Learn how to make pure mawa (khoya) the way it is made traditionally from scratch using just one ingredient, i.e. whole milk. Take your sweet treats a notch up this festive season with this homemade khoya!
Diwali is round the corner and I’m sure everyone is busy gearing up for the upcoming festival of lights.
I’m also sure you have made a list of things to make, buy and all the decor needed to spruce up your homes. Any Indian festival is incomplete without all the variety of amazing food and sweets.
I’ve planned on sharing some Diwali delicacies this season, but first, I would like to talk about homemade khoya. It has been on my to-do list for a while now.
If you are up to the challenge of making mawa from scratch, then this is the post you need. It is really simple, I promise!
All you need to do is follow all the tips in the post and you are good to go.
- What is mawa?
- Why make khoya at home?
- Ingredients needed
- How To Make Homemade Mawa Recipe – Step by step process
- Storage instructions
- What can I make using this homemade khoya?
- Recipe tips to make Indian Khoya
- Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
- Mawa Recipe | How To Make Khoya
What is mawa?
Evaporated milk solids or mawa, is prepared by simmering full-fat or whole milk until most of the water content evaporates. The milk is reduced to 1/5th of its original quantity. When the milk is reduced to this stage, you are left with a semi-solid dough, which is nothing but unsweetened khoya.
It is also known as khoya, khoa, khava, khoya, or khowa and is traditionally prepared in a deep iron wok.
There are quite a few types of mawa;
- Batti (hard variety): Batti means brick/rock and this kind of khoa is hard enough to be grated like cheese. It contains about 20% moisture by weight. This variety is also aged at times, for up to 1 year, due to which it develops a unique aroma and taste.
- Chikna (soft variety): Chickna means ‘slippery’ or ‘squishy’ and it has about 50 % of moisture. It is taken off the heat a little earlier than the batti variety and hence it is a little soft due to the extra moisture content. It is best added in savory gravies for a rich touch.
- Danedaar : This is a granular or grainy variety of khoya that has moderate moisture. Milk is coagulated with an acidic agent during the simmering process due to which it develops the granular texture. It is best used in sweets like kalakand, etc
- Dhaap or daab ka khoya: This is a less dried version, popularly used in making gulab jamun.
- Pindi koya: This is a dry variety used in making burfi and pedas.
- Hariyali Mawa: Khoa is normally white or pale yellow. If prepared in the winter, it may be saved for use in the summer and may acquire a green tinge and grainier texture from a harmless surface mold. This is called hariyali (green khoa) and is used in recipes where the khoya is thoroughly cooked, e.g., gulab jamun . With the advent of refrigeration, the production of hariyali is rare. (Source- Wiki )
There are many ways of making mawa instantly, for instance;
- With ricotta cheese and ghee
- Milk powder, milk, and ghee
- Using the microwave
But trust me, while all these instant mawa recipes are good, nothing beats homemade mawa.
If you have the time to spare I’d definitely suggest you try making this khoya recipe without the microwave. You will certainly see the difference it makes in the final outcome of all your Indian sweets.
Having said that, I will surely try to share the instant version of making mawa with milk powder in my future posts.
Why make khoya at home?
Readymade khoya is easily available in most mithai shops. Most popular brands have also started making khoya, which makes it accessible in most big cities in India.
In the United States, it is easily available in most Indian grocery stores in the frozen food aisle. If not in that aisle, you will get it easily in the powdered form known as milk-mawa powder.
So why bother making it at home? Here’s why you should try making it for yourself
- You end up with unadulterated mawa.
- It is not a tedious process, but one that does need a watchful eye.
- Homemade mawa definitely yields the most amazing, melt-in-the-mouth mithai’s :p
- If you find yourself with an excess quantity of milk, make mawa and freeze it for later use.
Ingredients needed
Milk: You only need milk for this recipe, but make sure you use full-fat or whole milk. I prefer using buffalo’s milk because of the increased fat content and thus a higher yield. You can also use cow’s milk as it is readily available.
How To Make Homemade Mawa Recipe – Step by step process
Step 1: Bring milk to a boil
Heat 1.5 litres of full-fat milk in a heavy-bottom pot or kadai over medium heat. ( Photo 1 )
Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally to prevent it from sticking at the bottom of the pan. ( Photo 2 )
Step 2: Reduce the milk until all the moisture evaporates
Once the milk comes to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, simmer uncovered, stirring the sides and bottom of the pan every 2-3 minutes, until the milk reduces and begins to thicken.
