Kharvas

The very mention of Kharvas invokes a strong sense of nostalgia and refreshes childhood memory for me. This delicately flavored pudding, which is made in parts of Maharashtra and Karnataka out of cow/buffalo colostrum has always been a favorite for its silken texture and restrained sweetness. I remember a local milkman bringing fresh colostrum to our house every time his cows delivered a new calf, and mom would then make us this traditional dessert. Alas, we moved home later and fresh colostrum was hard to find ever after. We made peace with kharvas that was available at a nearby restaurant and at another sweet shop; but one could distinctly tell that it was not made of colostrum, it was mostly regular milk steamed with some gelling agent. I finally got lucky last weekend, when my father discovered that a local dairy sells colustrum on a few Sundays (depending on availability of course) and we then attempted to re-discover this lost childhood favorite of ours.

Ingredients:

125ml cow colostrum,

100ml full fat cow milk,

Sugar/jaggery to taste,

1/2 tsp powdered green cardamom (elaichi),

Saffron (a few strands).

Method:

1. Mix the cow colostrum and full fat milk in a flat utensil. Dissolve the sugar/jaggery into it.
2. Sprinkle the powdered green cardamom and saffron strands on top of this mixture.
3. Steam in a steamer/pressure cooker without the weight for 12-15 minutes on low heat.
4. Cut the steamed kharvas into cubes and serve either warm or chilled. I prefer to have it chilled.

 

 

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