Chomchom, also spelled Cham Cham or Chum Chum, is a popular Bengali sweet made from chenna (cottage cheese) dough, cooked in sugar syrup, and often filled with flavored mawa (khoya) or coconut. Here’s a recipe to make Chomchom:
Ingredients:
For the Chomchom:
- 1 liter full-fat milk
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice or vinegar
- 2 cups sugar
- 4 cups water
- A few strands of saffron (optional)
- 1 teaspoon cardamom powder
- Pistachios or almonds, sliced for garnish
For the Filling (Optional):
- 1 cup grated mawa (khoya) or shredded coconut
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- A few drops of rose water or kewra water
- A pinch of cardamom powder
Instructions:
Making the Chomchom:
- In a heavy-bottomed pan, bring the milk to a boil. Once it starts boiling, reduce the heat to low and add lemon juice or vinegar gradually, stirring continuously until the milk curdles and separates into whey (greenish water) and chenna (milk solids).
- Turn off the heat and let it sit for a few minutes.
- Line a strainer with a muslin cloth or cheesecloth and strain the curdled milk. Rinse the chenna under cold water to remove any trace of lemon juice or vinegar.
- Tie the cloth with chenna and hang it for about 30 minutes to drain excess water.
- After 30 minutes, knead the chenna on a clean surface until smooth and soft. Divide the dough into equal-sized portions and shape them into cylindrical or oval shapes. Press them gently to flatten slightly.
- In a large pan, combine sugar and water and bring it to a boil. Once the sugar is dissolved, add saffron strands (if using) and cardamom powder.
- Add the chomchom pieces to the boiling sugar syrup. Cook them on medium heat for about 15-20 minutes, flipping them occasionally, until they are soft and spongy. They will increase in size slightly.
- Turn off the heat and let the chomchom pieces cool down in the syrup.
Making the Filling (Optional):
- If you’re using the filling, mix grated mawa or shredded coconut with powdered sugar, cardamom powder, and a few drops of rose water or kewra water.
- Once the chomchom pieces have cooled down, gently make a slit in each piece, taking care not to cut them all the way through.
- Fill the chomchom pieces with the mawa or coconut filling.
- Garnish the chomchom with sliced pistachios or almonds.
- Chill the chomchom in the refrigerator for at least 1-2 hours before serving.
Enjoy your delicious homemade Chomchom!