Once it starts thickening and appears grainy, stir continuously, scraping the bottom and the sides of the pan, until it changes into a doughy consistency and begins to leave the sides of the pan.
At this stage, the bubbling will stop which indicates the moisture in the milk has sufficiently evaporated and you are left with milk solids. ( Photo 3 to 6 )
Cook for another minute. The entire process took me about an hour and a half. ( Photo 7 )
Transfer the mawa to a container, let it cool completely. It will turn hard as it cools down. Refrigerate once it has cooled down. ( Photo 8 )
Storage instructions
If not using khoa right away, wrap it in cling wrap and place it in an air-tight container. Refrigerate for 4 to 5 days.
Or place it in a freezer-safe container, label the contents, and freeze for up to 1 month.
Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Crumble or grate the khoa and use as required in the recipe.
What can I make using this homemade khoya?
There are numerous khoya dishes that are quite popular in India. It can be used for both, sweet and savory recipes. Following are some of my favorite recipes using mawa;
- Gulab jamun: Nothing beats gulab jamun made using khoa. I’ve shared a very detailed recipe on this no-fail, gulab jamun post . Do check it out.
- Burfi’s: You can make so many flavored burfis, for instance, chocolate, mango, coconut, pista, etc using mawa as the base.
- Peda’s: Again, pedas are quite similar to burfi except for the shapes and sizes. You can also make modak shaped pedas.
- Ladoo: Not necessarily an ingredient used as a base in ladoo recipes. It can be added to enhance the flavor and richness of ladoos.
- Halwa: Again, just like ladoos, it isn’t used here as a primary ingredient. It is mostly added towards the end to add richness to the halwa, for example, gajar halwa, moong dal halwa, and the likes.
- Kheer/basundi/rabri: A little mawa can be added to these dessertss, especially when making for any ocassion.
- Mawa cake: One of my favorite cakes has to go to be a simple mawa cake. My recipe for mawa cake at home is inspired by the ones I’ve enjoyed from the popular Irani cafe, i.e Kayani’s at Marine Lines, Mumbai.
- Kulfi: Khoya is quite a common ingredient in kulfi.
- Gujiya/ghughra/karanji: These are deep-fried crescent-shaped fritters stuffed with sweet khoya filling.
- Samosa: This is a sweet version of samosa stuffed with a similar filling used for gujiya.
- Malpua: Used as one of the ingredients to make these pancakes dunked in sweet sugar syrup.
- Savory dishes: It is used in mildly sweet savory recipes like malai kofta, khoya matar, kaju khoya gravy, khoya paneer, khoya vegetable gravy, navratan korma, etc.
Recipe tips to make Indian Khoya
The apparatus to be used: As I mentioned above, you can prepare khoa in an iron kadai the traditional way. If not, then I suggest using a wide and thick bottomed pan. This gives more surface area, and hence reduces the overall cook time.
The best milk to use: It is preferable to use full cream buffalo milk, as it has a higher fat content as compared to cow milk. This also means that you will end up with a higher yield.
Pay attention to the milk while reducing: Once the milk has reduced and thickened, do not stop stirring. It can cause the milk to scorch which will produce an unwanted burnt aroma to the khoya rendering it totally useless. Waste of time, energy, and milk!! So please be attentive while making mawa at home.
Are khoya and paneer one and the same thing?
No, they are two different milk products.
Paneer is made by curdling the milk with lemon, vinegar, or yogurt. The curdled milk solids are rinsed and drained through a muslin or cheesecloth and then pressed down for several hours using heavyweights such as a heavy pot or mortar and pestle to drain the whey completely.
You end up with a block of paneer cheese that can be diced into cubes or crumbled to make dishes such as paneer bhurji.
Whereas for khoa we only need to reduce the milk until most of the moisture is lost and the milk reaches a semi-solid, halwa-like consistency.
What is the taste and texture of khoya?
Khoya has a rich, nutty, milky, and mildly sweet taste due to slow cooking and the caramelization of sugars in the milk.
It is slightly greasy to touch and has a little granular texture. Khoya adds a rich, creamy texture and mouthfeel and that is probably why it is used as the base for a majority of Indian sweets.
How much khoa can you get from 1 liter of milk?
1.5 liters of buffalo’s milk yielded about 350 grams of khoya. You should get about 225 to 230 grams for 1 liter of milk. If you use cow’s milk, you will definitely get a slightly lower yield.
