LUCKNOW MALAI MAKHKHAN

                        MALAI MAKHKHAN of LUCKNOW


The Nawabs of Lucknow have been known to be connoisseurs of several things and food is one of them. Gifts were given to the khansamas whenever a new dish was prepared and liked by the Nawabs.

The khansamas turned out several items which were unique and Lucknow is still famous for several of these food items.

Milk was supplied to the Kaiserbagh Palaces from the cattle keepers of Thakurganj – a mohalla adjoining Chowk. These people developed the art of making kulfi, which took up about 8 months of the year. During the months of winter these people of Thakurganj invented a mouth watering dish called “ Malai Makhkhan “.

                         

Malai Makkhan  is one of the most amazing sweet snacks sold during the winters in Lucknow. While the name may scare the diet conscious, the true product is much lighter and does not have any noticeable fat content.

It has a slightly sweet flavor of frothy cream which just vanishes in your mouth tickling your taste buds wanting for more.

I have been getting this amazing sweet since my childhood, and my elders say that it was available during their childhood also.

Malai Makhkhan is made only during winters, by hanging large mouthed open containers containing sweetened milk in the open at the start of nightfall.

The milk which has gathered dew is taken down at about 3 am and churned.  The froth which comes up is kept aside. Ice cold water is regularly added to the milk to keep its density and temperature low. Churning is done till no froth comes up.

                           

The froth which has been collected during churning, is decorated with silver foil, thin slivers of dry fruits and taken all over the city to be sold as “ Malai Makhkhan “. Some times it is sold flavoured with saffron. The item is now also available in Kanpur and also some other parts of UP.

Dew being an important factor to manufacture this delicacy, its only during the winters and early spring that we Lucknow-ites are blessed with this.

There are still about 50 families in Thakurganj who are keeping this labour intensive activity alive. They make Kulfi during the summers, Malai Makhkhan during winters. They fan out on cycles, far and wide in the city to supply their customers with this delicacy.

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