Palkova

       

           Palkova.... In tamil "Pal" means milk...Palkova is made by Simmering the milk for long till thicker consistency and adding sugar to it. I still remember in my childhood days whenever my mother and grandma plans to make Palkova all the kids eyes and mouth will be wide opened....My grandmother prepares Palkova with minimal of 5 lts milk for every occasions,she prepares it in firewood ( Viragu Aduppu),she is really great.Those days we kids used to just wait for the end product but did not know we need lots of patience to prepare it,its time consuming and painstaking also.... I prepared Palkova from fresh 1 ltr milk in traditinal way on stove top which consumed almost 1 hr 30 mins....But when I saw the outcome I was really happy and thanked god that I didn't spoil it .. :)

                           

Ingredients:

• Milk - 1 ltr full cream
• Sugar -1/4 cup 
• Nuts for garnishing (Optional)

Method:

• Boil milk in heavy bottomed vessel,allow it to boil till it reduces to half.Stir every now and then to avoid burning at the bottom.

          

• Keep the flame in low medium and keep stirring in between.Scrap the sides and mix well.
• Now it starts to thicken like condensed milk,stir it well.Scrap the sides and mix well.
• Now the milk will be even more in thick consistency.     
• Now reduce the flame to lowest, at this stage add sugar .Now sugar will melt,Once sugar is added, it will become a little watery. Keep stirring for some more time until it becomes thick.
• Keep stirring until it will leave the sides of the vessel.
• Switch off the flame.Once it cools it will thicken further.In the below pic the first one is taken immediately once its switched off,the second one after it cooled down.

Store in a clean container and refrigerate it.