Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Malai Chomchom


  
I have a very popular Bengali mishti recipe today. A sweet that’s not as famous as its counterpart Rasomalai but tastes equally good. This sweet is our household favourite for its melting in the mouth texture and mild sweetness.  If you just let go of the thought of calories and fat, trust me it gives you an heavenly feeling. Put this in your mouth, close your eyes and forget everything else. Just enjoy how sweet life is.

Chomchom or chum chum in itself is a popular variety of mishti. Its almost like rasgulla but the shape and the sugar syrup consistency are different. malai chomchom is the softer version of chomchom, soaked in thickened milk and served with sweetend malai or fresh milk cream (dudhe’r sor). Here I made the version that we get in Kolkata’r mishti’r dokan (sweet shops). You can try out any version of it with chopped pista or saffron starnds. I sticked to the local favourite green cardamom flavour.

I used to make a lot of sweets when I was in bangalore. Made almost all kinds of Bengali mishtis like sandesh, chanar jilipi, chana pora, kamola bhog, chom chom etc. its another point that they never got their time of glory and made it to the blog. Mostly all were made for parties and the cooking always made me tired to take any picture.

There is no point making mishtis at home when you stay in Kolkata. Even I dint try making them ever since I shifted base last year. but by mistake the dudhwala (milkman) delievered 4 packets of full fat milk at our door last week. I dint want to make payes so thought of making mishti. I actually need a good reason to start making some dessert, there is something about making sweets and desserts at home which certainly gives me a high. So made malai chom chom after almost 2 years.

It’s a bit lengthy process but the end result is gorgeous. If you like Bengali mishti then you should give it a try or visit some Bengali sweet shop in your locality to understand what I meant by heavenly taste.

Malai chomchom
(makes 12-14 pieces)

Ingredients:
Full fat milk: 1.5 liters + 2 cups (please use full fat milk as it provides the soft cheesy texture)
Flour: 1 tsp
Lemon juice: 1 tbsp
Sugar: 1 cup
Water: 3 cups
Condensed milk: 1/3 cup (Milkmaid)
Khoya: 1 tbsp + 1/2 tbsp (grated) or use milk powder
Green cardamom: 2 pieces

Method:
Boil 11/2 liter milk in a heavy bottom sauce pan. Once it comes to a rolling boil add the lemon juice. Stir and decrease the flame. Once you see the clear whey getting separated cover, switch off the gas and let it stand for 2-3 minutes.

Line a colander with cheese or muslin cloth. Pour the cheese in it. Wash this under running water to get rid of the lemony smell. Tie in a neat parcel and hang. Let the whey drain out for 30 minutes. Then place this on an inverted plate and press with another plate. Put some weight over it to drain the remaining whey. Keep it for 20 minutes.

Now take this and the flour in a big plate and start kneading it. Gently press and spread it on the plate with the heel of your palm. Do this for 4-5 minutes or till a smooth dough is formed. Make 12-14 balls out of it. Roll between your palm to make the outer surface smooth. Press and give it an oblong shape. Generally the two ends are little pointy. You can even make rounds and press them.

Boil the water and the sugar in a wide pressure cooker. Once they come to a rolling boil place the chomchoms very carefully. Attach the lid and cook on medium till two wshistles. Let the steam dissipate naturally. Open and carefully take them out one by one.

OR to cook the chomchom in a big pan bring the sugar syrup to a rolling boil. carefully put the chomchoms in. let it simmer on medium heat till they are cooked. once the chomchom are done they will float on the surface of the syrup; approx. 12-15 minutes depending on the size.

While the chomchom are cooking start heating the remaining 2 cups milk. While the milk is boiling a skin will start forming on the top. With a fork carefully take this out and place in a small bowl. Do this 8-10 times. It sounds like a lot of work but its not. Keep the heat on medium and Just don’t stir the milk too much, the skin will form automatically. Once the malai cools down beta it with a fork and half of the grated khoya. Keep aside.

Once you have collected enough malai add the milkmaid to it. And thicken it till its half of its original quantity. Mix in the powdered green cardamom.

Now heat 2 tbsp of the milk with the malai mixture. Cook for a couple of minutes till its spreadable. Keep aside.

Place the chomchom (still warm) on a wide and shallow bowl. Pour the thickened milk. Make sure every piece is coated with the milk. Let it cool down.

Spread each piece with the malai mixture and sprinkle little grated khoya on top. Serve cold.

A Homemaker’s notes:
This is a very delicate sweet. Do not try to store it for more than 2-3 days.

If making malai seems tedious just make a thick paste of powdered milk or khoya with milkmaid and apply.

You can also decorate it with chopped nuts, clotted cream and even pipe designs on top with thick mousse like almond and cream puree. Some shops do this here. Am yet to figure out the mousse recipe though.

