Kova Kajjikaya-kova/doodh peda laddu

This sweet is a favorite in my family.My brother and mom go nuts for this sweet.I made this and served to my aunt and uncle and came to know through them that my grandma used to make them when they were kids and these taste exactly like that.I was so happy. The inner layer is called as kobbari louju and can be served independently.The outer layer is kova. I won't lie but this recipe definitely tested my patience, right from making the kova to rolling it into roundles. I'm also giving an alternative for those who do not have so much patience to make kova from scratch.But,trust me fresh made kova is so divine.

Preparation time:2 hours

serves:20

 For the inside stuffing called kobbari louju see here

For Palakova:

Ingredients:

1/2 gallon  full fat  Milk(2 litres)

1 1/2 cups sugar(or adjust per taste)

Procedure:

1.Take the milk in the pan and heat it on medium flame stirring continuously until it comes to a boil(a little foam forms on the top). (if you can manage the milk not stick to the pan on high flame that is quicker, the important point is the milk shouldn't stick to the pan and brown)

2.Now turn the flame to high and keep stirring ,scrape the sides and keep adding to the boiling milk.

3.After around 30 minutes the milk will reduce by half and come together in a thick creamy consistency. Keep stirring until it loses some more moisture(at any point if you think your milk is getting browned feel free to turn down the flame to medium).

4.After 20 more minutes the milk will lose most of the moisture and will become thick. Turn heat to medium-low and add sugar as per your taste At this stage add sugar.

5.The mixture will start bubbling. Once the bubbles disappear that is when the kova is ready.

6.Refrigerate the kova for about 1-2 hours. Take some ghee on your palm and spread some kova into a flat circle. Now place the previously rolled kobbari louju in the centre and roll the kova around it.At this time the kova can still  be rugged on the outside.

7.Refrigerate for half an hour and take some ghee in our palm and roll it out once again to make a smooth round coating of the kova.(if using milk mawa, you won't need this step).Serve at room temperature.

Alternate kova:

Ingredients:

2 cups milk mawa powder

1stick of unsalted butter (1/2 cup)

 1can( 14ounce)sweetened condensed milk

Procedure:

1.Melt butter in a pan,add milk powder and condensed milk and keep stirring until it forms a thick mixture. Roll it around the kobbari louju while it's still warm enough to handle.

Tips:

Use a big broad pan, preferably nonstick for this preparation so that the milk doesn't burn or spill but yet gets done quicker.

Use full fat milk for this preparation to get the creamy deliciousness of kova.

 This has to be stirred continuously, leaving it even for a minute can make your milk stick to the pan and get the burnt residue and taste into the kova and a kova that is brown in color.

This has to be served at room temperature or your louju will be very hard to eat.