Kalakand, or Qalaqand is a popular Indian sweet made out of solidified, sweetened milk and cottage cheese

Cottage cheese

Cottage cheese is a cheese curd product with a mild flavor. It is drained, but not pressed, so some whey remains and the individual curds remain loose. The curd is usually washed to remove acidity, giving sweet curd cheese. It is not aged or colored. Different styles of cottage cheese are made from...

. It owes it origin to the milk-rich Braj

Braj

Braj is a region mainly in Uttar Pradesh of India, around Mathura-Vrindavan. Braj, though never a clearly defined political region in India but is very well demarcated culturally, is considered to be the land of Krishna and is derived from the Sanskrit word vraja...

 area of western Uttar Pradesh

Uttar Pradesh

Uttar Pradesh abbreviation U.P. , is a state located in the northern part of India. With a population of over 200 million people, it is India's most populous state, as well as the world's most populous sub-national entity...

. It is a very popular sweetmeat in North and East India, including Jharkhand

Jharkhand

Jharkhand is a state in eastern India. It was carved out of the southern part of Bihar on 15 November 2000. Jharkhand shares its border with the states of Bihar to the north, Uttar Pradesh and Chhattisgarh to the west, Orissa to the south, and West Bengal to the east...

, Orissa

Orissa

Orissa , officially Odisha since Nov 2011, is a state of India, located on the east coast of India, by the Bay of Bengal. It is the modern name of the ancient nation of Kalinga, which was invaded by the Maurya Emperor Ashoka in 261 BC. The modern state of Orissa was established on 1 April...

 and Bengal

Bengal

Bengal is a historical and geographical region in the northeast region of the Indian Subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal. Today, it is mainly divided between the sovereign land of People's Republic of Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal, although some regions of the previous...

 and is reputed for its exquisite taste. The term qand in qalaqand is derived from the Arabic language and means sweets

SweetS

was a Japanese idol group. Put together through auditions, the group debuted in 2003 on the avex trax label. Although the group met minor success, they disbanded after three years with the release of a final single in June 2006....

. Another such example is Gulkand

Gulkand

Gulkand, or more correctly Gulqand , is a sweet preserve of rose petals from Pakistan and North India. Gul means flower in both Persian and Urdu whereas qand means sweet in Arabic.-Preparation:...

.

Ingredients

The following ingredients are used in the preparation of Kalakand:

• 2 litres milk
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup sugar (misri
  Misri
  Misri refers to crystallized sugar lumps, and type of confectionery mineral, which has its origins in India and Persia, also known as rock sugar elsewhere. It is used in India and Pakistan as a type of candy, or used to sweeten milk or tea.-Uses in Hindu ritual:In Hinduism, mishri may be offered...
  
   is also used sometimes)
• chopped nuts to decorate (pista, almonds)
• silver foil (optional)
• 1/2 tsp. citric acid
  Citric acid
  Citric acid is a weak organic acid. It is a natural preservative/conservative and is also used to add an acidic, or sour, taste to foods and soft drinks...
  
   dissolved in 1/2 cup water

Preparation method

• Boil half the milk. Add the citric solution as it comes to boil
• Switch off gas once the chenna (fresh, unripened curd cheese) settles down. Sieve through muslin cloth, press out excess water, take in a plate and press down. Note: Do not knead
• Put the remaining milk in a heavy pan and boil to half
• Add the chenna and boil till the mixture thickens. Stir continuously
• Add the sugar and continue to cook, stirring all the while till it softly thickens into a lump
• S