Khoa Based Sweets

Milk sweets are an integral part of the socio cultural life in the Indian sub-continent.These are consumed on special religious occasions, social events and at the end of our daily meals. Milk sweets offered to guests reflect an expression of the warmth of hospitality. In early Buddhist and Jain works, there is a mention that the sweets were prepared from thickened milk named as Sihakesara and Morandeka. Buddha allowed his followers to take some sweets for journeys on routes where it was difficult to get foodstuffs. In the Maurya period the sweets were prepared from concentrated milk with the addition of honey, jaggery or sugar. In the post-Gupta period (AD 750 to 1200), milk was used in various forms, such as concentrated,semi solid and in powder forms for either direct consumption or for sweet making.

It is evident from above historical evidences that the art of preparing sweets from surplus milk was developed centuries ago. In the present era in addition to religious and social needs, the milk sweets are prepared for value addition and earn profit to the traders. That is why, now their manufacture is not confined to only small confectioners (halwais), but many organized dairies and large players in the milk business have entered in this lucrative venture. Amongst the various milk sweets,khoa based sweets, namely burfi, peda, gulabjamun, milk cake, kalakand and kunda occupy more commercial significance than other sweets.