Chomchom
চমচম chomchomSay it: CHOM-chom
Chomchom is a celebrated milk sweet from Tangail in Bangladesh, with Porabari particularly known for it. Bite into one and the oval chhena dumpling gives way softly, tasting juicy with syrup and perfumed by cardamom and saffron; a split centre holds khoya and pistachios. It often appears at weddings and Eid gatherings, and the practical challenge is timing: press the chenna enough, knead it smooth, and give the boiled sweets a long soak.
Chomchom
চমচম, chomchom
Pronounced CHOM-chom
- Serves
- 6
- Prep
- 1 hr
- Cook
- 40 min
- Total
- 1 hr 40 min
- Level
- Medium
Also egg-free.
Allergens: contains milk, nuts. Check labels on packaged ingredients.
Ingredients
Amounts are scaled. Cooking times and pan sizes stay the same.
For the chhena
For the sugar syrup
For the khoya filling and garnish
Method
Heat the milk in a wide, heavy pot over medium-high until it climbs to a full boil, stirring occasionally to keep the base from catching. Set the pot aside for 1–2 minutes, then trickle in the vinegar or lemon juice, stirring only lightly. Once the curds separate into pale clumps and the whey turns greenish, halt stirring and leave the mixture undisturbed for 2 minutes.
Set a colander over a bowl and line it with a generous square of cheesecloth or muslin. Pour the curdled milk through, then rinse the collected curds under cold running water just long enough to wash away the acid taste. Pull the cloth corners together and wring out excess water, then hang or press the bundle for 15–20 minutes; the chenna should remain damp, not dripping.
Place the chenna on a clean counter and scatter the arrowroot powder or cornstarch over it. With the heel of your hand, work the mixture for 5–7 minutes, spreading it forward and folding it back, until it feels velvety, shows no grain, and stops clinging to your fingers. Shape into 16 even portions, rolling each into a crack-free oval roughly 2 inches long.
For the syrup, put the sugar and water in a broad heavy pan and bring to a boil, removing any foam that rises. Maintain a brisk, rolling boil; the liquid should stay thin rather than syrupy at this point.
Lower the ovals into the boiling syrup with a slotted spoon, spacing them so they have room to expand. Cover and cook at medium-high for 15–20 minutes, adding ¼ cup hot water if the syrup thickens too much. They are done when they rise to the surface, feel airy, and show a subtle honeycomb pattern on the outside.
Remove from heat and let the sweets cool completely in the syrup, at least 1 hour and ideally 2–3 hours, so they absorb sweetness. For the filling, warm the khoya, 2 tablespoons milk, sugar and cardamom powder in a small pan over low heat, stirring until the khoya turns into a smooth paste. Cool it, then fold in half the chopped pistachios.
Drain each chomchom briefly, then make a long slit along one side without cutting through. Tuck a spoonful of khoya filling into the opening and press lightly. Add dots of saffron milk and finish with the remaining pistachios. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Regional variant: Nut-coconut chomchom (dry fruit and coconut filling)
A common Bengali switch is to swap the khoya for a coarse mixture of dry-roasted almonds, cashews, walnuts, raisins, desiccated coconut, pitted dates and green cardamom. Fill the syrup-soaked sweets the same way and top with slivered almonds in place of pistachios.
Cook's notes
- Choose the freshest full-cream milk available; low-fat or UHT milk yields less chenna and a firmer, less tender sweet.
- Without khoya, simmer 2 cups whole milk with 2 teaspoons ghee in a non-stick pan, stirring frequently, until it becomes a thick crumbly paste, about 15 minutes.
- Stop kneading soon after the arrowroot or cornstarch goes in; the chenna should feel smooth and just slightly oily, since extra working can make the chomchom tough.
Serve with
Offer them chilled on a platter alongside milky tea, or include them in a selection of Bengali sweets.
Make ahead and storage
Keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3–4 days; the taste mellows and the sweets stay soft.
