Belgaum Kunda or Belagavi Kunda is a North Karnataka dish made by reducing and curdling the milk and cooking with caramalised sugar.
Some people call it caramelized milk cake, caramelised milk fudge, thiratti paal, caramelised palkova, kalakand. Though many sweet recipes across the states have many similarities, there will be a different technique or cooking style to achieve the delicious final results.
Belgaum kunda recipe is straightforward with few ingredients but is a bit time-consuming and requires patience. So I suggest you try to prepare it only when you have enough time and patience. The final results make it all worth the time and effort you put into making this sweet.
Ingredients
Milk: 1 ltr
Yogurt/ Curd: 1 cup
Sugar: 1/2 cup + 1/2 cup
Cardamom Powder: 1/4 tsp
Cashew nuts: 1 tsp, choppped
Almonds: 1 tsp, chopped
Instructions
Take milk in a deep bottomed pan and bring it to boil on a medium flame.
Reduce the flame and boil the milk.
Keep stirring regularly to make sure that the milk solids don’t stick to the pan.
After around 40 minutes milk reduces to 1/3 rd of the original quantity.
Now add yogurt.
Add 1/2 cup sugar and stir.
The milk will curdle and the whey will separate from the milk solids. Keep stirring regularly and continue to boil on medium low flame.
In a second pan heat the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar on medium heat. Do not add any water when caramelising the sugar.
Let the sugar melt and caramelise to golden brown colour.
Transfer sugar caramel immediately to the reduced milk and keep stirring until the liquid is completely evaporated.
Keep stirring the mixture until the liquid is almost evaporated.
Finally add cardamom powder, chopped almonds, cashew nuts.
Keep stirring for another 3-5 minutes until the Kunda resembles a solid mass. and turn off the heat.
You can transfer the belgaum kunda / belagavi kunda to a greased tray and cut it into a desired shape or serve it as it is in a bowl.
Tips and Tricks
Adjust the quantity of sugar as per your preferred taste.
While boiling the milk make sure to scrap the milk solids from the bottom and sides of the pan and stir regularly to avoid burning at the bottom of the pan.
Be careful while adding the caramelized sugar to curdled milk as hot milk splashes around.
Reduce the flame to the lowest possible setting while adding caramalised sugar to curdled milk.
Usually, it is served at room temperature. It tastes equally good when served warm.
Belgaum kunda can be served as it is topped with chopped cashews and almonds or serve hot with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
FAQ
Kunda stays fresh in the fridge for a week if stored properly in a clean and dry airtight container.
Refrigeration is not required if you intend to finish it off in a day or two. Store it in an airtight container in a cool and dry place.
Yes, you can use low fat yogurt but the taste and texture might not be the same as the traditional sweet.
More Indian Dessert Recipes
Badam Halwa: An almond-based classic Indian pudding flavoured with saffron and cardamom.
Mango Coconut Burfi: delicious tropical flavoured fudge made with mango pulp and desiccated coconut.
Pumpkin Halwa/ Kaddu ka halwa: An easy and exotic dessert made with the goodness of pumpkin, milk and flavoured with cardamom.
7 Cups Burfi: One of the easy Indian sweets made with basic ingredients. It is one of the most preferred desserts during festival season and special occasions in south India.
Wheat Payasam: A delicious, healthy creamy dreamy dessert made with whole wheat berries, sweetened with jaggery and flavoured with cardamom.
Sweet Pongal: Classic south Indian sweet prepared with rice, moong dal, jaggery, dry fruits, ghee and flavoured with cardamom and edible camphor.
Lauki Halwa: A delectable Indian sweet made from bottle gourd (lauki), sugar, flavoured with cardamom and garnished with nuts.
Belgaum Kunda
Ingredients
1 Cup = 250ml ; 1 Tablespoon =15ml ; 1 Teaspoon = 5ml
- 4 Cups Milk
- 1 Cup Yogurt/ Curd
- ½ Cup Sugar adjust as per ypur taste
- ¼ Teaspoon Cardamom Powder
- 1 Teaspoon Almonds chopped
- 1 Teaspoon Cashews chopped
- ½ Cup Sugar adjust as per your taste
Instructions
- Take milk in a deep bottomed pan and bring it to boil on a medium flame.4 Cups Milk
- Reduce the flame and boil the milk.