Events: 

Tags:
mishti recipe, chom chom recipe, chumchum, chum chum, chomchom, bengali mishti recipe, mishti doi, other than mishti doi, malai recipe, how to make malai chumchum, malai chomchom recipe, authentic malai chum chum, chomchom, kolkata sweet shop recipe, traditional bengali sweet recipe, bengali dessert, chena, chana recipe, chena mishti, mithai recipe, celebration sweets recipe, sweet bengal recipe, kolkata special sweet recipe, kolkata mishti recipes,

44 comments:

  1. Beautiful pictures. Loved your platter too.
    This is a favorite mithai, I remember a sandwich chamcham too. Home made is always so much better than the mithai shops.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks Sangeeta. saw the sandwiched version on Tarla dala's page. we generally dont get to see it locally here.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Interesting recipe!! mlonouse

    ReplyDelete
  4. uff darun hoyeche. Oi malai bar korar part ta ektu time lagbe mone hoy, kintu shortcut e korle ki ar eirokom swargiya mishti hobe

    ReplyDelete
  5. Uff darun hoyeche, ekdom swargiyo mishti. ager comment kothay gelo ke jane

    ReplyDelete
  6. Kudos to you Saya..irrisitible sweet...I must try very soon :-)

    ReplyDelete
  7. ohhh love chom choms. This looks too good. Thanks for sharing the recipe :)

    ReplyDelete
  8. Hey! i just loved your blog, lovely picture, amazing recipes, such a thoroughly professional job. i am so completely impressed!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Is there any way I can skip that pressure cooker step and do it in a tumbler or saucepan?

    ReplyDelete
  10. Malai chomchoms look super yummy..would love to try it some time..Love the clicks..

    ReplyDelete
  11. Wow!! cant stop my mouth watering... looks really awesome

    I blog @ Manidipa's Kitchen

    ReplyDelete
  12. @Sudeshna, Have updated the post on how to cook the chomchom without the cooker. just rasogollar moto baro kono vessel e cook kore nio.

    ReplyDelete
  13. That sweet looks incredible...looks very very delicious and neatly described procedure..

    ReplyDelete
  14. wow! gorgeous very tempting to have now.. nice picture presentation..
    VIRUNTHU UNNA VAANGA

    ReplyDelete
  15. awesome malai chumchum...very tempting clicks...my favorite mithai..yummy

    ReplyDelete
  16. Am an ardent fan of bengali sweets, wish to have some chomchom anytime.

    ReplyDelete
  17. darun hoyeche malai chomchom; bookmarked and will try it, however the malai segregation part is bit tedious, but will follow ur recipe to T, now looking forward to komala bhog !

    ReplyDelete
  18. Nice post. new to me. looks yummy,,

    ReplyDelete
  19. I believe these are the same old Chum-Chums as we all know about it. Mouthwatering clicks

    ReplyDelete
  20. I love chomchom. The syrup dripping as you bite into it. Messy but yummy

    ReplyDelete
  21. tumi je ki kaajer mey bolar nei...Kolkata theke-o misti banao...tobe barir mistir kono tulonai nei...Darun bepar go

    ReplyDelete
  22. cham cham is always my favorite. Your picture makes me crave. Looks so spongy and delicious.

    ReplyDelete
  23. i'd love to try these. thanks for sharing!

    ReplyDelete
  24. Lovely pictures, mouthwatering..

    ReplyDelete
  25. Inviting dish, looks so yummy.

    ReplyDelete
  26. so wonderful... love it!
    I have eaten loads of it back home, yours looks so good. tempts me to try it!

    ReplyDelete
  27. Oh..yummity-yum! Long time I made Cham-cham..

    ReplyDelete
  28. Chanced upon your site - definitely going to subscribe on facebook. Quick question - is Milkmaid used in this recipe condensed milk? Thanks and keep up this great work!

    ReplyDelete
  29. Reminds me of thetime when as kids we used to visit the only bengali sweets shop and stuff ourselves with all these beautiful sweets and cham cham was my favourite. Drooling over your pics.

    ReplyDelete
  30. @Jayati, yes its Milkmaid. have updated the post too.

    ReplyDelete
  31. wow this looks si yummy, reminds me of rasmalai..
    hey you sure can share the rakhis on fb..its all my pleasure :) I was tryng to add ypu on fb the other day, but I could not figure out your profile..can you send me a request @ lavina agarwal
    love

    ReplyDelete
  32. Omg, this is so impressive! Love this dessert and I love the way you have shown it.

    ReplyDelete
  33. chomchom luks delicious.. Luvly click

    ReplyDelete
  34. Wow..malai chomchom gulo dekhei khete ichha korchhe. Darunn hoyechhe...

    ReplyDelete
  35. Eta sotti ashadharon hoyechee...ekta chobi ami Pinterest ee share korlam tomar link diye :-)

    ReplyDelete
  36. I love bengali sweets. Ever since I have shifted to this part of the world, i have started making them at home (as we don't get indian sweets here)

    I have made rasgullas before but never tried making chamcham. Will try it out as time permits.

    Thanks for sharing this chamcham recipe.

    ReplyDelete