Mango Kalakand is an Indian sweet made with milk and fresh mango puree. It's lightly sweetened and a great way to use sweet summer mangoes.

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: 15 minutes
  • Cook time: 25 minutes
  • Total time: 60 minutes
  • Yield: 16 pieces
  • Category: Dessert, Indian Sweet
  • Cuisine: Indian

Ingredients

  • 2 liters whole milk (8 cups)
  • 3 tablespoons white vinegar (45 ml)
  • 1 cup mango puree (fresh, from 2 large alphonso mangoes)
  • 3/4-1 cup condensed milk (adjust to taste, depending on how sweet the mangoes are)
  • 1/8 teaspoon cardamom powder (optional)

Method

  1. Add 2 liters of whole milk to a heavy bottom pan on medium heat. Let it come to a boil, this will take around 15 minutes, stir often in between so that the milk doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan. Once it comes to a boil turn off the heat.
  2. Add 3 tablespoons of vinegar, one tablespoon at a time, and stir after each addition. You will notice the milk curdling and after a point, you will see it separated. If it doesn't curdle even after adding 3 tablespoons vinegar, you can add another tablespoon.
  3. Remove pan from heat. Line a strainer with cheesecloth and pour the curdled milk over it. The solids are what we call chena. Wash the chena with fresh water to remove the vinegar taste and smell.
  4. Bring the ends of the cheesecloth together and squeeze water from the chena. Remember to not squeeze too much water also else kalakand can become dry but do squeeze water well. Tie the ends of the cheesecloth together and then let the chena hang for around 20 minutes. I tied it to my sink tap. Meanwhile, line a 8 x 8-inch square pan with aluminum foil and lightly grease it with ghee or oil.
  5. After 20 minutes are up, untie the cheesecloth. Add the chena to a wide pan along with 1 cup mango puree and 3/4 to 1 cup condensed milk. Turn on the heat to medium and stir until it is all well combined.
  6. Once everything is well combined, turn the heat to low-medium and start stirring the mixture. It will start becoming thick and leaving the sides of the pan. When done, it comes together as a ball and becomes non-sticky and for me, it took around 25 minutes to reach this point on low heat. It can take you more or less depending on the intensity of the heat and the thickness of the pan. One way I like to test whether it has reached the right consistency or not is by pressing a clean spatula over the mixture. If nothing sticks to it, then it's perfect and has reached the right stage to set. You don't want to overcook also else the kalakand can turn chewy.
  7. At this point, turn off the heat and add a little bit of cardamom powder to it (if using). Mix well.
  8. Pour the mixture over the prepared pan. Using a spatula, spread it evenly, pressing it down as you spread. Sprinkle some finely chopped pistachios on top if you want. Let it set in the refrigerator for a minimum of 3 hours. Then cut into pieces and enjoy.

Kiyaan Singh’s Kitchen Note

Keep this recipe as a working base: cook once as written, then adjust spice, texture, and serving style for your own table.