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Mawa Recipe | How To Make Khoya
Ingredients1x2x3x
- 1.5 litres full-fat milk, I’ve used buffalo’s milk
Instructions
- Heat milk in a heavy-bottom pot or kadai over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally to prevent it from sticking at the bottom of the pan.
- Once the milk comes to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, simmer uncovered, stirring the sides and bottom of the pan every 2-3 minutes, until the milk reduces and begins to thicken.
- Once it starts thickening and appears grainy, stir continuously, scraping the bottom and the sides of the pan, until it changes into a doughy consistency and begins to leaves the sides of the pan.
- Cook the mawa for another minute.
- Transfer the mawa to a container, let it cool completely. It will turn hard as it cools down. Refrigerate once it has cooled down.
Video
Mawa Recipe | How To Make Khoya
Ingredients
- 1.5 litres full-fat milk, I’ve used buffalo’s milk
Instructions
- Heat milk in a heavy-bottom pot or kadai over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally to prevent it from sticking at the bottom of the pan.
- Once the milk comes to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, simmer uncovered, stirring the sides and bottom of the pan every 2-3 minutes, until the milk reduces and begins to thicken.
- Once it starts thickening and appears grainy, stir continuously, scraping the bottom and the sides of the pan, until it changes into a doughy consistency and begins to leaves the sides of the pan.
- Cook the mawa for another minute.
- Transfer the mawa to a container, let it cool completely. It will turn hard as it cools down. Refrigerate once it has cooled down.
Video
This barfi recipe made with mawa (khoya) is soft, creamy, rich, melt-in-the-mouth, and uber delicious! Here’s a step-by-step video recipe that shows you how to make halwai-style mawa barfi at home.
I’m just kidding guys! You can most certainly use store-bought mawa as well. But there is no denying that nothing beats homemade food 🙂
So as promised, the next few posts are going to be dedicated to sharing some yummy festive treats. Now that I’ve shown you how to make mawa from scratch, let me show you how you can put it to use as well. This barfi recipe is an excellent way to use up that homemade khoya.
After all, barfi and peda are the most popular sweets distributed to friends and family during most Indian festivities such as Diwali, Holi, Ganesh Chaturthi, Rasksha Bandhan, etc.
- What is barfi?
- Why you must try this recipe?
- Ingredients needed
- How to make mawa barfi recipe at home – Step by step process
- Storage suggestions
- Tips to make the best burfi recipe
- Variations of this recipe
- Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
- You may enjoy these burfi recipes
- Barfi Recipe | Mawa Barfi | Khoya Barfi
What is barfi?
Barfi or barfee is an Indian milk-based sweet, prepared by cooking evaporated milk solids i.e mawa or khoya with sugar. It is dense, rich, creamy, and simply melts in the mouth.
It is one of the most popular Indian sweets available at every mithai shop (Indian confectionary store). They are usually rectangular or square-shaped and sometimes even circular or diamond-shaped.
There are so many different types of barfi such as kaju (cashew nut) barfi, besan (chickpea flour) burfi, coconut, gajar (carrot), ghiya (bottle gourd), badam (almond), maida (refined flour), sing (peanut), til (sesame), 7 cup, dodha, sev, mango burfi’s, etc to name just a few.
Today, I’m going to show you how to make the classic plain white burfi. You can use this recipe as a base to make any flavored burfi of your choice.
Why you must try this recipe?
✓ This barfi recipe with khoya is an easy, two-ingredient recipe
✓ Delicious and quite addictive
✓ Not overly sweet
✓ Perfect to be gifted during festivities
✓ Since it’s homemade, it is free of any additives
✓ Can be customized and adapted to make your own flavored burfi
✓ A great, make-ahead dessert that’s ideal for potlucks, parties, and get-together
Ingredients needed
To make this mawa ki barfi, you will essentially need just two ingredients;
Mawa or Khoya
The most important ingredient needed to make this mithai. I do recommend using homemade if you can. If you can’t don’t stress too much about it, feel free to use the store-bought one.
If using frozen mawa, thaw it in the fridge overnight. Bring to room temperature before using in the recipe.
Sugar
You will need regular granulated sugar. Usually, sugar is added in a 2:1 ratio of mawa to sugar. This works perfectly fine for us.
If you prefer a less sweet burfi, feel free to decrease the quantity of sugar. I don’t suggest increasing the sugar, because it might turn a little too sweet.