- Keep stirring regularly to make sure that the milk solids don’t stick to the pan.
- After around 40 minutes milk reduces to 1/3 rd of original quantity.
- Now add yogurt.1 Cup Yogurt/ Curd
- Add 1/2 cup sugar and stir.½ Cup Sugar
- The milk will curdle and the whey will separate from the milk solids. Keep stirring regularly and continue to boil on medium low flame.
- In a second pan heat the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar on medium heat. Do not add any water when caramelising the sugar.½ Cup Sugar
- Let the sugar melt and caramelise to golden brown colour.
- Transfer sugar caramel immediately to the reduced milk and keep stirring until liquid is completely evaporated.
- Keep stirring the mixture until liquid is almost evaporated.
- Finally add cardamom powder, chopped almonds, cashew nuts¼ Teaspoon Cardamom Powder, 1 Teaspoon Almonds, 1 Teaspoon Cashews
- Keep stirring for another 3-5 minutes until the Kunda resembles a solid mass. and turn off the heat.
- You can transfer the Belagavi Kunda to a greased tray and cut it into desired shape or serve as it is in a bowl.
Notes
Nutrition
KEEP IN TOUCH
Do let me know if you try this traditional Belgaum kunda recipe. If you like this recipe kindly consider rating it using stars in the comment section or on the recipe card to help more people find this recipe online. You can stay up to date by following me on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram or subscribing to my Youtube channel. Or why not subscribe to my blog and get simple recipes straight to your inbox?
More Recipes from Karnataka Cuisine
Welcome to Flavours Treat. I share vegetarian recipes made with wholesome, mostly fresh ingredients. Every recipe has easy-to-follow instructions with process shots (detailed step-wise pictures), a short video and lots of tips to help your cooking journey. Read more
Lovely sweet.. I love the nice colour.. perfectly bhuna hua. .Awesome!
Thank you.
It’s almost like I make milk cake, the addition of caramel will certainly make it look better
Your post brought back so many childhood memories. We used to have it so often then. Awesome Share.
Glad to know Preethi…
What an amazing recipe..almost like paalkova but adding caramel lifts this dish to another level…will give a try
I would love to know how it turned out Lathi….
This belagavi kunda looking delicious. Though I have not heard about it but definitely making my mouth watering.
Thanks a lot..
The milk cake with caramelised taste sounds so inviting and delicious .. bookmarking this recipe . Would love to try it out some time. Thanks for the wonderful share.
Thanks a lot Poonam.
Your post reminds me of my childhood, we call it Dudh No Halwo means Milk Halwa. One of my favourite Indian sweets that I can have anytime.
That’s good to know Jagruti. I never heard it before.
Wow drooling here. A delicious must try. Bookmarked
Thank you. Do try and let me know how it turned out.
I’ve tasted this once and loved it. Now I have a foolproof recipe to follow so I can make it at home.
Good to know you are aware of this dish Mayuri. I hope you enjoy them..
I have made Dharward peda, this looks another labour of love. I will reserve this for a sunday experiment.
True Seema, hope you enjoy them.
Oh yum!! I have a big sweet tooth and this is tempting me big time, how I wish I could just pick some from the screen! Looks absolutely tempting and a very good pictorial recipe 🙂
Thank you Freda. Glad to hear that..
So beautifully explained!! Love, love, love it!! This reminds me of a sweet my Mom used to make when I was a kid!! Going to try this one soon!
Thanks a lot Vanitha. Do try and let me know how it turned out.
Belagavi Kunda is inviting me, lipsmacking here.. I simply love these sort of milk based sweets. Omg, wish i get a bowl of this ultimate sweet.
I am glad you like it Priya. Craving milk based sweets is never ending for us Indians.
This looks so similar to Milk cake, loved it, drooling over your pics.
Thanks Renu. Yes it is a kind of milk cake with added flavour from caramel.
I am just drooling over your post , does this taste similar to milk cake we get at sweet shops the end results of the dish is worth all the time and efforts you have spent on ghis recipe for sure it looks divine.
Thanks Soma. It indeed tastes like milk cake with added flavour from caramel.
This kunda brought back so many memories- such a delicacy speciality from Belgaum. I loved your step by stpe photos and detailed explanation!
Thank you Sandhya.