
12. Sprinkle chopped pistachios over the exposed stuffing, then proceed to roll each stuffed cham cham in desiccated coconut coated well.
13. Refrigerate before serving, for the best taste.

2. Rabri

(Serves 5)

Ingredients

• 1 liter full cream milk
• 60 gm sugar
• ½ tsp cardamom powder
• 30 ml saffron milk
• 35 gm pistachios, chopped
• 25 gm almonds, chopped
• 50 gm cashews, chopped

Instructions

1. In a large, heavy-bottom saucepan, bring the milk to a boil over medium heat and stir regularly to prevent the milk from burning.
2. Keep pushing the thick cream layer on top, to the sides of the pan using a spatula.
3. Continue cooking, and let another layer of cream form and push it to the side again.
4. Keep heat consistent, continue this layering process at least five times, and let the milk reduce to one-third of the original volume.
5. Add sugar and stir to dissolve, then mix in the cardamom powder. Pour in saffron milk, stirring to distribute it.
6. Let it boil one final time. Then carefully scrape all the collected cream from the sides.
7. Add the cream to the thickened milk, turn off the heat, and move to a serving bowl.
8. Let the rabri cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally and just before serving, mix in the chopped nuts and serve hot or chilled.

3. Makhane ki Kheer

(Serves 6)

Ingredients

• 375 gm makhana
• 1.4-liter whole milk
• 9-12 green cardamom, husked and powdered
• 75-90 gm cashews or 50-60 gm almonds – blanched and sliced
• 45 ml golden raisins
• 165-180 gm sugar, as required
• 3 pinch saffron
• 90-135 ml ghee

Instructions

1. Heat ghee in a large kadhai over a low flame, then add the makhana and cashews. Roast on low heat, stirring constantly until the makahana is crisp and cashews golden brown.
2. Remove from heat and separate cashews from makhana, set both aside.
3. In the same kadhai, pour milk and heat on medium-low flame, stirring often to prevent scorching or skin formation.
4. While the milk heats, take roasted makhana except 80 gm (⅓ cup) and transfer to a grinder.
5. Add the cardamom seeds from 4 pods and a pinch of saffron to the grinder and grind into a fine powder.
6. Once milk comes to a full boil, add sugar and stir until dissolved. Then add the ground makhana powder, and stir to prevent lumps. Add the reserved whole makhana pieces.
7. Reduce heat to a low and simmer, stirring often. Cook for 9-10 minutes, until the makhana softens and the milk thickens. Make sure to scrape the sides of the pan.
8. Add the roasted cashews and raisins, and mix. Then simmer for one more minute to blend.
9. Check the kheer’s consistency, it should be thick but still flowing. Then turn off the heat and it rest for five minutes.
10. Serve hot, warm, or chilled.