Other ingredients
I’ve used some silver varak (edible silver leaf), slivered pistachios, and edible flowers only for photography.
We actually prefer plain khoya barfi, and so, I’ve skipped flavoring it with anything. If you’d like yours to have some flavor, do check out the variations listed below in the post.
How to make mawa barfi recipe at home – Step by step process
Step 1: Prepare the tin
Grease a pan or tray with ghee, line with parchment paper overhang (extra paper hanging over the sides). I used a 7 x 5 x 0.5 inch (L x B x H) pan. ( Photos 1 and 2 )
Step 2: Roast mawa over low heat
Add 250 grams of grated or crumbled mawa into a heavy-bottomed kadai or pan. Roast it on low heat, for about 1 to 2 minutes, or just until it begins to warm and melt. ( Photos 3 and 4 )
Step 3: Add sugar and cook until mixture leaves the sides of the pan
Add 125 grams sugar, mix well, stirring continuously. ( Photo 5 )
Sugar will melt and release moisture due to which the mixture will become runny. ( Photos 6 to 8 )
Continue cooking on low heat, stirring frequently, until the mixture begins to thicken and leave the sides of the pan. When you see the large bubbles bursting, cook for another minute.
Switch off the heat. It took me about 10 minutes to reach this stage (after adding the sugar). ( Photo 9 )
You can add 1/4 teaspoon cardamom powder at this point.
Continue mixing vigorously until the mixture cools down slightly, for about 3 to 4 minutes. ( Photo 10 )
Step 4: Set the burfi
Immediately transfer the mixture to the prepared pann, flatten it using an offset spatula or the back of a spoon. Allow it to set for about 6 to 8 hours or overnight at room temperature. This will depend on the size and thickness of your pan.
Step 5: Garnish and cut into pieces (Optional)
Lift the parchment paper out of the pan. Garnish with silver varak. ( Photos 14 and 15 )
Cut into desired sized pieces. Enjoy khoye ki barfi! ( Photo 16 )
Storage suggestions
Khoya barfi is a milk-based sweet, and hence it will last at room temperature for 1-2 days. You can store it in an airtight container for a maximum of 1-2 days at room temperature.
For longer shelf life, refrigerate the burfi pieces in an airtight container lined with parchment paper, for up to 1 week. Cold burfi turns hard as the fats solidify and that doesn’t really taste as nice. The texture turns dense, so bring it to room temperature before serving.
You can also stack them between parchment paper in a freezer-safe container for up to two to three months. Thaw it in the refrigerator overnight and bring it to room temperature before serving. Expect some change in texture due to the freezing.
Tips to make the best burfi recipe
Although this barfi recipe is easy, if you miss some crucial steps, it can totally ruin that soft and melt-in-the-mouth texture. It took me two trials to get this right. It is crucial to be sure when you have to take the mixture off the heat as it can make or break the recipe.
So I’d like to share some pointers that should prevent you from doing the same errors.
The right time to switch off the heat (the most tip!): Once you see the large bubbles bursting, it means that the sugar is well cooked and most of the moisture has evaporated. The mixture will also thicken considerably and begin to leave the sides of the pan.
Refer to the video for a better understanding. Once you reach this point, cook for just a minute more. Switch off the heat. Do not switch off the heat before this stage, or your barfi will not set well.
Continue mixing after switching off the heat (2nd most important tip) : This is an important key point to mimic that halwai-style burfi. You need to agitate the mixture vigorously, after turning off the heat, until it cools down slightly. This process gives the signature granular texture that’s reminiscent of barfi sweet. The mixture should not be hot when you pour it into the tray to set.
Scaling the recipe: You can make as much as quantity as you want. But know that, the greater quantities you use, the longer it will take.
Line your pan with parchment paper overhang: I always follow this tip for easy removal of the final product, be it a baked good, fudge or burfi in this instance. It also helps to avoid any accidental scratches on the pan.
Use room temperature khoya: Using cold khoya directly in any recipe will lend a bitter taste to the final product. Always prep in advance to make sure you let the khoya come to room temperature for best results.
Always cook the burfi on low heat: Doing so will take care of two things. One, you will not burn the khoya, and second, you will retain that beautiful white color of the burfi. This comes together within 10 minutes of adding the sugar. Do not be tempted to turn the heat too high during the entire recipe.
