ENJOY THE TASTE OF THIS INDIAN CHAM-CHAM WITH YOUR FAMILY.

Indian Cham-Cham

“These delightful desserts are occasionally called “Pleasure Boats” and folks use the name as a term of compliment for their loved ones! This is not astonishing because Cham-Chams are truly wonderful and very syrupy indeed. Cham-Cham is a classically Bengali (East Indian) sweet. This form is comparatively rapid to cook and is flavoured with rose water, saffron, and lemon or lime juice.”

Ingredients

4 cups water

2 to 3 tbsps lime/lemon juice

5 tsp flour

2 cups sugar

2-3 tbsps rose water or a few strands of saffron

5 drops of yellow food color (according to your preference)

2 liters full cream/ whole milk

Steps to Make It

Collect the ingredients.

Milk is boiled over a medium flame. It is stirred occasionally so ensure that it doesn’t burn. When the milk starts to boil, include the lime juice and stir well.

When curd starts separating from the milk, turn off the fire and leave the milk aside for 10 minutes to let the curdling process finish.

The cheese is strained and well washed under running water – to ensure that all the lime juice is removed from it.

Now put the cheese in a cheesecloth and hang for 1 hour to completely drain all the liquid from it.

the drained cheese is put into a mixing bowl and and  kneeding should be started by you. Keep on doing this until all the lumps are removed and the cheese is absolutely smooth. When this happens the cheese will begin to release its fat and your hands will feel greasy. The smoother you knead the cheese, the better the Cham-Chams. This is the time to add the yellow food color and mix well.

Now sprinkle the flour over the surface of the cheese and work it into the cheese to mix thoroughly.

the sugar and water are mixed in a pressure cooker and the mixture is brought to a boil (without covering the pressure cooker).

Make sure the cooker is large enough to accommodate the finished Cham-Chams, as they will expand to double their size while cooking in the syrup!

Till the time the sugar syrup is boiling, the dough is divided into small marble-sized balls and roll between your palms till smooth. Now gently press them into an oblong shape and then flatten a little.

Gently add the balls to the sugar syrup and cover the pressure cooker. Add the cooker weight and wait for the first whistle. Once the first whistle blows, wait another 8 to 10 minutes and then turn off the fire. Release the steam from the pressure cooker and allow the Cham-Chams to cool completely before touching them. They will have expanded to almost double their original size and will be delicate when hot.

When cool, transfer the rose water or saffron syrup (made by soaking the saffron strands in a little warm water) on the Cham-Chams and chill for a few hours. When chilled, remove the Cham-Chams from the syrup and arrange on a platter.

Whisk the fresh cream until dense and cottony. Fill into an icing bag and pipe a swirl out (with a thick nozzle) onto each Cham-Cham.

Relish with slivers of your favourite dried fruit and serve.