Diwali is a few months away. But if you have been good, stuck to your exercise routine, why should you stop yourself from a between-the-fests kind of treat, if Indian sweets is your indulgence?

Try this homemade Kalakand by Chef Shumaila Chauhan that's rich, yum and full of alpha-linolenic acid-rich walnuts.

Chef Shumaila is always as busy as a bee in her kitchen, inventing recipes, testing them and photographing the finished product. She is an enthusiastic baker too.

Kalakand

Serves: 3-4

Ingredients

• 1½ cups walnuts, chopped
• 1 litre full-cream milk
• 3-4 tsp limboo or lemon juice
• 4-5 green elaichi or cardamom, powdered
• 200 gm (½ a can) condensed milk
• ¼ tsp rose water
• Chopped walnuts and dried rose petals, to garnish
• 4-inch high, 6 inch by 6 inch square pan, greased
• Parchment paper

Method

• Roast the walnuts in a frying pan or on a tawa over medium-low heat for 3-4 minutes.
  Cool and coarsely chop.
  Keep aside.
• Line a strainer with muslin cloth over a wide bowl and keep aside.
• In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, add the milk and heat over medium high heat, stirring often.
  Let the milk come to a boil and then take off heat.
  Add 3 tsp of the lemon juice and stir.
  If required, add another tsp juice till the milk curdles completely and the whey separates.
  Pour the curdled milk into the muslin cloth-lined channi or strainer.
  In running water, wash the chenna (curdled milk) to get rid of the lemon flavor.
  Squeeze out a little of the excess water from the curds -- be careful not to over squeeze else the final kalakand will be too dry.
  Tie the edges of the muslin cloth and let it hang over a bowl to drain off more whey for 10-15 minutes.
• In a kadhai or frying pan, add the condensed milk and chenna.
  Mix and cook over low heat, stirring often.
  Cook for 10-12 minutes, till mixture thickens a bit and starts leaving the sides of the pan.
  Do not dry out completely.
  Add the cardamom powder, rose water, roasted walnuts.
• Line the greased pan with with parchment paper.
  Spread the mixture into the pan -- the kalakand needs to be thick.
  Sprinkle the walnuts and dried rose petals for garnish on top.
  Let set for a few hours, before cutting and serving.

Shumaila Chauhan is the creator of the food blog Novice Housewife.

• REDIFF RECIPES