Uttarakhand's Bal Mithai for Fudgy Indulgence

This chocolate-fudge-like sweet from Uttarakhand is made from roasted khoya and topped with white sugar balls. A specialty from the hills of Kumaon, it has found its way into folklore, stories and literature. (Order it online).

Shriya Malhotra does a dive into the regional food practices in Uttarakhand including popular foods and sweets, and the use of local, wild, and foraged ingredients. Read more, here.

RECIPE FOR BAL MITHAI

Ingredients
2 kg khoya
4 tbsp ghee
500 g sugar
1 litre water

Method
Heat the ghee in a large, heavy-bottomed, non-stick pan or kadhai on a low, steady heat
Add in the khoya and stir continuously until it starts to caramelize and turn brown. 
In a separate pan, dissolve half of the sugar (250gms) in 1L of water till it reaches a boil, then remove it from the heat.
Add the sugar syrup and the remaining sugar to the browned khoya and ghee mix.
Cook it uncovered until it reaches a thick, fudge-like consistency. You can check by placing a spoonful onto a plate. If it hardens once cool, it is ready.
Pour the mixture into a greased baking tray and let it cool. Once it has solidified, cut it into rectangular pieces
Coat these pieces by rolling them onto a plate with two cups of sugar balls.

Substitute: You can use condensed milk from a can instead of khoya; reduce the sugar accordingly

Illustrations credit: Shriya Malhotra
Photo credit: Folk, Mumbai

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