Sweet cardamom cheese bites by Indian cook Mallika Basu

Looking for a sweet snack? Try this Diwali favourite from Mallika Basu
Kalakand
Mallika Basu
Mallika Basu29 March 2017

Soft and spongy, Kalakand is a sweet treat from India that is a Diwali favourite. Made normally with paneer and condensed milk, it is laced with cardamom and topped with crushed pistachios, almonds and saffron threads.

I use a tub of ricotta in my version, which beats both having to grate store bought paneer and having to set your own Indian cheese at home. The slight negative is that you have to watch the dough as it dries, which takes 40 minutes.

If that sounds like far too much effort, stick it in the microwave in a deep dish for five minutes at a time, stirring in between, until the moisture evaporates.

Ingredients (Makes 10-12)

325gm Ricotta Cheese

400gm condensed milk

8 green cardamoms

8 pistachios and almonds

Two pinches saffron threads

Method

Mix the ricotta into the condensed milk in a heavy bottomed milk pan or saucepan. Then on a low medium heat cook the mixture stirring regularly for 40 minutes. Skin the cardamom and crush the seeds.

When you get dough that doesn’t spread when you pull it to one side of the pan, you’re done. Tip the mixture into one half of a square cake tin, crush and sprinkle the nuts on top and the saffron. Freeze until hard, then cut into squares and enjoy.

Mallika Basu is a London-based food writer, cookbook author and cookery personality; quickindiancooking.com. Follow her on Twitter @MallikaBasu_ and find more of her recipes for the Evening Standard here.

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