Kalakand

Made with milk and paneer, Kalakand is a creamy, refreshing, vastly popular dessert. With the aid of sugar, cardamom, and pistachios, the dish is complete. It requires constant stirring and attention, a true labour of love once ready.

The story goes that Baba Thakur Das, a confectioner from Rajasthan’s Alwar, invented the dessert in 1947. For this reason, it’s also called Alwar Kalakand, Alwar ka Mawa, or Alwar ka Milk Cake. Das’ shop, Baba Thakur Das & Sons, has been around since 1947. Das came to India from Pakistan post-Partition, and he probably made the dessert in Pakistan as well. Standing on the footpath, he would make the dessert. As the milk boiled, it would curdle, and he let it thicken, later filling it into a mould. When ready, it had a surprising brown middle. When people inquired about that, Das replied ‘yehi to kala hai’ (this is the skill) and it came to be known as Kalakand. Initially, people assumed that since he’s from Pakistan, the brown was probably from meat he inserted. But Das started making the dessert right in front of people, showing them how he only used milk and sugar. Others also learnt the recipe and started making it. Since the dish was only available there, as its popularity grew, the area came to be known as Kalakand Market.

Today, Das’ shop sells between 800 and 1,000 kilograms of Kalakand a day, using 4,000 kilograms of milk. And Alwar’s Kalakand industry has grown leaps and bounds, with over 200 shops selling Kalakand and over 5,000 people associated with it.