If using store-bought mawa: The commercially available mawa tends to be quite dry, unless you can bank on a really good dairy store that sells unadulterated mawa. Sometimes, you will find that the mawa doesn’t melt as much as the homemade one. You can add about 3 to 4 tablespoons of milk to add some moisture so that the mawa melts.
If using frozen mawa: Thaw the mawa before using. Usually, this mawa tends to be quite dry as well, and will not melt easily. Add about 3 to 4 tablespoons of milk and roast the mawa till it begins to melt. Then add the sugar and proceed with the recipe.
Do not overcook: Do not wait to reach a doughy stage, that will overcook the mixture, and the resultant burfi will definitely turn hard and chewy. Again, please refer to the video to get an idea of the final consistency.
To check the right consistency: Ideally, if you follow the first two tips to the T, you will not need this tip. But if you are not sure, simply transfer a small portion of the mixture (when you see the bubbles bursting) to a plate greased with oil or ghee, try to form a ball, if you can, then the mixture is ready to be poured into the tray. If not, cook on low heat for 1-2 minutes more.
Grease the spatula: Grease the back of the spatula with some ghee or refined oil. This will prevent the burfi mixture from sticking to the spatula and you will be able to smooth out the surface evenly.
Allow time for it to set: I prefer making this barfi at night and letting it set overnight. It’s perfectly set the next morning.
Variations of this recipe
Cardamom: You can add 1/4 teaspoon of cardamom powder to flavor this burfi. Add it in the last step, when you switch off the heat.
Rose scented burfi: You can add about 1/4 teaspoon of rose essence along with the cardamom. You can add a little pink food color to make pink-colored barfi’s.
Chocolate: Add about 1 tablespoon of unsweetened cocoa powder along with the sugar for a delicious chocolate-flavored burfi.
Layered burfi: Make one layer of the recipe as such. Make another layer using the same quantities but add 1 tablespoon of cocoa powder for a chocolate layer. Layer the chocolate layer over the plain layer and allow it to set for a few hours before cutting it into pieces.
Saffron (Kesar flavored) : You can add about 2 tablespoons of saffron-infused milk along with the sugar. To make the saffron milk extract, crush a few saffron strands in a mortar and pestle. Add it to 2 tablespoons of hot milk and let it sit for 10 minutes.
My barfi did not set, what should I do?
This will happen when you take the mixture off the heat earlier than you should. Put the entire mixture back in the pan, and cook on low heat for another 2-3 minutes. Then try setting it again.
Why did my barfi turn hard?
Overcooking the mixture is the only culprit. Do not cook to the dough stage. The mixture needs to be thick and flowy when you pour it into the tray to set.
Can I use powdered sugar instead of regular sugar in this barfi recipe?
Yes, you can swap the regular sugar with powdered or confectioner’s sugar. Use an equal amount of powdered sugar by weight.
Can I use condensed milk instead of sugar?
I’ve not tried making barfi with khoa and condensed milk, so I’m unsure of how it would turn out. I think it should work out fine. If you do happen to try, please let us know how it works out.
You may enjoy these burfi recipes
Badam pista burfi
Mango barfi
Kalakand barfi
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Barfi Recipe | Mawa Barfi | Khoya Barfi
Ingredients1x2x3x
- 250 grams mawa, approx 2.25 cups lightly packed
- 125 grams granulated sugar, refer notes
- 1 teaspoon ghee or oil, to grease the pan and spatula
- 2 sheets of silver vark, optional
Instructions
- Grease a pan or tray with ghee, line with parchment paper overhang (extra paper hanging over the sides). I used a 7 x 5 x 0.5 inch (L x B x H) pan.
- Add grated or crumbled mawa into a heavy-bottomed kadai or pan. Roast it on low heat, for about 1 to 2 minutes, or just until it begins to warm and melt.
- Add sugar, mix well, stirring continuously.
- Sugar will melt and release moisture due to which the mixture will become runny.
- Continue cooking on low heat, stirring frequently, until the mixture begins to thicken and leave the sides of the pan. When you see the large bubbles bursting, cook for another minute.
- Switch off the heat. Continue mixing vigorously until the mixture cools down slightly, for about 3 to 4 minutes.
- Immediately transfer the mixture to the prepared pan, flatten it using an offset spatula or the back of a spoon. Allow it to set for about 6 to 8 hours or overnight at room temperature. This will depend on the size and thickness of your pan.
- Lift the parchment paper out of the pan. Garnish with silver varak.
- Cut into desired sized pieces. Enjoy khoye ki barfi!
