Chum Chum – SFC #3

Bengali  sweets are always favorite among sweet lovers  . These are so addictive and most of the sweets are chenna / paneer based Like Rasgulla, Chennar jelabi , Chum chum . When I saw that this month we where going to make a very delicious bengali dessert for Sweet fantasy club I was so excited and was so happy to make this yummy sweet which I make them often at home for any festivals .Thanks to preeti for suggesting this yummy sweet this month for our Fusion challenge . 

As you all know I have joined this new  group “Sweet fantasy club” whose brain child is preeti  ,a wonderful blogger author of “ Simply tadka” . This is our third challenge under fusion Dessert was an Chum chum  . This month too preeti has chosen two wonderful indian and international  sweet and dessert , thanks preeti for this wonderful challenge again. My H loves this chum chum a lot and this one is our family fav .Moving over to the recipe..

Ingredients 


For chenna/paneer
8 cups (half gallon) milk
1/4 cup lemon Juice 


For Chum Chum:
Paneer/chenna prepared with 4 cups or 1 liter of whole milk
2 1/2 cups – sugar
5 cups – water
saffron strands few


For serving 
Rabri – as needed
Pistachios 
Desiccated Coconut
Tutti Frutti

Method 


For preparing chenna/paneer

• Mix lemon juice in half cup of hot water and keep it aside .
• Boil the milk in a heavy bottomed pan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, making sure not to burn milk.
• As the milk comes to a boil, add the lemon juice gradually and stir the milk gently. The curd will start separating from the whey, turn off the heat.
• Once the milk  is curdled, drain the whey using a strainer lined with cheesecloth, or muslin cloth.
•  Wrap the chenna in a muslin cloth, rinse under cold water, and squeeze well. This process takes out the sourness from the lemon.
•  To take out the excess water, press the wrapped paneer under a heavy pan for about 1 hour.
• To test if sufficient water has been removed out of the paneer, take a little piece of paneer in your palm and rub with your fingers. You should be able to make a firm but smooth ball, after 15-20 seconds of rubbing.

For the syrup

• In a wide saucepan, bring 5 cups of water and sugar to a boil.  Use a large pan as the Chum Chums will double in volume while cooking in the syrup.

To Make chum chum

• Place the drained paneer on a dry, clean surface and knead it for 3 to 4 minutes until it rolls into smooth soft dough. If the paneer is too crumbly, add a teaspoon of water.
• Divide the paneer dough into 8 equal parts and roll each one into a smooth oval shaped ball.
• Add the paneer balls to the syrup and bring it back to a boil. Then turn down the heat to medium and cover the pot. Cook for 10 minutes.
• Open the pot cover, turn the chum chums over and cook for another 15 minutes.
•  Check to see if the chum chums appear firm but sponge-like (with little holes on the surface). Turn off the heat and let sit for 10 more minutes.
• Remove the chum chums from the syrup.
• Serve chilled!!

Serving options

• Cover every Chum Chum with a few pieces of sliced pistachios
• Roll the chum chums in dry powdered coconut
• Top them  some malai / rabri on Chum Chum.

Tips

• Cardamon and rose essence can also be added for more flavor.
• I made my Raj bhog the same way except the shape