Bring 2 Litres of milk to boil in a thick pan, stirring continuously.

Once it starts boiling, turn off the heat. Add white vinegar or lime or lemon juice. If you are using lime or lemon juice, make sure to strain to remove fibers. And then use in the recipe.

The milk will be curdled, and greenish whey will be separated. Pour this curdled milk into a pan lined with cotton or muslin cloth. Also, we can strain through a strainer with tiny pores.

Now pour some cold water onto this chhena so that we can wash out the taste of vinegar. Do not pour too much water.

Gently squeeze out the water. Do not squeeze too much as the chhena should be moist. Let the chhena rest for a while until excess water is removed and the chhena is cool enough to handle.

Grease a baking pan or glass container with butter or ghee and line with parchment paper. Keep the parchment paper edges bigger than the pan, so it’s easy to pull Kalakand out of the container. Set aside.

Mix well and cook on low to medium flame, stirring continuously. Once the mixture starts thickening, taste it, and add more condensed milk at this stage if you prefer it sweeter.

Continue cooking and stirring until the mixture becomes thick like a big lump and stops sticking to the pan. It will take approximately 15-20 minutes or a little more or less time, depending on your stovetop's heat.

Add cardamom powder and rose essence or rosewater. Mix well, and then turn off the heat. Let the mixture cool down a bit in the pan.

Pour this mixture into a prepared pan or container. Smooth the top and garnish with chopped pistachio.

Refrigerate Kalakand for a few hours or at least for 2 hours. Once it is set, pull it out from the pan.

Cut the Kalakand into the desired shape and size. Serve immediately or keep in an air-tight container and store it in the fridge. We can keep it in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.