Chanar Payesh (Bengali style cottage cheese milk pudding )
Chanar Payesh. Milk lovingly cooked till significantly reduced. A crumble of fresh chana . An indulgent throw of nuts. Food heaven !!!
Ingredients
- 2.5 lit full milk
- 1/2 tbsp vinegar
- 1/2 tbsp water
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp rose water
- 1/4 tsp green cardamom powder
Instructions
- Mix vinegar and water in a bowl.
- Boil 1/2 litre of milk. As it comes to a boil, switch off the flame. Add vinegar and keep stirring gently till the milk curdles.
- Line a big bowl with muslin cloth or cheesecloth. Drain the chana and whey mixture through it. Strain the whey and wash the chana with cold water 2-3 times to remove the vinegary smell.
- Tie the chana in the muslin cloth and hang till all the water has drained for 45 minutes.
- Take out the chana in a bowl and crumble and lightly mash it using your fingers.
- Boil the rest of the milk in a thick bottomed pan. Add the elaichi powder and let the milk simmer on low heat till reduced to almost one third.
- Throw in the mashed chana and sugar, give it a hearty stir and let it simmer over low flame for another 15-20 minutes till it thickens a bit. If you like it sweeter, feel free to indulge - add some more sugar !!
- Take off the heat. Add the rose water and allow to cool. The Chanar payesh is ready to serve.